If The Boot Fits: Tall Boots For Big Calves

You know the song "Poor Unfortunate Souls" from the movie The Little Mermaid (don't pretend you didn't sing every one of Ariel's songs in grade/high school)? Well, I've decided it's the theme song for the plight of thick calved girls searching for tall boots.

For months, I've had a serious case of tall boot envy every time I see a chick on the street rocking a knee high boot. I, myself, am short with extra girthy Gastrocnemius muscles. So the thickest part of my lower leg falls in the spot that is usually the thinnest part of the boot.

Since September, I've been trolling shoe stores to find my Cinderella boot that will effortlessly slip over my monstrous calves - only to be dejected and embarrassed when even the roomiest boot won't work its way past my ankle. I even contemplated buying from online retailers like widewiths.com and aylaboots.com. But I'm the kind of girl who can't purchase clothes and shoes from the web; I'm hard to fit and need to try before buying.

So I lucked out two weeks ago during a last ditch mission to Nordstrom's shoe department. I found these Steve Madden Intyce boots on sale ($129 down from $199) and they managed to slip on without the need for elbow grease.

Problem is that the only thing that would fit between my leg and the leather would be a pair of tights or leggings...certainly not a pair of pants or skinny jeans. So I took my new boots to Villa's Shoe Repair (266 S 19th Street in Philadelphia), a fab shoe repair shop a few blocks from my office. They stretched the boots and waterproofed them for less than $30. Plus, the helpful owner punched extra holes in the buckle - free of charge - to further accommodate my zaftig calves.

Thanks to Steve Madden and Villa's Shoe Repair, I can finally stop sipping the tall boot haterade.