New trend: Thigh High Boots
Hello Glam Gals,
Do you think the new thigh high boots for Fall 2009 are age appropriate for women over 40?
Thank you for your help.
~Jenifer G.
Hi Jennifer!
Great question, since we are seeing that thigh high boots are a big trend for fall. This is tricky because there are a lot of variables here. The thigh high boot is a very young and sexy look, so it is hard to pull it off after 40. However, we have seen women of all ages pulling off this trend, but it is a delicate and tricky one for sure.
If you are excited to try this new trend, here are some things to keep in mind:
- You should be on the thin side have slim legs and thighs to wear this look.
- You need to be careful on how to pair your boots with the right outfit. Tight jeans or longer skirts are your best bet to get the right effect.
- You will need to be picky about the style of boot your choose, otherwise it will look like you’re trying too hard. (More like you are wearing a costume than a trend.)
- The fit and style of your outfit is key – anything too tight and revealing could look smutty.
We imagine that the women over 40 that could pull this off, are on the creative and festive sort! However, if you really do want to partake in this trend, we recommend you
- Choose a simple style that does not have a lot of laces or hardware.
- Stay away from patent or shiny thigh high boots, or you’ll look like a hooker.
- Be sure to wear dark opaque hose so there’s no leg between the hem of your dress and the boot. Here’s a good example of flat heeled boot from zappos.com:
Bottom line: Are you wanting to try out a new trend, pick up a younger guy or just channeling your inner biker chic?
You weill need some confidence and good dose of style to pull this look off now that your over 40, or you will end up looking silly instead of chic.
Are you thinking of trying this look out this fall? If so, we want to hear your comments below!
No. At 5 feet tall and 42 years old, only a career change to piracy would cause me to consider these boots. I would need the broad sword to deal with the comments.
Have any of you seen the newest UGG boot for Fall 2009? Now, before you groan — and say UGH to Ugg — look @ it – even shown in the Sept Vogue. The boot is called Highkoo. It is a marvelous flat heeled sueded boot. I think it is offered in 4 colors–the two freshest colors being a marvelous pale silvery grey and their amber brown.
At my age – the concept of a 5 in high heeled boot wandering up to my sagging sighs makes me groan and giggle @ the same time.
lol, PJ & West Coast Boomer!
This is the worst f___ advice I’ve ever heard. Rock the thigh high boots you hot cougars out there!
Hi Kinepsie,
Did you even bother to read what we said… we said that MOST women can not wear this look, not ALL women. We want our Cougar ladies to feel and look sexy, but after 40 it can be tricky. This is not a trend to just go out and “rock” this look without A LOT of forethought and strategy!!! Please re-read our tips and then if you qualify, go out and have fun, if not we suggest a great leather jacket to party on, in!
Hi West Coast Boomer,
We looked up that UGG boot and LOVED it!!!! Go for it, it will be well made and comfortable, for sure!
thanks for your question!
My Wife has just turned fifty although looks a lot younger, she remembers thigh boots the first time round. I would love her to wear thigh boots, although I think there best worn with a wrap round dress or a longish skirt with splits. We don’t really want to attract the wrong attitude we just want to have fun, she wearing them and me getting the pleasure of her wearing them.
Hi Macs,
Wow…that sounds really fun and sexy! We had not thought of wearing them in that way. With a wrap dress, you would not really see them, however with a longer skirt with slits, it would show a little “attitude”!
Thanks for your male perspective and great ideas~
The Glam Gals
I had always wanted to try this, so last year I finally broke down and bought black microfiber over-the-knee boots. I wore them with a vintage black and red brocade New Look dress [fitted bodice, wide! skirt that ends at the knee]. The very tailored and modest dress with the boot took the costume look out of the vintage dress and made it modern. Oh, and I am 45.
Would love to see a photo! …..That’s the trick with dressing over 40 ..taking the costume look out of something. Pair something a little more trendy with something classic and simple to look fashionable but classy.
