10 Fashionable Wide-Calf Boot Styles for Fall

For many women, boot shopping can be just as overwhelming as bathing suit shopping. While there are lots of styles to choose from at price points across the board, fit is often an issue when it comes to those like myself with wider calves.

However, more recently, the footwear industry has been addressing the need for fashionable boots with extended calf circumferences ranging from 17 inches all the way to 21, offering looks from biker-inspired designs to classic riding versions.

Despite the typical association of one’s body weight with calf width, petite women can also have fuller calves. These numbers are further multiplied as more women take to the gym to build up their muscles.

It’s not just women with wider calves who are finding extended calves a welcome option. The growing legging and skinny-jean trends often require a bit of extra room in the shaft so these looks can be comfortably tucked inside a boot.

Finding a selection of extended calf boots can be a challenge in traditional department stores, especially outside of big cities. Here, online shopping is the way to go. There are styles from popular brands such as Aerosoles and Naturalizer, while designer Isaac Mizrahi offers several versions from his line of apparel and accessories sold exclusively on QVC.

To take the guesswork out of fit when ordering online, measure your calf width at its largest point. Since most websites will indicate the width of the shaft, you can get a customized fit. And remember, calf width and shoe width are two distinct things — so make sure you’re ordering your correct shoe size. Just because you have a wider calf, doesn’t mean you have a wider foot.

To see more boots click through the gallery.