Tiny feet, big calves? I feel your pain sis’ and I’ve got your new favorite resource to help you find shoes and boots that fit your size, style, and budget.
Don’t you just hate it when you find the perfect cowgirl boots, with cheetah print and fringe tassels only to try them on, and while they fit your tiny foot, they have no room for your big, beautiful calves? Me too, me too.
I’ve lived this very scenario many a time in my life and to be frank, it really sucks having “petite” feet with large calves and thighs.
I know that it’s easy to want to give up and settle on the idea that you can never wear cute shoes or boots because you’re petite plus size. I have good news though, there’s no need to settle when you know what styles work best for you.
That’s why I’m here, to show you the way friend! I’ve compiled this guide to help you find the right shoes and boot styles for your short and curvy body type, without having to compromise on style or comfort.
In this article, I’ll be breaking down the best shoe and boot styles for women with little feet and thick legs:
- Knee-High and Over the Knee Boots
- Ankle Booties with a Higher Heel
- Sling Back Heels
- Loafers and Flats
- Platform and Wedge shoes
I’ll also discuss what petite shoes are, what plus size shoes are, some of my favorite style secrets and tips to make any shoe work for you, and I will include shoppable styles to help you find your new favorite pair of petite plus size shoes!
This is your complete style guide to the best shoes and boots if you’re curvy and petite.
DISCLOSURE: MORARAE STUDIO IS FUNDED BY MY READERS, SO THANK YOU! ALL OPINIONS ARE MY OWN AND EVERYTHING I WRITE IS MEANT TO HELP AND INSPIRE YOU. SOMETIMES I RECOMMEND RESOURCES THAT I THINK WILL BE BENEFICIAL FOR YOU USING AFFILIATE LINKS. IF YOU CLICK ONE AND MAKE A PURCHASE, I MAY RECEIVE A SMALL COMMISSION AT NO EXTRA COST TO YOU.
Best Shoes & Boots for Petite Plus Size
What are Petite Shoes?
Petite shoes are typically sizes 6 and under. This is because the petite height standard for women is 5’4 tall and under. With this, a shorter height often means smaller feet.
It is however possible to be under 5’4 tall but wear a size shoe larger than 6. I personally am 5’2 and wear anywhere from a size 5 in kids to a 7.5 in women, depending on the type of shoe and the brand.
So, there is no concrete rule or guideline when it comes to petite shoe sizes.
Read What is Petite Plus Size to learn more about what it means to be both petite and plus size
What are Plus Size Shoes?
When it comes to plus size shoes, this typically means shoes with a wider width or sometimes an extra wide width, and boots with a wider calf width or thigh width, depending on the style.
A lot of times, when you are plus size, your feet, ankles, calves, and thighs may be wider. Again, this is not true for every plus-size body, because remember, we are all beautifully different.
But, you may have a combination of some of these. Me, I have wide-width feet, muscular calves, and thick thighs. This can make finding ballet flats that are wide enough for my feet and boots that fit my calves quite the challenge.
What are Petite Plus Size Shoes?
Now, if you are petite and plus size, you will likely have a combination of the challenges listed above. So you may wear a size 6 or under, have wider feet, calves, and thighs.
This is where it gets hard to find shoes that fit both your foot size and your leg size, keep reading though and I’ll help you to find the perfect shoes that not only fit your body type but also will help you look a little taller too!
Short Girl Shopping Tip: shop kid sizes if you wear a size 6.5 or under. I find this works for me when it comes to ankle boots, sneakers, and sandals best. Especially at Target! I’ve found so many fun sneakers and sandals from the Cat and Jack brand in a size 5 that fit my petite feet perfectly.
Shoe Style Tips and Secrets for Short and Plus Size
Tip #1: Wear the Same color Shoe as your Pant
This first tip is more of a style hack, when you wear any shoe style and match the color of the shoe to the color of the pant you’re wearing, it will instantly give the appearance of a longer leg.
This happens by creating a continuation of color flowing from your waistline down to your toe. When you have short and thick legs, this one-style tip can help to polish your overall look.
Tip #2: Choose a Shoe or Boot with a Pointy-Toe
If you’ve been following my style guidance for a while now, you may already know this next style tip well. When choosing any flats, heels, or boots, opt for one with an angular or pointed tip.
When you do this, it will help to elongate the look of your foot instead of visually shortening your already small feet (like what happens when you wear a square or round-toe shoe).
Tip #3: Wear a Skintone matching Shoe color
When wearing skirts, dresses, and shorts, choose a shoe color that matches your skin tone, often referred to as a nude color shoe.
A skin tone-matching shoe will work in the same way as the two previous tips: it will elongate and streamline your legs, helping you to appear taller.
You’re going to want to make sure the nude matches your skin tone though, in order for this style tip to work.