Hi Guinivan,
Oh, that sounds really great too, it seems if you have confidence and love the look you are having fun wearing this trend.
We say, good going and keep it up!
We are London based. My god, what a dull outlook, 40 and you are finished. No way am I giving you my wifes age, then you can type cast her. I would love to send a pic or post one but there is no way I could manage the GRAVATAR thing, sounds like rocket engineering.
Last year we bought the Gucci OTK with tassles, Etro thigh high lace up and others,remember Devil Wears Prada, she has the boots. This year we have the Gucci Division Thigh high in leather, arrived last week and Prada OTK ridding boot in black, the Balmain zip boot in leather and she looks awsome, elegant and sexy. Adverse comments, NO as she would never go alone and she never dresses the boots in a way as to look overt, hell of a difference between sexy and overtly sexy. At 5’8″ and a 5″ heel, legs to die for and a figure to carry any cloths on the catwalk. All i can say is there is life “well” after 40. Elegant is the key, dress trash and you look trash. Oh I should add hookers do not go to work in £1600 pairs of boots
Hi Mark,
Yes, so many people think that after 40 you’re done!! NOT SO..say the Glam Gals!!!
Do we have opinions about what is AGE APPROPRIATE? YES!!
We certainly are not trying to stifle anyone… just the opposite… Your letter sounds like a bit of a rant, don’t really know what point your trying to make, however we would never “type cast” her. Sounds like she is elegant and sexy, which was the point of our article.
Also, thanks for clarifying how much hookers do or don’t pay for their boots, that is one thing we had no idea about!
Basically the advice I hear is not to wear this boots unless you look younger than 40 and are thin. I’m an extremely youthful looking 45 and relatively thin (6/8) but I wouldn’t be caught dead in this trend.
Unless you’re a performer or in fact, a hooker, I would pass on such boots 40 or 20. That’s just my opinion of course. They look slutty anyway you slice it.
Hey Folks; I was thinking about when wild pair was open in Wisconsin and I bought my girlfriend three pairs of thigh high boots. All different colors of course. Anyways as a guy I was partial to thigh high boots and think they look best via jeans and a turtle neck via the fall. I went to Vegas and Had a pair of guys thigh highs made called General Custers. Yes made from scratch and lots of stitch. Sure and wore them biking and clubing. Got lots of looks and some guys made gay statements but I just kept on with the show. In fact in the clubs the gals would come over and ask where I had them made for conversation. I think being different is great and in Green Bay wearing them some Packer PLayers asked where I got them and thought about buying a pair or having them made. Or even buying a pair for there girlfriends and Mrs. Carry on because boots rule!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Hello again Glam Gals
We have got the gravatar thing going but unable to get the full image in and is that it, the tiny image in the top right? I did want to show you a full image. Can you help?
Rant you say, well yes I guess the question itself “are thigh highs Ok after 40″ would invoke anyone over 40 to rant.
Take a look at Carmen Dell’Orefice, bit fierce but wow and it is not all plastic, at 78 she carries herself with confidence and dresses with grace and elegance.
Very funny about the Ladies of the night, you may pretend to be prudes’, but I recon you know the answer.
We were having diner outside a restaurant in Notting Hill last night and watching the world go by, some dressed up and some just taking the dog out, I said dog not husband.
A group of girls about 8, say ranging between 22-30 came past and without exception they looked a mess of overdressed and or bad combinations which they should not have used with their individual body shapes ect. Polly is a designer with masters in art history, and I work in structural design, I used to model for catalogues some millennia ago and Polly was a house model in Paris so there is a bit of history we have collectively to call on.
I think that if the group had been 40 plus then there is a 90% change they would have all got it right in terms of style appropriate to body shape.
Enough or I will be ranting again.
Have a good Sunday
Oh just for the sake of interest look at Gucci.com/uk on line shop, the two styles of Division boot (we have the leather version, patent one is to busy, fussy) now look at Gucci.com/US and the same division boot. I am relieved that the UK was not sent the flat version, this is not new we have had the same problem with Prada, certain styles not been available in one country of other.
