Have you given up wearing dresses, capri pants and shorts because you don’t want anyone to see your calves and ankles?
You may not be able to change what mother nature gave you, but you can make them a lot less noticeable.
Here are our tips on the do’s and don’ts. These opinions are just our own, of course you should wear whatever makes you comfortable.
So let’s start with what we believe you should avoid.
via GIPHY
Avoid ankle straps – Skip shoes that have lacing or straps that go around the ankle and opt for looks with no emphasis on the ankle area.
Avoid booties & flats – You may love them, but they don’t love you. Booties & flats emphasize big calves and ankles. Instead, choose a mid-height heel to fool the eye and make your legs look long and lean. This is also a great tip for anyone who wants a longer, leaner look!
Tips to Slim Your Calves and Ankles
Choose the Right Shoe
- Get high heels – The most flattering shoes have a heel or wedge that elongate the foot and gives your leg a slimmer look. Look for substantial heels — as opposed to spike or stilettos.
- Go chunky – Chunky-heeled shoes are especially flattering because they balance out heavy cankles.
- Slip on some Nude Shoes – Opt for a monochromatic leg. Wear nude heels that match your skin tone to achieve the same effect.
- