When buying a pair of boots, knowing the size of the upper helps you understand if they can fit your calves. Measuring the upper is always a good idea, but if you buy boots online and are unable to measure them, it is especially helpful to know how to measure this so you can figure out if the size fits your legs.
Steps
Method 1 of 3: Measure the height of the boot leg
Step 1. Learn to recognize the boot leg
This is the part of the boot that goes from the ankle to the knee and covers the calf.
When you see a single measurement associated with "boot leg", it is assumed that this measurement refers to its height and not its circumference
Step 2. Measure from the arch to the top of the shaft
Rest the one-meter end in the center of the boot's arch, just above the sole. Unfold the tape measure vertically along the outside of the boot until you reach the highest point. This measurement is the height of the leg.
- Note that in the United States, cuff measurements are in inches, even when they exceed one foot.
- When a manufacturer indicates the height of a boot shaft, the heel height is usually not included in this measurement. However, there is always the risk that some stores include the heel height, making the measurement completely useless. When you buy a pair of boots that you cannot measure yourself, try to check whether the heel height is included or excluded in the leg size.
Step 3. Learn about some common measures
If you cannot measure the boot, it is possible to estimate the height of the boot by simply observing the style of the boot.
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For a women's shoe number 39 in Italy:
- The leggings of the booties are between 7, 6 and 20, 3 cm high.
- Mid-calf boot leggings are 21 to 33.7cm tall.
- Knee-high boot leggings can reach 34.3cm and even more.
- The estimate of the measures of the leg may vary according to the number of the boot. A smaller number than 39 will have a slightly lower leg, while a larger one will have a slightly higher one. The variation in the height of the leg is usually approximately equal to the variation in the length of the foot.
Step 4. Also consider the height of the heel
Generally, the height of the heel is not included in the height of the leg. In any case, since this measurement plays an important part in regards to the overall height of the boot, it may be worth knowing.
- Measure the height of the heel by unfolding one meter from its base to the point where it meets the sole of the boot. Keep the tape measure in the middle of the heel as you take the measurement.
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Common heights for heels, by type, are:
- Flat heels, with an average height between 0 and 1, 9 cm.
- Low heels, with an average height of between 2, 5 and 4, 4 cm.
- Medium heels, with an average height between 5 and 7 cm.
- High heels, with an average height of 7, 6 cm or more.
Method 2 of 3: Measure the leg circumference
Measure Boot Shaft Step 5 Step 1. Identify the widest part of the cuff
Look at the boot and determine where the widest part is. Generally, it is located at the opening of the boot, but this is not always the case.
Note that the circumference of the cuff is sometimes called "girth" or "calf girth"
Measure Boot Shaft Step 6 Step 2. Measure the circumference of this part of the leg
Place the one-meter end at a point along the widest part of the cuff. Wrap the measuring tape around the leg until you meet the starting end. Read the indication of the meter at the intersection point to establish the circumference.
- Make sure the measuring tape is parallel to the ground at every point around the cuff. Otherwise the measurement can be significantly wrong.
- As well as height, the circumference of the shaft is also generally measured in inches in the United States.
Method 3 of 3: Compare the Measurements of the Upper with the Measurements of your Leg
Measure Boot Shaft Step 7 Step 1. Sit with at least one foot completely flat on the ground
The knee should be bent at a 90 degree angle, so that the leg is perpendicular to the floor.
- You should also relax your leg muscles as you prepare to measure it.
- The vast majority of people need to measure only one leg, but if one is slightly shorter than the other, it is advisable to measure both.
- In this position the leg is completely straight, so you have to hold it like this to measure both the height and the circumference of the calf.
Measure Boot Shaft Step 8 Step 2. Measure the back of the leg
Place the end of a tape measure at the base of the heel. Extend the tape measure upward along the back of the leg until it is just below the kneecap.
Then you can take the height of your calf and compare it with the height of the leg of the boots you would like to buy. Find the height of the boot on the measuring tape that you are pressing against the calf. This is the point on the leg where the upper end of the cuff will probably arrive
Measure Boot Shaft Step 9 Step 3. Measure the calf circumference
Locate the widest part of the calf and place the end of a dressmaker's tape there. Unfold the tape around the calf until it intersects the starting point, then take the measurement at the intersection point.
- If you want to be really precise, locate the point on the calf where the upper end of the leg will arrive, using the height measurement, and measure the circumference of the calf at that point.
- Compare the calf measurement with that of the leg circumference. If the leg circumference is smaller than that of the calf, the boot may not fit well. If there is an exact match, the boot will fit but may be a little tight or too snug. If the leg circumference is much larger - 3.8cm or more - the boot may be too large.
- A circumference of the leg may, however, be approximately 1 cm smaller than that of the calf, if the material is sufficiently elastic.
- The ideal situation is that the circumference of the leg exceeds that of the calf by about 0, 6-2, 5 cm.
Measure Boot Shaft Step 10 Step 4. Estimate the ideal leg height
Aside from the basics of fit, the ideal height of the upper is simply a matter of personal taste and preferences. However, there are some things to keep in mind when considering the height of a leg.
- If the cuff ends at the crease of the knee, the boot is likely to tighten and rub against your skin when you sit down, making it uncomfortable.
- If you have abundant calves, the best choice will usually be an ankle boot or a short boot. The shaft of these boots stops just above the ankle and below the widest part of the calf for a more comfortable fit.
- Your height can also be important for the ideal leg height. In general, shorter legs look better with lower leggings, while longer legs look better with taller leggings. If you are petite, a shaft height greater than 35.6 cm may not enhance your figure. If you are tall, a height of less than 38 cm can make the appearance of the legs not very harmonious.