Mark& Polly
Hi Mark and Polly,
We have to say that we love controversy and this post on thigh high boots has been on target for it! Actually, we have realized that what we thought we wrote was an article that basically said, that we think thigh high boots are FINE….just be careful how you wear them.
Also, I must confess that Deborah and I are both DYING to buy our first pair of thigh high boots and just have not found that perfect pair at the right price and then of course there is the whole thing of when and where would we wear them. I (JoJami) do not go out to bars in Delaware that often however I do head out to LA and NYC, and Philly, where I would certainly feel more than comfortable in them. Deborah is a mom with 3 small kids who lives in Toronto, so she feels that she could wear a very subtle classy pair on weekends.
And you are right, we really are not prudes, and highly believe that “girls just want to have fun!” …we just want to make sure our ladies are having fun in the right outfit at the right time! Thanks so much for the sites and the banter, we love a good game of badminton anytime!
Hi Michael,
We think that is wonderful that you have bought her those boots.. women should be dressing for their significant others and if that is what you want to see her in, good for you!!!
From the sound of it, you are sure one confident male! We love that you are wearing this trend~
Deborah is a mom with 3 small kids
Yep I take your point and you are dead right about when do you wear such a high statement item. We live in a very small village of 50 houses where people walk to work at the local farms. We have a house in London and it is there, Paris, Amsterdam and NY that one can wear exiting cloths and be appreciated for it. We have 5 children all between 31 and 20 and the three girls all enjoy going out with their mother, probably because they can get into shops they would normally not get past the door man .
It is Polly’s birthday on Sunday and I have booked Sunday lunch at Simpsons for us all and Polly is giving her new Nicholas Kirkwood (birthday prezy)spider Webb shoes a run, they are exquisite works of art, I love lunch at Simpsons but it is Polly in her shoes I want to watch. Then on to Old Bond St where I will be bankrupted as I know Polly has her eye on the Balmain tux, when she puts on great cloths I am sucker as it is me who wants her to have them as much as her.
Are you able to help as far as posting a proper sized picture?
M
Hey Ladies…..Do ya’ll have any pictures showing examples of how to wear the new boots? I’m 41 and 5’9” and would love to give it a shot….but not sure where to start!
Thanks, Julie
Hi Julie,
Yes, we will take some as soon as we find them.. until then, you are young and tall… a PERFECT combination!!!
So how to start? We would start by looking though fashion magazines and on line catalogs to see what styles you are drawn too. Then go out to the stores in a pair of TIGHT jeans and try some on. No need to buy right away… just see how you look and feel in them and think about where you will wear them.
You will need to decide if you want them in leather or suede, with chunky heels vs a fine heel, low or high. (BTW…Suede tends to look more casual) You will find that you will quickly see what you like or dislike and if you even feel comfortable in them. This can be a fun process and will have you really feeling out of the box!
Also, we love to see pictures too, so take your camera to the store and send your photo(s) to us if you want feedback.
Good luck!
OMG! I’m looking to order a pair of light gray suede thigh high boots and I end up here. How can so many people worry about their age?!? I’m about to turn 43 in days and OK, I guess I’m very lucky since I still have zero wrinkles and I get carded for cigarettes (I’ll post a pictures if there’s any doubt). But worrying about it?!? Hell no! I hope I never do! Looking sexy WITH CLASS is something all women of ANY age should worry about, however. (Maybe it’s because I’m French on that one?) And another thing: what is this thing about cutting your hair and looking matronely after 40 in the U.S.? Nothing wrong with VERY LONG slick hair in a nice high ponytail! I say forget the number, IT’S NOT EVEN WORTH ACKNOWLEDGING! Some people at 40 are the exact same as some others at 25 physically, and the same as some others at 50! What a trip society has put on women here. How sad! Free yourselves! ^_^
my wife and i are over 40 but we both look much younger. so we decide to buy the gucci division thigh high boots. it was very hard to get them, especially in 39 but they look great. the only thing is, they don’t stay up, when going in them. do the gucci models use tricks? But the boots are worth every cent.
