# Knee-high boots for wide calves **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [August 18, 2005, 2:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/knee-high-boots-for-wide-calves/317578 "2005-08-18T14:09:09Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![monica](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a183cd/32.png) [@monica](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/monica)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2005, 2:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/knee-high-boots-for-wide-calves/317578/1 "2005-08-18T14:09:09Z")
I have wide calves. I measured them, and one is 15" and the other is 15.5". I want knee-high boots. Although, in the world of wide calves, mine could certainly be a lot worse, I still can’t find any knee-high boots in the stores that will fit. I’ve been looking online, but I was hoping someone here can point me in the right direction. Here’s what I need: Black, knee-high boots that will fit my calves, have a bit of a heel (but not a huge one, and no spike heels), and a non-pointy toe. Anyone here have any recommendations? Thanks! ---
**Author:** ![kushiel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/bbce88/32.png) [@kushiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kushiel)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2005, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/knee-high-boots-for-wide-calves/317578/2 "2005-08-18T15:53:22Z")
What I had to do was go a size or two up in shoe size to find a pair that would fit my calves. Try Payless Shoes? ---
**Author:** ![Corii](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/aeb1de/32.png) [@Corii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Corii)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2005, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/knee-high-boots-for-wide-calves/317578/3 "2005-08-18T16:03:01Z")
I found a pair of boots with larger calf circimference at Lane Bryant Catalog (online). Look for plus calf boots, here’s an example: [http://www.lbcatalog.com/lbcatalog/product/product.asp?pf\_id=70694&dept\_id=853&parent\_id=849&](http://www.lbcatalog.com/lbcatalog/product/product.asp?pf_id=70694&dept_id=853&parent_id=849&) ---
**Author:** ![tremorviolet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e47774/32.png) [@tremorviolet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tremorviolet)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2005, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/knee-high-boots-for-wide-calves/317578/4 "2005-08-18T16:07:15Z")
Go to [Zappos](http://www.zappos.com/womens.zhtml). They have a whole category for stretch/wide calf boots, both dress and casual. And on a lot of their boots (but not all), they’ll actually put what the calf width is. Plus, they have FREE returns for any reason so it’s easy to return stuff. Here’s an [example](http://www.zappos.com/n/p/dp/3488291/c/72.html) of a boot that might fit. ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2005, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/knee-high-boots-for-wide-calves/317578/5 "2005-08-18T16:44:19Z")
Dude! Your thighs are _15" wide???_ Yikes! ---
**Author:** ![Bambi\_Hassenpfeffer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Bambi\_Hassenpfeffer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bambi_Hassenpfeffer)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2005, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/knee-high-boots-for-wide-calves/317578/6 "2005-08-18T17:09:10Z")
> [@Ethilrist](#): > > Dude! Your thighs are _15" wide???_ Yikes! Calves, not thighs, and I would assume she means in circumference. 15" wide would be utterly terrifying, 15" around much more reasonable. Mine are ~20", but I don’t do knee boots. They don’t look good so much on men. ---
**Author:** ![KSO](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/f07891/32.png) [@KSO](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KSO)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2005, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/knee-high-boots-for-wide-calves/317578/7 "2005-08-18T17:15:46Z")
[J. Crew](http://www.jcrew.com) carries boots in extended calf sizes. ---
**Author:** ![Kalhoun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3bc359/32.png) [@Kalhoun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalhoun)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2005, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/knee-high-boots-for-wide-calves/317578/8 "2005-08-18T18:19:04Z")
Okay, I have the exact opposite problem but my solution may help. I went to a shoe repair to have my boots taken in. I just hate that bobbily boots feeling. Anyhoo, maybe your shoe repair dude could put a stretch insert in your boots. Has anyone tried this? ---
**Author:** ![Dangerosa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Dangerosa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dangerosa)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2005, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/knee-high-boots-for-wide-calves/317578/9 "2005-08-18T19:16:42Z")
My girlfriends and I took a “leave the husbands and kids at home and go to Vegas!” trip. I have normal sized feet, but about half my girlfriends have wide feet. They went to Leonard’s and were so impressed they will go back to Vegas just to go shoe shopping. Apparently, they aren’t the only ones, Leonards gets annual visits from people all over the country, some of whom aren’t in Vegas for anything other than shoes. One of my friends did buy calf high boots similar to what you are describing. (I hate buying shoes over the internet. But a cheap weekend in Vegas with shoe shopping…) [http://www.leonardswideshoes.com/](http://www.leonardswideshoes.com/) ---
