How to Find The Perfect Boot for Your Body Type

Different legs call for different boot styles. Some people rock a short bootie like a royal in-law, while others look like they're standing in a hole. What is the boot type that will make your gams gorgeous?

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Boots for Long Legs
Show off your gams with a tall boot that hits at the knee. A buckle along the top of the boot can help add shape to thinner legs, along with stretch paneling.

Aldo Maudie Boot, $70

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Boots for Short Legs
Try to steer clear of knee high boots, which can overwhelm a smaller leg and tend to hit awkwardly at the knee. If you can't resist a taller boot, look for a minimalistic style, without any buckles (which add bulk and break the straight, clean line of the boot) and a pointed toe to lengthen your leg. If you're in the market for a heel, look for a thicker one or a wedge heel. You'll be wearing these boots through all sorts of unwieldy conditions, and a wedge heel creates a long, fluid line.

H&M Shoes, $60

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Boots for Small Calves
Find a bootie that's snug on the foot and ankle. Any extra space will make your legs look even skinnier. Be careful with proportions, a chunky wedge can look heavy on a slimmer leg. Opt for a simple, slim heel instead.

Joie Bright Fire Bootie, $400

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Boots for Shapely Calves
Show off your toned calves in an ankle bootie that ends just at or below the ankle and fits a little looser. This makes the ankle and calf look slimmer and draws vision all the way down the leg to the foot, instead of cutting it off at the ankle.

Alexander Wang Kim Booties, $702.09

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Boots With Room to Grow
Stretch panels are a gift from the footwear gods. A hidden elastic panel along the inside of a boot or down the back gives a little wiggle room, which is great for fitting thicker denim into a boot.

Anne Klein Carliona Riding Boot, $200

Boot-Buying Advice
Keep in mind, most leathers will stretch a bit, but don't buy boots that feel a tad too snug with the expectation that they'll loosen up to fit.

Sam Edelman Seraphina Boot, $325