Boots sale & Aquatalia Upswing review for short + narrow calves

aquatalia

Work has been a whirlwind this month with trips to Dallas, Seattle, and along the west coast…haven’t gotten much sleep, but I’m super excited for Kelly‘s wedding which will be a welcome respite! I wanted to pop in and share a boot sale while sizes 5 and up are still in stock. I reviewed a pair of Aquatalia boots last year, which fit me perfectly both in shaft height and width off the rack (for reference, my calves are about 12″ around and I am 5 feet tall). The price tag is not low, but for me they’ve turned out to be worth every penny due to the fit, comfort and functionality. All Aquatalia boots are “weatherproofed,” and after owning these for a year I can now attest to the quality. I’ve worn mine regularly in rain and snow and they still look great without any treatment or care other than wiping clean.
aquataliaSince the “Drew” style I own has been discontinued, I tried on a few styles before finding the current “Upswing” (shown above) which fit and look the most similar. The shaft is listed as 15″ high online, but based on where they hit me I’m guestimating closer to 14″ tall so perfect for shorter legs. The woven shaft was stretchy and a comfortable fit on my calves. These boots are currently an awesome 40% off as part of Nordstrom’s womens sale (see other Aquatalia boots too which all feature their weatherproofing treatment). I haven’t poked through the sale yet but had these boots bookmarked, and wanted to share as soon as I saw the markdown! I’m trying on a size 5 in the photo above, which fit with thin socks.

As always, I’d love to hear specific boot recommendations from you guys that are short and narrow calf-friendly. I’ve had two-toned (brown + black) riding boots on my wishlist for years and wonder if that boot dream will ever become reality!

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31 Comments

  1. Ugh just checked Nordstroms website and they're all out of the over the knee boot and the transit boot ( which I wanted to try ). Guess it's late in the season…

    Posted 2.28.15 Reply
  2. Steve Madden has some shorter shaft height boots! Not sure about how narrow they are though. Also just got a pair of over the knee BP boots that I believe are still on their website. They do have a narrow calf.
    Thanks!
    Pickypetite.com

    Posted 2.28.15 Reply
  3. Anonymous wrote:

    After 9 years of trying on countless knee-high boots (and returning them the next day), found a pair of La Canadienne Sandra. 14.5" shaft, but fits my calf (narrow). Apparently I have tiny ankles though, so I need to wear it with some thick socks in the future to prevent sagging. Otherwise, La Canadienne Stefania has a 14" shaft & is gore-tex. But was a bit pricier. I'm 5'2" for reference.

    Posted 11.19.14 Reply
  4. Anonymous wrote:

    I really like that pair. My calves are also about 12" and my favorite Aquatalia boot is the Rhumba- this is one of the only pairs of boots I have ever found that doesn't gap with tights. Gorgeous weatherproof suede, 3" heel and very comfy for walking. I am considering stockpiling a few pairs in my size in case they are ever discontinued 🙂

    http://shop.nordstrom.com/s/aquatalia-by-marvin-k-rhumba-boot/3301183?cm_cat=datafeed&cm;_ite=aquatalia_by_marvin_k_%27rhumba%27_boot:552459&cm;_pla=shoes:women:boots&cm;_ven=Google_Product_Ads&mr;:referralID=d962a326-6ae3-11e4-ac6c-001b2166c2c0&origin;=pla

    Posted 11.12.14 Reply
  5. Jean wrote:

    thank you for sharing! They look great, and sizes seem to be going quickly. I'd be very tempted if I didn't own the Mainline.

    Posted 11.10.14 Reply
  6. Jean wrote:

    I love the fit of SW but I'm afraid to take them out in really yucky weather! The leather is nice and soft and they are not "weatherproof'd" like Aquatalia so I wonder how they'd hold up in rain, snow and slush.

    Posted 11.10.14 Reply
  7. Jean wrote:

    It is basket weavy – I'm trying to remember but it has stretch and is not a knit fabric. I asked the SA and she said it was woven leather but the description online makes me pretty sure it's not leather.

    Posted 11.10.14 Reply
  8. Jean wrote:

    I didn't think the ankle area was saggy, but that's in comparison to other boots I've tried on which are usually much looser in both ankle and calf..

    Posted 11.10.14 Reply
  9. Jean wrote:

    Good question – I asked the sales associate when I tried them on and she said it was woven leather. However reading the description it seems vague and my guess from the feel of it is a non-leather material but i can't put my finger on it. It is not a sweater-like knit which the photo may make it look like.

    Posted 11.10.14 Reply
  10. Jean wrote:

    I did not – I own the Drew boots from last year and was trying to find a most similar option that is current from this year, since several ladies have been asking about the Drew which is sold out.

    Posted 11.10.14 Reply
  11. Jean wrote:

    Hi KC – I remember you recommending Poppy Barley in a past comment! I love the company's mission and the fact that they make a completely customized fit..

    Posted 11.10.14 Reply
  12. Jean wrote:

    I think boots can be tough for all body types! Have you tried the BP "Transit" boots from Nordstrom? I've been wearing them quite a bit – the height is great for my shorter legs, and the calf width comes in both regular and extended width.

