Thigh-high boots hit the mainstream
April 28th 2010 02:45
Once the domain of strippers and Hollywood floozies a la Julia Roberts in Pretty Woman, over-the-knee boots have taken to the streets in a big way. Although they have been a feature of international catwalks for some time now, I must say that this is one trend I never thought would make it into the high street stores... not only because of their, um, professional connotations, but because they tend to flatter only the very tall and slim. Despite this, thigh-high boots have become the winter must-have item for 2010, but be warned: there are rules involved when it comes to wearing these sassy striders, so pay attention!
Carson Kressley, fashion stylist extraordinaire, says that the longer and leaner you are before taking to this trend, the better you'll look when you hit the street. "If you are about six feet tall or taller they look amazing, and if you are not it looks like you are playing dress up in somebody’s oversized boots," Kressley said last week, in his usual no-holds-barred way.
"You need to have real long legs to show a little bit of leg and some boot. To give a little bit of breathing room," he explained.
Realistically, most of us are not in the six foot range - I'm pushing 5'7" myself - so if you really want to wear these boots then you're going to have to pair them with the shortest of skirts, or over a pair of skinny jeans or leggings (paired with a butt-covering top, of course).
In addition, you'll be wanting to keep the rest of your outfit as tasteful as possible, to offset the overt sexiness of the boots. This means minimal cling to your shirt or top, a classically elegant coat (paired with a scarf if it's cold enough) and absolutely no cleavage whatsoever! Sorry to sound like your grandmother, but trust me on this: like with any other trend, thigh-high boots must be met with balance. If you have your boobs on display at the same time as wearing them, it will tip your otherwise street-savvy style into street-walker territory... and it's never good for the self esteem to have somebody ask you, "How much?"
Now that's not to say that you can't have fun with these boots, and if you pull it off correctly you can be an absolute show-stopper. The great thing is that there are endless styles of thigh-highs to choose from; if shiny black stilettos are too fetish-y for your tastes then you can always go with flat boots in varying shades and softer fabrics like suede. Check out these celebrity pics for the do's and don'ts of the thigh-highs, and get ready to see a whole lot more of these boots in stores and on the street this winter season.
Winter just got a whole lot sexier.
Carson Kressley, fashion stylist extraordinaire, says that the longer and leaner you are before taking to this trend, the better you'll look when you hit the street. "If you are about six feet tall or taller they look amazing, and if you are not it looks like you are playing dress up in somebody’s oversized boots," Kressley said last week, in his usual no-holds-barred way.
"You need to have real long legs to show a little bit of leg and some boot. To give a little bit of breathing room," he explained.
Six foot plus with long, long legs? Check, and check.
Realistically, most of us are not in the six foot range - I'm pushing 5'7" myself - so if you really want to wear these boots then you're going to have to pair them with the shortest of skirts, or over a pair of skinny jeans or leggings (paired with a butt-covering top, of course).
In addition, you'll be wanting to keep the rest of your outfit as tasteful as possible, to offset the overt sexiness of the boots. This means minimal cling to your shirt or top, a classically elegant coat (paired with a scarf if it's cold enough) and absolutely no cleavage whatsoever! Sorry to sound like your grandmother, but trust me on this: like with any other trend, thigh-high boots must be met with balance. If you have your boobs on display at the same time as wearing them, it will tip your otherwise street-savvy style into street-walker territory... and it's never good for the self esteem to have somebody ask you, "How much?"
Now that's not to say that you can't have fun with these boots, and if you pull it off correctly you can be an absolute show-stopper. The great thing is that there are endless styles of thigh-highs to choose from; if shiny black stilettos are too fetish-y for your tastes then you can always go with flat boots in varying shades and softer fabrics like suede. Check out these celebrity pics for the do's and don'ts of the thigh-highs, and get ready to see a whole lot more of these boots in stores and on the street this winter season.
Hilary Duff, Vanessa Hudgens and Hayden Panettiere keep things classy by covering up when donning their thigh-highs
Rihanna, Lindsay Lohan and J-Lo's unusual top halves make their thigh-highs look rather cheap and costume-y
Kim Kardashian and Kelly Rowland work their boots to perfection, while Miley looks just a little bit out of place wearing thigh-highs at a Disney event...
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