Why can't I 'do' ankle boots? Advice please....

[BadTasteFlump]

I think generally I dress ok and look reasonably stylish when I can be bothered to

But I can't make ankle boots look right on me. I bought some lovely tan/brownish chelsea boots and have literally not worn them once because after looking at myself in the mirror I just take them off again.

I've tried them with skinny jeans that are really tight around my ankles; I've tried them with slightly looser ones turned up a bit - both ways I look like a golf club doing an impression of Max Whall. I've tried them with boyfriend jeans rolled up a bit and I just looked like a Dexy's Midnight Runners extra. What am I doing wrong?

I've read all the style blogs - most of which talk about the Chelsea Boot being the boot that suits everybody - everybody except me that is .

I'm tall (5ft 10, size 12) and reasonably fit - my legs are fine until I put boots on it seems! Is it just me? This small and probably insignificant problem is driving me nuts!

[LaCerbiatta]

I can only do chelsea boots with straight leg trousers, anything else looks ridiculous.... must be the leg shape / foot size?

[ValiaH]

I can't do ankle boots either! I've come to the conclusion that it's because my legs are really long (a little out of proportion) and I have super skinny ankles. Long boots tend to look like wellies on my calves too, so I tend to stick to mid-calf boots. Which is tricky when the shops are full of ankle boots!

[PNGirl]

Are you rolling enough to expose a bit of ankle?

[BadTasteFlump]

Ooh I don't know about actually exposing my ankles - would that mean I can't wear socks? I feel the cold easily!!

Valia Maybe that's my problem too - my legs are long and I do have skinny ankles - and skinny calves too. Shame that theme doesn't continue all the way up but never mind... How do all these super skinny models manage to make ankle boots work?

Cerbiatta what do you do with your trousers where they meet the ankle boot then?

[FunkinEll]

My issue is that my calves are too wide and shapely so ankle boots and skinny jeans just look odd. I wear straight leg jeans and roll then so they sit just below the top of the boots so hiding the top of the boots. Boots that aren't close fitting to my ankle just don't work for me.

[FunkinEll]

Cross post, you don't have the issue I have. I think it's about getting the right height of ankle boot to suit your legs and jeans.

[puglife15]

I found I had to go for a longer style ankle boot to make it look right - like this

www.clarks.co.uk/p/20340918

[acornsandnuts]

I can only do really low ankle boots, not quite the shoe type but I need a bit of ankle to show or I just look daft.

[OiWithThePoodlesAlready]

They look terrible on me too. Rolled up jeans, not rolled up, skirts etc it just all looks wrong.

I've got the opposite problem to you because I'm tall and slim but any weight I carry I do so in my rather short legs so they make them look even shorter and quite sausage like.

[OiWithThePoodlesAlready]

That looks like I'm saying you're not tall and slim and I'm being a dick I meant our legs are the opposite!

[PNGirl]

If they're flat, you need to expose a bit of flesh even if it's a sliver (and yes, you can wear socks, just ones that finish at the top of your ankle boots). I get around it by wearing ankle grazer jeans. Heeled ones you can get away with a cuff that sits just on top or covers them a bit.

This is an example:

www.babble.com/style/10-ways-to-wear-ankle-boots-and-tips-to-keep-those-outfits-balanced/

[ValiaH]

I have no idea how they manage it! Maybe they're just more in proportion with their height... or it's the whole outfit that makes a difference. That Babble link looks good, but a lot of the flared dresses/ skirts she's wearing wouldn't work for my body shape. I couldn't go without socks if wearing boots- I need something that will work with thick tights in the winter as I feel the cold a lot. Also rolled up jeans and ankle skimmers tend to make me look a bit like I'm wearing jeans that are too short. Maybe that's a hangup from the 90's when I used to wear my flares dragging on the floor so you couldn't see any shoe though!

[BadTasteFlump]

I do like the look of boots with dresses and skirts but I think that being in my early 40's I am probably too old to get away with it (am happy to be slapped and told I'm wrong! )

[PNGirl]

I'm not too keen with skirts and dresses either; I was definitely linking to that for the jeans comments!

[FelixFelix]

I never do Chelsea boots with jeans. I think it looks terrible on most people (sorry if this is what you all wear!). You're seriously not too old for a dress/skirt with boots! I don't think anyone is too 'old' for this combination.

[LaCerbiatta]

I can only wear them with straight leg jeans or trousers. Any of those looks on that babble blog would look laughable on me :(

This look in the picture is the only way theyll work for (not a great pic but you get the idea)

[LaCerbiatta]

I guess due to the ridiculously skinny legs and big feet :(

[Ifihadmytimeagain]

I know what you mean OP. I have long thin legs too with big feet to boot. Just looks odd unless you get the perfect boot and the perfect trousers.

Knee boots are so much easier and much more flatering (if you can get the calf width right).

[Fuzzypeggy]

I'm always really interested when people talk about not being able to wear ankle boots, or talk about an ankle boot trend. Surely we've always worn ankle boots as a staple? I for one have never had any other sort of boot apart from seventies knee high ones and some
Bikers. I knows lot of people wear knee highs with skinnies tucked In but I don't see this as being as popular, mainstream and timeless as ankle boots over the years. Haven't we all worn ankle Boots as a staple for ever! Or maybe I'm missing something.

[Laquila]

Fuzzypeggy I didn't wear ankle boots between about 1997 and 2012, seriously!! I had knee-high boots and mid-calf brown suede bikers and and black leather bikers.

OP, I honestly think ankle boots are a state of mind. (Am aware that that sounds pretty knobbish 😄 But I used to feel the same about skinny jeans and then I just embraced them and now I get the horror when I see bootcut. Swings and roundabouts, innit.) Given the above, I was very cautious but now wear flattish brown leather boots, a bit like Chelsea boots but without the elastic, all winter. I'm also after a pair with a dipped/v-shape top, a bit like the Ash Jalouse, in a taupey colour.

[Fuzzypeggy]

Im prepared to accept I'm wrong then laquila! 😀What did everyone wear under their boot cut jeans through the 90's and early 00's though?? I genuinely can't remember any other kind of boot really during those times, apart from heeled ankle boots. I had a massive range of pointy high heeled ankle boots with my bootcuts

[Laquila]

Trainers!! And French Sole ballet pumps. And it didn't matter if you were wearing ankle boots then anyway as you could only see the shoe bit of the boot, IYSWIM.

[Fuzzypeggy]

Ah yes, so maybe people were wearing them but they were easier to wear as covered up. That makes sense.

[EmpressTomatoKetchup]

I wore mid calf cowboy boots or trainers with boot cuts in the 00s.

I think we're talking about this look....

[BadTasteFlump]

Ha ha, that's me attempting the boyfriend jeans and chelsea boots look - but without the glamour