Chunky legs - best footwear with dresses?

[Sheila]

Inspired by the wrap dresses thread I've ordered a summer dress from Top Shop. Can any of you wise ladies advise me what's the best footwear to waer with it, bearing in mind I have legs like a giant redwood, although I do have thin ankles in relation to my footballer calves?

Or should I bow to the inevitable and stick to trousers?!

if you have good ankles then go with a heel, but nothing with an ankle strap or it'll cancel out the effect of your slim ankles ! what length is the dress ?

Probably best to avoid anything too flat, a small heel would be flattering (if you can walk in them).

kitten heels (2 inches high, like a little stilletto heel) always look good.

Knee length I think. Would boots be OK do you think or is it too late in the season? Was thinking maybe cowboy boots with a bit of a heel.

NDP is right about the ankle strap, these make even the loveliest legs look a touch stumpy. I'd go for a plain court shoe for a classy and elongated look. ps, what are legs like a giant redwood?!

I hope not sheila, I've just bought a pair of brown boots to wear with my choccie brown wrap dress ! I think we can get away with boots in the Spring here in chilly old Blighty .

Personally I'd avoid cowboy boots, a) because I don't like them and b) because they can make knees look a bit blobby, IMO.

Like the kitten heel idea (easy to walk in too) but what's the position re tights? In the hope we get some warm weather (dress is sleeveless) should I try some nude gloss tights or are they just too tacky? Need to hide spider veins on footballer calves. What an attractive picture I'm painting - you can see why I've always stuck to trousers before now! I long for the swish of a dress though.

Legs like a giant redwood (tree) are just v. chunky but unlike a giant redwood unfortunately also very short. I have thin arms and torso but big hips and thighs. Sigh.

If it's warm enough out, how about a pair of mules? You can get either a sandal type or a closed-toe, and you would wear them without tights.

i like you have veins on my legs. had a spray tan done on sat just on my legs and it really does improve the look of the legs.also iget a free top up on sat which is even better. all for £10 too .bargain!!! it was so nice wearing skirts over the weekend and not feeling paranoid!!!

I think very subtle tights would be fine with a closed toe shoe. I wouldn't go too glossy or obvious in colour or texture. Finding the right hopsiery can be a bit or a minefield, IME

NdP - what sort of boots are best if not cowboy?
Many thanks for all replies - hope nobody minds me bleeding you all white for ideas...

My calves are slim to average, but I don't think that makes a difference where knee highs are concerned, although it can make buying them more diificult if you are larger of calf , but they do exist !!!

I've just gone for normal knee highs with a 3inch heel - not as tarty as they sound !!!!

I have got some lovely black knee highs with a kitten heel and they are fab. Something like these would be good

Obviously I may be barking up the wrong tree completely without seeing the dress itself !

how are your knees? Mine are awful so I always go for a on the knee style with black tights, in the spring I go for long skirts and trousers until the weather is good enough to do fake tan and on the knee skirts.

If you want boots make sure you get a style that goes up to your knee, the three quarter ones that are everywhere at the mo are very unflattering on all but the slimmest legs IMO.

The dress is here in the dresses section (sorry can't seem to link direct to image):

Wallpaper Print Wrap Dress

A bit loud for me (normally wear safe classics) but what the hell!

knee-high boots with a heel of any kind would be good, or sandals with a lowish front and a heel any kind of heel is OK though I think chunky-ish work better with thick legs than stilettos or even kitten heels. I hate court shoes! They make me look unbelievably mumsy. They are better if they are a ballet pump shape - ie low cut on the foot as this elogates the leg. The more foot on show the more flattering it is. But right now boots with a thermal lining would be best! As for tights, fishnets look nice in spring, I think. I think black opaques look a bit dated.

I would certainly wear tights at this time of year - too bleedin' cold for bare legs! Roughly skin coloured or skin with a light tan on it is best - but not shiny. Shiny is only for evening IMO.

I think cowboy boots would look a bit busy with that. I'd either wear low brown kitten heels or plain brown knee boots with that dress

Seen your link - I think brown knee high boots now, with brown fishnets and some sort of cardigan, then thong-type sandals when it's properly warm.

oooh thank you - you are all so wise and so generous! Wish I could take you all shopping with me.

Will go for (light?) brown boots now and kitten heels if and when it warms up a bit. Don't let's get started on the cardi issue - another no-go area for me. I always seem to end up looking frumpy.

Hope the damn thing fits me when it arrives...

I have chunky legs too - I have these M&S wedge mules in Khaki - they would be perfect with that dress:

mules

Now I'm torn Gingerbear - like look, colour and price of these. Do you find the top strap shortens the look of your leg a bit (see Aloha's comments below about showing as much foot as poss.)?

Also, do you find you fall off them? I had a pair of mules a few years ago that nearly broke my ankle - I was always slipping sideways out of them!

sheila yourrightthe top strap will cut your foot and make itlook shorter, need a lower strap and not one on the instep.

they are very comfy Shiela. Not fallen off yet - try a pair on in M&S and have a walk round the store (that is what I did!!

The chunkiness of the wedge balances my chunky calves & compensates for straps.

Love gingerbear's suggestion. Mules elongate legs, even w/ the upper strap, I think.