    Posted 11.10.14 Reply
  13. Lovely design!

    恵美より ♥
    http://www.emi-doll.blogspot.jp

    Posted 11.9.14 Reply
  14. Anonymous wrote:

    Jean~ I just came across these SW boots that are currently on sale at Nordstrom for 35% off. They look very similar to your Mainline boots. Thought I would share before they're sold out. 🙂

    http://shop.nordstrom.com/s/stuart-weitzman-semi-over-the-knee-boot-women/3749298?origin=PredictiveSearch-personalizedsort&contextualcategoryid;=0&fashionColor;=Black+Suede&resultback;=631&cm;_sp=personalizedsort-_-searchresults-_-1_2_C

    Posted 11.8.14 Reply
  15. These look very cute and versatile.
    I guess for short and narrow calf ladies, maybe those skin tight boots with stretch build into them would fit better?

    xx
    Yvonne
    http://tellmeyblog.com

    Posted 11.8.14 Reply
  16. Meka wrote:

    As we say at work November starts boots season. Love these!!!! I need to go boot shopping. Was just in TJMaxx and it was boots galore, all in my size too. I was in heaven can't wait to go back and shop.

    Posted 11.7.14 Reply
  17. Amanda wrote:

    Love these boots! I will have to check out Nordstrom this weekend. It is so hard to find boots that fit in the right length. Most boots go up to my knees or higher!

    Posted 11.7.14 Reply
  18. DRD wrote:

    Oh for your reference, the lower stuart weitzman boots are the mezzaluna. Hope that helps!

    Posted 11.7.14 Reply
  19. DRD wrote:

    Stuart weitzman. All the way. I know you've reviewed a pair on your blog before. I have the 5050 OTK boots and a similar pair that's below the knee (but has the same stretchy back panel). I've also been very successful with Duo boots. I own two pairs that fit like a glove and are beautifully made.

    Posted 11.7.14 Reply
  20. Kim wrote:

    I just tried on a pair of OTK boots at Nordstrom Rack that were very narrow/fitted in the calves. I am not sure what the brand was, though. I think they were Cole Haan.

    Posted 11.7.14 Reply
  21. jannyisms wrote:

    I echo the question above– what's the material of the textured portion? These boots look great but the woven texture on the shaft almost seems basket-weavy in the close-ups on the Nordstrom site! Thanks!

    Posted 11.6.14 Reply
  22. Anonymous wrote:

    How saggy is the area around the ankle? It seems that the shaft is fitted, for the ankle area is loose. :/

    Posted 11.6.14 Reply
  23. Anonymous wrote:

    What is the textured part made out of? It seems to be woven, so probably not leather?

    Posted 11.6.14 Reply
  24. Anonymous wrote:

    How was the texture on these boots? The texture looks a bit strange, but it is hard to tell!

    Posted 11.6.14 Reply
  25. Anonymous wrote:

    Hi! Those boots look great. I have narrow calves as well. Did you end up buying the boots? If not, why?

    Posted 11.6.14 Reply
  26. Anonymous wrote:

    BTW I also have very skinny calves and am a shoe size 5.5. I totally feel your pain boot shopping 🙂

    KC

    Posted 11.6.14 Reply
  27. Anonymous wrote:

    Hi Jean!

    I also own aquatalia boots myself. They are definitely high quality and the waterproofing is great for where I live. We get LOTS of snow. I have tried on numerous pairs of aquatalia boots and that being said not all of them fit perfect, I'm 5'2, but when they do I do a little happy dance 🙂
    I was looking for a two toned riding boot myself and these look like they would be perfect:

    http://poppybarley.com/product/foxhunt-cognac-black/
    http://poppybarley.com/product/foxhunt-boot-black-cognac/

    I've purchased their heeled boots before and they fit to a T and the leathers are so soft. I would imagine these would be the same. Price is comparable to aquatalia as well. Happy boot hunting!

    KC

    Posted 11.6.14 Reply
  28. Sasa Zoe wrote:

    The boots look great:)

    Shall We Sasa: Birthday Night Out

    Posted 11.6.14 Reply
  29. Soprano2 wrote:

    That's one thing I can't help you with because I have the opposite problem, I'm short but I'm not tiny (5'2", size 10 or 12, depending); my calves are large for my size, so I have problems finding tall boots that are big enough for my calves and short enough for my short legs. I was thrilled to find two pair that fit last year, one dressy in black and one casual in brown. I never thought about someone's legs being too thin for high boots, so it was news to me that this could be a problem. There are so many cute boots that I cannot even think about trying on because the shaft is too small.

    Posted 11.6.14 Reply
  30. I'm waiting on a pair of Sperry boots I ordered that have a 131/4" circumfrence. Fingers crossed they work out! I just sent another pair back!

    xo
    http://www.style-wire.com

    Posted 11.6.14 Reply
  31. Honestly I have the same wish like you and now I'm looking forward to the recommendations of your dear readers 🙂
    http://www.dressedwithsoul.com

    Posted 11.6.14 Reply

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