Cardigan Empire

Salt Lake City Fashion Stylist

Dear Empress: How Do I Find Boots for Wide Calves?

Dear Empress,

“My calves are 17” around. Regular boots don’t fit and plus sized boots are way too big. Help!“

-Made for Boots
(aka Samurai Mom)

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Dear Made for Boots,

The standard boot has a 14 inch leg opening and plus size boots can extend up to 20 inches. Your stalwart stems deserve better than droopy enclosures or asphyxiation by vinyl. Below is a solution to your in-the-middle mire:

one. Measure your calves. While you’ve obtained this vital integer, many buxom gams are uncounted. The squishy definitions of wide calf or plus size are highly ambiguous, so you’ll need to arm yourself with specifics.

Find the widest rim of your calf and discover how many inches surround it. Measure both legs and use the larger of the two. This will act as a generally helpful guide. However, if you’re investigating an explicit boot, find the boot’s shaft length and measure at this height on your own leg. This is particularly important if you’re investigating an over the knee or a shortie boot, or if you’re petite since the boot will most definitely enclose a completely different section of your lower limb.

two. Shop virtual. There are vastly more flexible soles online than in retail stores. Armed with the information gathered above you will be able to remotely assess fits prior to ordering. For best results search specifically for wide calf boots and explore the diversity available at both online shoe emporiums and the shoe area of plus-size merchandisers.

three. Opt for stretch. If your dream boot is just shy of your ideal, all is not lost. Following repeated wear, real leather will stretch. Other swelling options include gusset panels and lace ups which can be re-laced with longer laces.

four. Alter as needed. If they’re only an inch or two shy of perfection, take your booties to your local cobbler. A moderate adjustment can be made on the boot stretcher, more extensive enlargements may require the addition of gore gussets or panels of new leather at the seams.

Suggestions

Endless.com offers an a filter specifically for wide calf boots:

Here were a few of my favorites for you:



Best to you in your boot hunt,
Empress

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Money Saving Tips: How To Fix Your Shoes

My shoes are my hardest working apparel category. I think it’s really important to look on sites like Footwear 4 Workers to find out how to keep your shoes in top condition. After all, my shoes have been known to lap eight to ten miles a day over wood, concrete and brick. My shoes and I have survived snapped heels, severed peep toes, and serious gashes. While there are jobs best left to a professional, (my favorite shoe hospital being Lambs Shoe Repair and not just because they have the cutest vintage lamb screened on the window) there are also basic first aid procedures which every stiletto slinging lady should familiarize herself with.

one. Stain Removal
Patent Leather-Nail Polish Remover
Your manicure supplies can also rescue your patent leather pointies. Douse a cotton pad in nail polish remover and gently buff the shoe bruise. Air dry and store where in the cool and dry.
Suede-Emery Board
Next unsheathe your emery board (plain and not too abrasive) and lightly rub the suede injury in a back and forth motion. This procedure can remove the effects of everything from jilted beverages to unexpected rain spots.
Leather-Vinegar
Salty shoe-d winters are difficult to avoid, but also easy enough to repair. Dip a soft cloth in a small dish of distilled white vinegar and wipe clean. Spot test an inconspicuous area first and use only use on leather not fabric or suede.

two. Broken Heel
On the Go
Between your lip balm and nail clippers, keep a strong tube of glue in your handbag for on the run calamities. If the heel was nailed to the sole, coat the protruding nails with glue, slide the nails back into the original hole and hold the heel in place until the glue dries. When a glued-on heel detaches from a sole, scrape off the dried glue, coat with fresh glue and hold in place until a bond is formed. If a high heel snaps in two, coat one piece with glue at the site of the break and try to reattach the other section. Stay off your feet as much as possible until you can change to another pair of shoes.
At Home
For an at-home glue job, try a shoe adhesive such as Shoe Goo. Be sure the area to be repaired is clean, dry and free of oils, old glue and polishes. Gently sand the sole and heel to roughen up the surfaces. Apply a layer of Shoe Goo to both the heel and the sole and allow the solvents to evaporate for five to 10 minutes before pressing together. Apply pressure by using rubber bands, string or a heavy object for at least 24 hours. The longer the glue cures, the stronger the bond.

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