Check out these nude shoe styles that come in a range of shades:
Fair Skin Tone Matching Shoes
Medium Skin Tone Matching Shoes
Dark Skin Tone Matching Shoes
Brands Offering Skin Tone Shoes for Every Shade:
Tip #4: Be Cautious with Ankle Strap Shoes
When wearing heels or sandals with ankle straps, choose a style with a narrow strap and match your skin tone if possible.
This helps to not make your foot look cut off by the strap, which is what happens visually when wearing a shoe with a thick, bold color ankle strap.
Related: How to Look Taller (without wearing heels)
Best Shoe Styles for Tiny Feet and Wide Calves
Knee-High and Over the Knee (OTK) Boots
Knee-High boots and Over-the-Knee boots are perfect options when you are short and plus size because when boots stop at your knee level or thigh level, they help to visually elongate your legs by drawing the eye up from the tip of your toe to the top of your boot. This also works to make your short and thick legs look leaner.
Unlike a boot style that stops in the middle of your calf. When you wear those types of boots they will visually cut the length of your leg, making you appear shorter, which isn’t what we want.
Of course, the challenge here is finding knee-high or OTK boots that will fit your calf and thigh width.
These are some Knee-High and Over-the-Knee Boots that come in wide calf & extra wide calf sizes:
Ankle Booties with a Higher Heel
This next boot style is my favorite, ankle booties. I love my ankle booties and have them in a variety of colors because they just work so well with so many different outfits.
When it comes to ankle booties, you want to choose a style that stops at your ankle or just a few inches above or below it. If you go any higher than an inch or two above your ankle, you are creeping into a mid-calf boot which is a short and curvy girl’s arch nemesis!
It’s also a good idea to choose ankle booties with a higher heel if this is comfortable for you. The higher heel will yes, make you look taller, but it also helps to create a leaner look for your overall leg.
I personally stick with around a 3-inch heel for my boots, not too tall to make it uncomfortable but just enough lift to complete my look.
These are some of the Ankle Booties that are available in wide width sizes that have worked for me and some that I think you will like:
Sling Back Heels
Sling back heels and sandals are a comfortable way to wear shoes with an ankle strap that won’t make you look shorter.
Since the strap is at the back of your heel, instead of at your ankle, your leg will not look cut off. This type of heel also won’t draw as much attention to your ankles as an ankle strap heel does.
I personally prefer a sling-back heel over a mule or slip-on style because it gives my ankles some support and is a more comfortable heel style for me to walk in over a long period of time.
These are some of the Sling-Back Heels that have worked for me and some that I think you will like:
Loafers and Flats
I love loafers and flats and am so happy that ballet flats are finally making a come-back (not that I ever stopped wearing them, hehe).
You really can’t go wrong when it comes to a flat style of shoe, so just follow the guidance I laid out in the earlier style tips and choose either a nude/skin tone matching color or one that matches the color of your pant and it will help your legs to look longer and leaner.
The challenge with loafers and flats is finding ones that come in wide-width and extra wide-width for sizes 6 and under.
These are some of the Loafers and Flats that have worked for my wide feet and some that I think you will like:
Platform & Wedge Shoes
Last on the list are platform and wedge shoes. This shoe style is one that is probably thrown out as the type to avoid when you are petite plus size because it’s a chunky shoe style and that’s definitely a valid point.
But, sometimes you have an outfit that would be completed with the perfect pair of platform heels. In this case, I say wear them, babe, because you never want to sacrifice your personal style and what makes you feel good just because I (or anyone else on the internet) said so. As always, do you boo!
So, platform and wedge shoes kind of fall into the style rules to be broken category, and I’m here for it. And I personally break this petite style rule all the time with my favorite white platform sneakers 🙂
So, if you enjoy wearing platforms and wedges, and want to wear them in a way that will literally elevate yourself and your outfit, try these styles out that are available in wide width sizes:
Where to Find Cute Petite Plus Size Shoes
I’ve given you some great shoe and boot styles to shop above but this complete guide to the best shoes and boots for petite plus size would not be truly complete without a list of brands and stores to shop.
So, here you go, babe.
Best Shoe Stores & Brands for Petite Plus Size Shoes:
- Nordstrom Rack
- Kohl’s
- DSW
- Lane Bryant
- Target (& Target kids)
- TJ Maxx
- Marshalls
- Amazon
- Zappos
- Torrid
- Vivaia
- Naturalizer
- Fashion to Figure
- Forever 21
I hope this guide helped to show you that being born with little feet and thick legs isn’t so bad. Yes, it can be hard to just walk into most stores and find the perfect shoe style for you but now you have this sweet resource to help you along the way!
Leave me a comment if you have any brands or stores you love to shop for your petite plus size shoes.
This is your petite plus size style guide to the best shoes and boots for tiny feet and thick legs.
Pin It, Don’t Forget It