**Author:** ![Dangerosa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Dangerosa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dangerosa)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2005, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/knee-high-boots-for-wide-calves/317578/10 "2005-08-18T19:19:42Z")
The boot by the way is on the last page of their online store. ---
**Author:** ![phall0106](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/phall0106/32/5934_2.png) [@phall0106](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/phall0106)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2005, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/knee-high-boots-for-wide-calves/317578/11 "2005-08-18T19:31:16Z")
Just a word of warning…I bought a pair of boots with a side zip from Lane Bryant. According to the description, they would have fit my calves, however, the boot wasn’t large enough on the zip to make it to the top. So what the top of the boot was large enough–the lower part wasn’t. :smack: ---
**Author:** ![alice\_in\_wonderland](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alice_in_wonderland/32/176_2.png) [@alice\_in\_wonderland](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alice_in_wonderland)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2005, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/knee-high-boots-for-wide-calves/317578/12 "2005-08-18T19:42:10Z")
[These](http://images.google.ca/imgres?imgurl=http://207.236.61.38/MainServer/items/images/SCALA%2520BLK.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.locateproduct.com/products/SoftMoc-Internet-Shoe-Shop-9.htm&h=225&w=300&sz=10&tbnid=4KVmr8-1ldcJ:&tbnh=83&tbnw=111&hl=en&start=14&prev=/images%3Fq%3DFranco%2BSarto%2BBoots%26svnum%3D10%26hl%3Den%26lr%3D%26c2coff%3D1) Franco Sarto’s have been available for the last couple of seasons, and I think they probably fill the bill. Not to high, rounded toe, stretch top. I had them about 2 years ago and wore them to pieces. Very comfortable, basic black boot. ---
**Author:** ![Mama\_Zappa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/71e660/32.png) [@Mama\_Zappa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mama_Zappa)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2005, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/knee-high-boots-for-wide-calves/317578/13 "2005-08-19T19:34:10Z")
> [@Dangerosa](#): > > My girlfriends and I took a “leave the husbands and kids at home and go to Vegas!” trip. I have normal sized feet, but about half my girlfriends have wide feet. They went to Leonard’s and were so impressed they will go back to Vegas just to go shoe shopping. Apparently, they aren’t the only ones, Leonards gets annual visits from people all over the country, some of whom aren’t in Vegas for anything other than shoes. One of my friends did buy calf high boots similar to what you are describing. > > (I hate buying shoes over the internet. But a cheap weekend in Vegas with shoe shopping…) > > [http://www.leonardswideshoes.com/](http://www.leonardswideshoes.com/) For folks closer to the other coast, Globe Shoes, in Paramus NJ, also carries an amazing variety. I’ve never bought boots there but I take a 12W shoe, and even Nordie’s doesn’t have much of a selection. Globe, however… is worth a drive. My SIL specifically mentioned purchasing wide-calf boots there. No website, unfortunately, but a phone call a couple months ago confirmed they still exist. My friend and I are planning a driving trip to visit the store soon - 5 hours each way but worth it. Paramus may not be Vegas but it’s got New York City nearby 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Mama\_Zappa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/71e660/32.png) [@Mama\_Zappa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mama_Zappa)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2005, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/knee-high-boots-for-wide-calves/317578/14 "2005-08-19T19:54:59Z")
> [@Mama Zappa](#): > > …No website, unfortunately, but a phone call a couple months ago confirmed they still exist. … :smack: Obviously my google-fu is F----- U- today. Try this: [http://www.globe-shoes.com/](http://www.globe-shoes.com/) Admittedly, a pretty useless website but it does exist. ---
**Author:** ![Rhiannon8404](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rhiannon8404/32/17929_2.png) [@Rhiannon8404](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhiannon8404)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2005, 11:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/knee-high-boots-for-wide-calves/317578/15 "2005-08-19T23:48:51Z")
I have these…[Sudini Give](http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B00009WPHH/002-7087575-2694433?v=glance). They are amazingly comfortable and adjustable all the way up the calf. I walked all over Italy in them this March and will swear by how comfortable they are. ---
**Author:** ![AntaresJB](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c2a13f/32.png) [@AntaresJB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AntaresJB)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2005, 2:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/knee-high-boots-for-wide-calves/317578/16 "2005-08-20T02:20:19Z")
My calves are freaking huge, as well as my ankles - even the “wide-calf” boots usually won’t go past my ankles. I wear an 11W, which doesn’t help matters any. My solution is lace-up boots - I usually have to replace the laces they come with with an uber-long piece of ribbon, but at least I can make them fit. My taste runs more towards combat-style and platform boots, though - the lace-up thing may not fit the style you’re looking for. ([These](http://www.hottopic.com/store/product.asp?LS=0&ITEM=344955&RN=129) are my latest purchase – they actually don’t come together quite completely around my calves, to the point where you can see a bit of flesh on either side of the tongue, but extra-wide ribbon for the laces takes care of that and they’re just so damn cute otherwise…)