One-Dollar Wonders

Analyzing Boot Flattery (or the lack thereof)

July 7, 2012

Pictures 1-3 are my favorite boots - I always feel slim of leg and attractive when I wear them, and they seem to go just as well with skirts and dresses as they do with skinny jeans.

Pics 4-6, however, don't make me feel awesome. They're not terrible, but I don't get that I-want-to-strut feeling - and while it is true that these ones are all flats, I refuse to believe that I will never be able to look good in flat boots. I did think this just a few years ago, and my DH strongly suspects this might be the case, but I'm stubbornly driven to prove otherwise. (I know almost everyone liked the #s 4 and 5, but I had to admit I was not in love).

I started playing around in Photoshop, drawing lines, looking at what kinds of angles the boots add to my body. Part of it is surely that 2 of my favorite boots are lace-ups - the laces create strong vertical lines all on their own. The reject boots all create fairly harsh horizontal lines due to the contrasting textures and, in the case of the white Fryes, the contrasting color between skin and boot.

I kept thinking, though, that my calves aren't the problem. DH didn't say my legs looked fat, he thought *I* did. And I didn't get that cankle feeling like I do when boots are too wide in the shaft. Plus, I have relatively thin ankles that should be able to handle a smidge of bulk... something had to be affecting the overall look.

When I drew lines against the sides of the boots, I was left with my new theory: I definitely think the angle between the ankle and shaft opening affects the perceived width of hips and thighs; the wider the angle, the wider the hips.

The gray Julias extend past the widest part of my calf and curve back inward toward the knee break. The black ankle boots stop well before widening to the full portion of the calf. The cognac Timberlands are the least slimming of the bunch but get away with more than the flat boots because of the low contrast with my legs, the vertical lines of the laces, and the extra height of the heel.

In conclusion: I'm not giving up on flat boots. I'm going to keep searching for that perfect pair, focusing on styles with slim ankles and the ability to cinch snugly either above or below the widest part of the calf. Amazon and Zappos may hate me by the end of it, but what can I do when the three Ps (patient, picky, and practical) haunting me?
http://youlookfab.com/2012/01/.....principle/

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Posted in the Inspiration category
This post is also published in the youlookfab forum. You can read and reply to it in either place. All replies will appear in both places.

17 Comments

  • goldenpig replied 11 years ago

    Great analysis Rae! I would never have thought to draw lines like that. Your assessment is spot on. I love those Julias on you soooo much! They fit you like a glove. I really love fitted lace-up boots, I think they look the slimmest. I do think you'll be able to find a pair of flat boots to suit you.

  • jayne replied 11 years ago

    I see what you mean although none are unflattering. But the wider shaft is obviously less slimming on you than the slim fitted shafts. I have opposite problem because my thighs are heavy, I need the wider shaft to balance them or I look like a popsicle or my thighs and heavy knees take over the focus. Or I am just paranoid. Your slim thighs are lovely btw!

  • Irene replied 11 years ago

    First, your legs in #2 look just 'wow'.

    Now onto the topic of discussion:

    I think I got lost somewhere in the explanation -the fact that English is not my first language, that I'm quite tired of thinking and that I was always awful at geometry might be reasons for that-, but I think I more or less got the point and I sort of agree.

    However, I do think those (boots in 4, 5 and 6) were just not the best choices for a long leg line aspiration.

    #4, although beautiful, are high contrast with two very different shades of brown AND horizontal stripes. Believe me, those would make my extremely long legged mother look short-legged.

    #5 are better, but I think the hem of the skirt is longer than the skirt in #1, which helps shorten the legline. And again, you have a huge horizontal stripe right before your knees.

    #6 I don't think these make your legs shorter any more than #1 and #2 would were they flat. And they are white, which is going to make everything look a bit thicker.

    I still agree on the shaft and width conclusion you have got to, but I believe there are more factors to take into account! And anyways, your legs don't look that short in any of those outfits!

