How to Find Plus-Size Knee-High Boots

There are few plus-size shopping experiences more frustrating than the annual hunt for sexy knee-high boots that actually fit. If your calves are larger than the industry standard, it's hard to find knee-high boots that fit well and are flattering. But armed with a few good tips and some determination, you can find your perfect knee-high boots and look stylish and sexy all season long.

Difficulty:

Moderately Easy

Instructions

1. Learn the lingo. Standard knee high-boots have a shaft with a 14-inch circumference. The phrases "wide calf" and "wide shaft" refer to any boot shaft with a circumference larger than 14 inches. All too often, these wide calf and wide shaft boots are only one or two inches wider than the 14-inch standard, which is usually still to small for a plus-sized woman.

2. Look for exact shaft width or circumference measurements when you shop for plus-size boots. 17-, 18- and 19-inch shaft boots are becoming more common and tend to fit plus-sized calves. On occasion, you can even find 20-inch shaft boots, which are sometimes referred to as "super-sized" or "extra wide" boots. There is a great deal of inconsistency in sizing for plus size boots, so always look for numerical measurements instead of relying on loose terminology.

3. Measure your calves before you shop. Use a flexible sewing tape measure and wrap it around the fullest part of you calf. This measurement is what you should use to find the shaft circumference that's right for you. Any shaft size less than the width of you calf is obviously not going to fit unless the boot is very, very adjustable.

4. Surf the web. The best place to buy knee-high plus-size boots is the Internet. The Internet offers the greatest selection of material, colors, styles and sizes for plus size boots. Most major plus size women's clothing retailer websites offer a small selection of plus-sized knee-high boots in their shoe section. Shop around to find the right style and fit.

5. Shop smart. Sometimes, even if the shaft of the boot is technically too small for your calf size, there are sneaky ways to make the boots fit anyway. If you have very large calves and even plus-size boots don't seem to fit correctly, look for plus-size, stretch, knee-high boots with gussets on the side or back, a side zipper, and a front lace-up feature. Then, buy a longer set of matching shoelace and re-lace the boots. All of these features in one boot will give you at least three extra inches of wiggle room to make your knee-high boot dream a reality.