Natural physical beauty is the actual debate. Many young women possess it. Many do not and never will. Many women are beautiful in their 50′s as they are the many who were in their 20′s. Thigh high boots….Wear them
I just bought a pair of Stuart Weitzman hilos. They have a low heal. I’m 5’9″ and weigh 135. I wear a size 6. I am on the high side of 40. But these are so cool! I hate tights and my main reason to get them is it’s getting cold in Colorado and I love my skirts. I plan to wear them with my slightly above the knee dress skirts and try pencil skirts for work. I avoided the high heels to avoid a slutty look. But these are practical and sexy. I’m a little nervous to try them out but I’ve been jonesing for them for weeks. They were crazy expensive but hey, Madona, Heather Locklear, Demi Moore, they are all my age and I think they’d look great in them. Tell me if I’m wrong!
I see uwe114 says on 15 Sept about the Gucci Division boots not staying up, yes models use tricks and if you think about it they are walking only a short distance and not going up steps on the catwalk shows!
My wife uses a trick and the boots stay up perfectly, not just stay up but are constantly trying to move up the thigh guaranteeing that once the “ pull down” from stepping up is immediately rectified
I am sorry but if I tell you the trick I would then have to kill you. I would tell you but not on this open network.
Glam ladies, please can you tell me how to post a bigger picture of the Division boot looking stunning.
Mark
Thank You Mark (markpolly2000) about Your news. I’m really interested about Your secret. Maybe You eMail me on uwe114114(at)web.de. I cannot understand talking about hookers, if a really lady wears designer overknees. it depends on the lady and on what she wears.
Gam Gals
Thank you for posting UWE’s comuniqu to me, it is not exactly blogy. However his email address bounces. Would you be kind enough to mail him my email address.
I have seen some desperate pictures on the web, so named celebs wearing thigh highs and to a greater or lesser degree they are all foul. One of the greatest assets of been 40+++ is one learns the art od style, less is more for example. If you have thunder thighs and want to waer tigh high’s then do, but do not show a tractor tires worth of blubber between the boot top and the “way to short” dress or skirt. Cover the top of the boot with the hem that way nobody can see the fact that you are unable to pull the boots right up as even stretch leather has its limits. There is also something very seductive and secretive about a boot disapering up under a skirt hem.
Mark
Hi:
I think your remarks should be less geared at age and size and better geared at beauty and taste. I don’t believe age has a magic effect of making anything look costumy, I believe it has to do with fashion sense, tact and taking a look at yourself in the mirror at any age.
I am curvy and 53. I don’t have thunder thighs but am hardly the runway model. Like anything else thigh highs are a trend that has to be integrated into your wardrobe in a manner that complements your own figure, style and the ultimate purpose of wearing them. I live in Florida but if I lived in a colder clime, I would wear the flat type with not only jeans but also stretch pants and a big sweater. For those of us not gifted with supermodel long legs, there are many pairs that come up just over the knee as opposed to half way up the thigh.
Also there are manufacturers of all price points that make the boots less skin tight and with cuffs and/or finishing blocks near the top of the thigh that draw the eye away from the flat against the skin look. Frankly you laugh about hookers, but lets get real, ladies in the adult entertainment industry have been wearing these boots a very long time. If you go to a stipper or sexy site for thigh high boots you will notice there are about 150 or more styles, and plenty of them are made wider at the top in varying degrees depending on the size of your thighs and the look you want to acheive. I dont like the straight up look so far up the thigh anyway even if the females legs are very long and thin, to me it looks too flat. Here are some good examples of the type of boots I would wear at different price points.
