Having been forced to walk round the Louvre in Paris recently in an overly high (though gorgeous) pair of black suede boots and ended up having to limp back to my hotel, I’ve been trawling the online stores this last week looking at boots online to see what there is I might actually a)look good in and b) be able to walk in for a reasonable distance.
The selection is huge of course, and there are numerous places to buy your next pair of high stepping black leather daytime stunners, rubber tread biker boots or shearling lined UGG Australia or Emu boots. But when they arrive how can you be as sure as possible they will fit?
There are cheaper versions of everything, particularly at Amazon, and it’s all too easy to click on Buy and then get something you have to send back, which, let’s face it, is a pain however easy they try and make it.
One way to find out more about what you’re thinking of ordering is, obviously, to read the reviews, although these can be conflicting.
Another is to stick to quality brands you know which you’ve bought before so you can be pretty sure you’ll be buying the same quality/size/shape/leg width.
The real trick is to measure a pair of your favourite boots - the heel height, the boot leg height, and the circumference at the top, and then buy a pair that may be different in style but incorporates these essentials. But wait….the norm is just a few images, no measurements other than the heel, and definitely no circumference at the top - which is the main reason for many boot returns.
This is what you’ll find at one major store:
And another:
But here is what you really need: Click through to find heel height, boot leg height and boot leg width.
Of course you’ll find images on all of these websites, but the best sites will give you the main measurements, plus multi-views including toe shape and the sole (so you can tell if you’re going to be slipping around or not).
Zalando has a frighteningly wonderful selection of boots (and everything else), but you can narrow it down quite quickly provided you have some idea of what you’re looking for. Delivery takes four or five days but the service in all areas is excellent and delivery and returns are free. Prices can also be lower than what you will find at the major stores and many of brands you probably won’t have heard of before.
Hopefully the other stores will pick up on this in due course (yawn) and it’ll be much easier to buy boots online. For now browse Zalando first I would suggest and you’ll be less likely to need to send that pair you’ve fallen in love with online back.
