Tall Boots for Short Women

Poppy Barley makes tall boots and shoes size 5 to 12, in Narrow, Standard and Wide; Find your calf width and boot height through our Fit Guide. 

For as long as I can remember, I have always been placed in the front row of every class photo (unlike Caroline), every team picture and every dance routine. Why?! Apparently at 5’2", I am what some people refer to as “vertically challenged”. Well, you want to know what my response is to that? Challenge accepted! Besides, the best things in life come in the smallest packages, right?!

Being short is definitely a love-hate relationship that affects me on a day-to-day basis, but I’m a glass half-full kind of girl, so let’s start with the “love” side of this relationship.

Check out the Riversdale Boot, recommended for short women

My height (or lack thereof) offers me many blessings, one of my favourites being the ability to wear the highest heels I can physically walk in and still not even come close to the height of most males in the room… Bonus! Of course, and as you can see, the flipside of this is that most women also tower over me, which is not only daunting but also causes me some serious neck pain…

Check out the Kensington Boot, recommended for short women

Other aspects of being short that are a pain in the neck include the inability to reach anything in the top two levels of kitchen cupboards, the wasted money spent on concerts where I am forced to stare at the back of the person in front of me, despite endless jumping, and, most notably, the inability to find boots that I can comfortably incorporate into my wardrobe. Why, may you ask? Two main reasons come to mind. First of all, I am someone who wears dresses/skirts almost everyday, and I have come to notice that the smaller the gap between my hemline and my boot top, the shorter and frumpier I look (insert frustration here)! To avoid this less-than appealing outcome, I have always been forced to raise the hems on all my skirts, which is not only expensive and time consuming, but also makes appropriate office attire a much more difficult feat. As well, finding tall boots for short women is a major pain point. Most boots come up much too high on my leg, causing serious discomfort when I sit down as they fold over and rub/dig into the backs of my legs. Ouch! I always just chalked this discomfort up to the classic (and cruel!) saying, “Beauty knows no pain”. That is until I discovered Poppy Barley’s calf fitted boots and the fact that one of the 4 measurements taken is Boot Height. My prayers have been answered! *Heel clicks!*

Check out the Twenty Four Seven Boot recommended for short women

Check out the City Boot recommended for short women

Having worked for Poppy Barley, I have tried on endless pairs of their boots (lucky girl, I know!). While I have yet to find a style that I don’t absolutely love, I have found the following two Poppy Barley styles are the most flattering tall boots for short women.

I find the vertical top on the Uptown Boot and the “v” detail on La Hacienda Boot both help to elongate my stumpy little legs–an illusion I welcome with open arms. As a personal preference, I prefer my Hacienda Boot to be on the shorter side, so I decrease my Boot Height measurement by an inch or so, which gives it a more western feel, as seen here:

After struggling for years, I am beyond proud to be a part of a company that makes “vertically challenged” individuals like myself feel comfortable and amazing in a pair of tall boots. To help all of you short gals out there, I've summarized:

5 styling tips and tricks I've learned over the years for short women

1. Find an amazing tailor. Become best friends with this tailor. Visit them religiously.
2. Rock the high heels. I am a fan of all high heels and so, naturally, LOVE Poppy Barley’s Twenty Four Seven Boot.
3. Select clothing with vertical lines–whether it's done through pattern or seams, it will help elongate the body .
4. If you will be wearing tall boots, hem skirts to ensure they hit 2-3 inches above your knee. If you will be not be wearing boots, the hem line can be slightly longer, but always ensure it is still hitting above the knee.
5. If you are like me and skirts/dresses make up the majority of your wardrobe, shorten your Boot Height measurement to be around 1 inch lower than your knee. It will appear as if your legs are longer (and who doesn't want that?!).

I hope these tips and tricks will help all you wonderfully petite women out there. After all, we totally deserve to strut our little legs down the street while proudly thinking, “Though she be but little, she is fierce!” – Shakespeare.