http://www.bebe.com/dp/B0027DAQAC?extid=sf_froogle&extid=ps_c_nextag
http://www2.victoriassecret.com/commerce/onlineProductDisplay.vs?namespace=productDisplay&origin=onlineProductDisplay.jsp&event=display&prnbr=EF-246820&page=2&cgname=OSSHUBOOOTK&rfnbr=6509&atp=a
http://www1.bloomingdales.com/catalog/product/index.ognc?ID=437076&CategoryID=11387&PageID=11387*1*24*-1*-1*11
Click here: Bourne ‘Tatana’ Over the Knee Boot – Over the Knee – Nordstrom
Hello Heathesq
Not sure if you are responding to my comments, please do forgive me if I am wrong. But size, I am afraid has a great deal to do with what you can wear, how you wear it, how you feel wearing it and how others see you. I think some folk ought to give there mirror a dam good clean.
I hope I am not fattest, but I do have a subjective view. The Gucci thigh high Division boot for example has a circumference at the top of 15” and Gucci are actually spending 70% of the sales value of the product on promoting the dream, you then put the boots on model Anja Rubik who has a void where her thighs should be and the stick insect Beckham thing, the boots look sad. The other extreme is, same boots on Mary J Blige and Kelly Rowland, neither of whom can pull the boots up. The boots look sad. All four girls need a mirror. OR give em all a few years and they may, not a guarantee but they may learn a bit of style.
Heathesq, I love the choices of OTK boots you have selected, Polly has the sued starry ones and they are great, very festive.
Now you are doing the hooker thing again. You say 150 styles, yes 150 styles of utter cheap crap, any fool stupid enough to buy any one of the 150 styles would I bet be dumb enough the wear a short skirt and PVC jacket, she would not be a hooker, just a not very aware, probably under 25 and a bit thick. The cheap end of the market has wide thigh sizes to capture a bigger portion of punters, they do not give a hoot about how the boots will look. Gucci. Robert C, Mcqueen, Kirkwood, Jean P G, Stella Mc, Phi, Etro, man I could go on and on, they make their boots as they see them and if you don’t fit then you should think about whether that is the right style for you, and with a few years under your belt I think one is better equipped to make those choices.
Mark
Hi Julie,
WOW, 5’9 and only 41, you can pull these off no problem!!! Just start on where you want to wear them, so you can get the feel of heel style that you will wear the most and go out and try some of these puppies on! You could go with flats or a wedge or heel and will look stunning, we are sure! Send us a photo if you still want our input! info@fabulousafter40.com
Cheers!
Hi PJ,
LOL.. We agree at 5 feet tall, thigh high boots might not be your best look! Thanks for making that point!
It’s how you wear it, look at chris jenner kardashian she wears riding boots all the time and she looks gorgeous. I personally wear them with jeans or streth pants, an oversized sweater and accessorize it with a fashionable pashmina scarf,wrap or shawl and I’m 53 and proud of it………. Even a 20 year old can look slutty if she dresses inappropiate.
Hi MarkPolly2000
I saw your 19th October post about the secret to thigh high boots staying up and wonder if you can help me with my new suede boots that wouldn’t stay up. Can you kindly share the secret with me? I promise I’ll keep quiet:) My email is bibianawllee@hotmail.com
And to the Glam Girls- I really like your article. I’m in my late 20′s but do agree that these boots have to be worn with appropriate items depending on the age and size of the wearer to look elegant and may not suit everyone across the board.
Bee
Hi Bee,
We are thrilled that you wrote in and we hope you tell your Mom about out site! Good luck with finding out “the secret”! One tip that we can share, is if you take your suede boots to a really good shoe guy, he can sew them up so that they fit, or put in some elastic at the top (just in the back) to help hold them up.
Finding a boot that fits snugly around the leg is hard to do, especially if you have thin ones, however a good fitting boot is really a fashion must have!
Hi Maria,
We love riding boots on all sizes!!! Are you talking about thigh high boots or riding boots?
hi.!! need some advice about this trend … im not really tall and i really like the look but im scared that it will shorten even more my legs.