  • sarah replied 11 years ago

    Wow, Rae, I'm very impressed with your analysis. I don't have the same problems you do with the second set of boots, but you need to feel great in your boots. So good luck to you on your search, and may Zappos be your friend in all of this.

  • ManidipaM replied 11 years ago

    I love the way you do homework on your heels (and flats)!

  • Heather replied 11 years ago

    Rae, seriously, I love your Fortune Cookie analysis.

    In the journey of life, keep perspective in all facets....especially the fit of your favorite boots.

  • Traci replied 11 years ago

    I think it's 75% about the lovely fit at the ankles on the boots in #8 and 25% about the lack of gape at the top. The less flattering boots in #7 contour to your ankle, but they don't show its lovely curve. It's like the difference in a perfectly tailored jacket and one right off the rack. You might be right that lace ups are your best bet for a custom tailored fit.

  • krishnidoux replied 11 years ago

    Rae that is fascinating. Good analysis! Can't wait to go try my own boots with your grid in my head.

  • nicoleb replied 11 years ago

    Wow Rae, you really spent a lot of time thinking about your boots. :D

    All i really have to say is i recently bought these(though they were cheaper in store...i'm glad i didn't get them online) which are slouchy and don't hug my ankle at all and i find i enjoy them most when i layer on my top half to match.

    Example i'm going to wear them today when a close fitting skirt and tank but them i'm throwing my studded denim vest on top as well. It actually makes me hips look...not wide. Which can be quite a feat for me. ;)

    With cankle boots coming up this fall i wonder if we're going to start talking about "surrendering the ankle" rather than the waist line. :D

  • Julie replied 11 years ago

    She doesn't spend near the time I do. I prefer to call it investing, rather than spending.

    Rae, time for a little reality check regarding your flat boots. Now, I see your point in drawing the lines, but your prep is a little lax. If you're going to start drawing lines to do comparisons, then you'd better make sure your poses are all 100% identical; and they are far from it. In photo 4 you have your weight on your right leg causing your left to have an exaggerated angle. In photo 5 your weight is still biased on your right leg, but your right foot is pointing straight at he camera. Your left foot is pointing in which rotates your calf out, again exaggerating the angle. In photo 6, ( I don't like the boots in 6 but that's not the point), your left leg is slightly bent , again causing your calf to rotate outward.

    If you want to do the comparisons you think you are doing, you need to pose exactly the same for all photos, feet same distance apart, toes pointing straight ahead, weight equally on both feet, hands by your sides, and your knees straight. I know, sounds like you're in the army.

    Having said that, your observations on your first three pairs are spot on. So, stick with what works. Find a pair of flat boots like your Julias. As for strutting, you can't do that in flats like you can in a pair of heels anyway. The boots in 4 and 5 make for wonderfully casual looks. If you were to wear your Julias with the plaid dress, the look would be totally different.

    As for your perceived hip width, that's influenced more by the heel height, than anything.

  • rae replied 11 years ago

    Thanks, everyone! Always good to get a good boot discussion going.

    *Clearly* the ankle-shaft angles are not going to be the only factor here. But I was befuddled at first, because ALL these boots fit very nice and snug at the top - no gap whatsoever. The fact that a couple of you still see a gap there speaks volumes.

    The thing that most interested me was that I didn't feel like my *legs* were shortened by the boots, but that my hips were widened. I can deal with short legs with a high belt and other things, but widened hips make me batty. I wanted to gain a theory as to why, so that I could change the approach for the next round - a fitted calf was not enough!

    Jayne, I'm sure we here might not notice your thigh issue, but it's often about what makes us feel good inside as much as it is about how we look outside. Great that you learned you like balancing your thighs; I bet it makes shopping way easier.

    Lemonade and Julie, you are both 100% right that the pictures are not fully scientific. I did try everything on with the same outfit at one point, but I was too tired to put everything back on for a photo session. I felt familiar enough with my legs to be comfortable with the analysis, though it would be better for a blog post to have the "control" factors like a proper science experiment.

