It's officially pleather weather!
Fall is that time when we can finally bust out our leather jackets and sexy knee- and thigh-high boots. But if you have thicc calves like me, buying boots can be a bit of a nightmare.
Even more frustrating, the best deals for boots are on Amazon, where the size charts are questionable and the quality is iffy at best. To get the real tea on Amazon's top-selling wide-calf boots, I placed an order and called in my thick calf partner in crime, Antoinea. Here's how it went down…
First, we each measured the circumference of the widest part of our calves.
Antoinea's calves measured 16 inches around and mine rung in at 18 inches.
We were both so excited to try this leather boot ($90) by Jessica Simpson.
These boots have a 16-inch calf circumference, which would be a bit snug on me if not, I expected, for the stretchy band down the center.
Unfortunately, the 3-inch stretch band on Simpson's boots didn't offer any extra give. It took Antoinea 10 minutes to get these on.
"There was definitely a lot of effort to get my foot in these boots. It felt fine over jeans, but I would prefer them without," said Antoinea.
I had NO luck with these — I couldn't even get them past my ankles.
I spent 15 minutes struggling to pull them up and then gave up. The stretch band is basically just there for show because it doesn't really stretch.
I was a lot more hopeful about this riding boot ($47) with a 19-inch calf circumference.
The Durango Riding Boot by Brinley Co. falls squarely in the pleather boot category and has a one-inch heel height.
Success! Check out that fun view from the back. Red is THE color for fall so these are perfect.
I also really liked the zipper detail on the back because it made the boots really easy and comfortable to put on. There is nothing worse than feeling like you ran a marathon after putting on a pair of boots.
Antoinea loved the fit but wished the IRL quality was more like the photo online.
"With this style, I would prefer to wear them over jeans. They were extremely comfortable, but I wouldn't pay that much for the boots," said Antoinea.
It wouldn't be a fall boot roundup without some over-the-knee action. These riding boots check in at $60.
Made by Twisted Shoes, this Layla riding boot measures 18 inches around the calf. It's a faux leather style and the seller clearly stated that it's not waterproof.
"These boots weren't hard to put on, but all the zippers and buckles took some time," said Antoinea.
For a basic black over-the-knee boot, these would definitely earn a spot in my closet.
I was worried that the laces in the back would become a problem while walking around town. After wearing them for a while, they stood up and the laces did not restrict me from moving.
I was really looking forward to trying these oxblood faux leather boots ($66) by Naturalizer.
With a 17-inch calf opening, the pull-on boot has a 1.75-inch heel and a stretch panel that runs up the center. This is by far the most modern, stylish silhouette.
These gave me flashbacks to a pair of boots my mom used to own in the '90s.
At first, the material didn't seem like it had enough stretch for me, but they went on as smooth and seamlessly as Cinderella's glass slipper.
Antoinea was a fan, too.
"The boots fit nice and snug. While it felt comfortable over my jeans, I’d much rather wear them without," said Antoinea. She even felt paying almost $70 would be worth it.
These last boots sell for a reasonable $45 and have a a militaristic vibe, which seems to always be on trend for fall.
Also from Twisted Shoes, these knee-high military boots tout an 18.5-inch calf circumference and are made of faux leather.
Ladies and gents, welcome to shopping at Amazon: Though these looked navy blue online, they arrived in black.
Even with the color discrepancy, these were a win for Antoinea. They went on easy with a secret side zipper to avoid bothering with the laces.
My 18-inch calves would have no part of these boots.
As adorable as these were, the zipper only went halfway up my calves. Thanks but no thanks.
At the end of the day, Amazon has a decent selection, but the sizing and quality can be hit or miss.
This is especially true with the last boots we tried: They advertised a calf circumference of 18.5 inches but didn't zip over my 18-inch calves. But worse than issues with sizing was the style quotient. The designs were mostly generic and the quality was lower compared to what I've seen in straight size knee- and thigh-length boots. These are all boots you'd have for one season or two max. Don't expect the style or quality to last you longer than that.