Hi Jennifer,
Don’t be scared.. How tall are you? It can actually lengthen the look of your legs. The best advice we can give you, is go out and try them on, and wear the pants or skirt that you plan on wearing with them to the store… If you put the boots on and feel ridiculous, than you know your answer. However if you feel super wonderful, then go for it!!! Have fun!
Please help me find a good pair of thighhigh boots for my wide width feet! I love these sort of boots. I’m 43 years of age,and would LOVE to own a pair. So if you have any suggestions on where I can find them to purchase, I would be very greatful for your help. Thank you kindly.
Boots are the sexiest item a woman can wear. I confident woman of any age can pull this look off, and you can bet there are many men who will appreciate her for showing her style and confidence. I have complimented many older women who have the confidence to wear sexy boots of all styles. keep your boots on…
cant believe there should be an age thing to wear thighboots…my mum used to be a model,has always worn thigh length boots since the 60′s..and she still does …still turns heads at her age..shes 62 now and looks great in them if i must say so..my girlfriend thinks shes great to be wearing them,and shes as addictive as my mum to them….between my mum and my girlfriend they could open a boot shop with the amount they have.lol
.girlfriend has atleast 35 pairs ,all thigh high and some crotch high..but my girlfriend does love her occasional fetish clothing to wear with them..
The “advice” about women over 40 having to be stick thin, or “trying to hard”, is COMPLETE BULLSH*T! I’m 45 years old, NOT stick thin, and I can TOTALLY ROCK the thigh highs! How dare you write something so insulting to ALL women, AND so WRONG! Does a 25 year old boy run this place??
Hi Layla, We hear your frustration, but we hope that you read the rest of our article. We have sure had a lot of backlash about this article and we need to clarify some things. Our philosophy and mission at Fabulous after 40 is to inspire women to have fun. We have sure hit a nerve with this article, so we are going to have to re think our tips. One thing for sure is that Deborah and I are trying to make sure women over 40 look classy and still have a good time. It can be such a fine line when it comes to new trends as to how far to go.
Thigh high boots are one of those trends that we do think is worth trying but if you need to make sure your pulling it off and not looking silly. This is tricky stuff!
Yes, both Deborah and I have lots of boots and Deborah has just bought her first pair of thigh high ones! More on that soon…..
MarkPolly2000, i would LOVE to know this secret! i have a pair of flat suede thigh-high boots that i love, but they slouch so much that they just look like slouchy knee-high boots. i’ve tried everything, methods that i am too embarrassed to share here (one even includes chopsticks and tape) and nothing has worked. if you could email me, i would love you forever! katrinalcabrera@gmail.com.
Have just been thinking about buying some thigh-highs for winter. It’s the middle of summer here (Australia) & I think I can just about get away with them with opaque tights & a ‘not short’ skirt. I’ll be 45 in May. Understand that nobody wants to look like a hooker or a try-hard but I think if the rest of the outfit is stylist as opposed to slutty it should be ok. Thanks so much I love this site.
Sorry ‘stylist’ should have read ‘stylish’. Thanks again.
Hi Lucy,
We have seen a lot of great examples of over 40 gals sporting thigh high boots and looking fab! Sounds like you got the idea and will pull it off!
Go for it and have fun!!!
hi i have purchased a pair of the nine west suede boots around november (they are actually the ones pictured at the top of the page, but in black). i love them and have worn them so often, but they now fall to my knees and will not stay up!
please email me with tips… Evre1LuvsABrunet@aol.com
thank you thank you thank you!!!
I am a 45 year old woman and a mother of three. Just yesterday I wore my light shaded grey velvet thigh high boots, which I matched with my woolen violet dress that is a bit short and sexy. I wore a black wool coat with a fur cap and my hair was tidy and wore fair makeup. The dermatologist that was interviewing my daughter on her visit commented that I looked too young for a mother of an 18 year old. But I must say that I do a lot of exercise, walk a lot, prefer the stairs to the elevator, don’t eat junk food and don’t smoke. All of these things help a great deal.