  • Jonesy replied 11 years ago

    To me, the latter three boots don't look any less flattering in terms of your width :). I appreciate your analysis, but I wonder if it's more simply just a matter of heel height for the most part? So, the higher the heel, the slimmer one looks, because heel height adds height without adding any width?

  • catgirl replied 11 years ago

    Rae, these are great visuals and a good analysis. The Julias are by far my favorites not only for fit but for style! I can't recover from the fact that they didn't work on me.

    I wonder how much of this also has to do with our recent realizations that our leg length is actually proportionate. And your legs are quite slender all the way up, despite what you see. Shapely, but still slender. The Julias work like a curve-hugging pencil skirt for your legs, while the others are more like a trumpet skirt (only upside down), creating less balance.

  • Suz replied 11 years ago

    Very interesting analysis and discussion. I actually think you look great in ALL the boots, but I know it is as much to do with how you feel as with how you look. I do suspect that heel height is the most important factor. I also feel slimmer and less wide in the hips when I am wearing a heel of some kind.

    In terms of strutting, there's NOTHING like a boot that fits snug at the ankle to give that feeling, in my opinion. For me, it's partly the sense of strong support that lets me feel like I can really stride out. So it's partly the look, but partly the feel - for me, at least.

  • Sveta replied 11 years ago

    Rae, you are the one to start a fascinating thread, aren't you? :-)
    Here are my 2 cents: heels always make one's legs slimmer. Period. This is why heels are flattering. So it is not fair to compare heeled and flat boots in terms of flatter for the legs. Una was spot on comparing them to pencil skirt and flared skirt.
    Saying that - does it mean that pencil skirt is the only skirt style worth wearing? No way! Flared skirts create a wonderful effect also even though in completely different way. They are also require more effort to style in a flattering and interesting way.
    The same is with boots. Flat boots have a very different effect on the legs than heeled ones but it does not mean they are less flattering. However they need to fit very well and be worn in the right outfits to work.
    I agree that all boots in 1-3 are wonderful on you. I don't care much for #4 because their color and horizontal straps won't be flattering on anyone. I am not a fan of #6 either - they are slouchy but not enough and the contrast is very high with your legs.
    However I don't think #5 is that bad but I would prefer a snugger fit from the ankle to the curve of your calf. Have a better fit in this area and you will rock flat boots!

  • rae replied 11 years ago

    Yes, you are all right that the heels lengthen the legs and make the body look slimmer. STILL, I don't feel fat and hippy in my non-boot flats, so I'm just holding out hope that there are *other* mitigating factors that can help flat boots work for me.

    Una, I like the skirt analogy a lot! I could be seeing the same effect I see with a pencil skirt that is tapered in at the knees, versus a skirt that hangs straight down from the hips.

    So it seems like we all sort of agree that slimming boot factors are:

    - Vertical rather than horizontal details (e.g., laces vs. high-contrast straps)
    - Higher heels
    - Slim, structured shaft vs. a very slouchy/voluminous shaft
    - Slim ankle
    - Shaft that tapers toward a slim part of the leg (rather than stopping at widest part of the leg)

    If I try to treat this like a rubric, that hopefully means that I can find something with a flat or low heel if I try to stick to the other parts of the rubric...

  • replied 11 years ago

    This is a very interesting analysis! I am saving all of this information in a special corner of my brain, in case I ever find a pair of high flat boots that even come *close* to working for me! Cankle boots? Oh dear....

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I'm just your average working stiff who loves nice things and hates to pay for them. This blog outlines my efforts to navigate that treacherous shopping/saving divide through swappin', thriftin', and even a little resellin'. Many of the pieces in my wardrobe cost me just $1! We've heard a lot about people "living above their means" in recent years; I'm championing the concept of living large *below* your means - whatever that means for you. :)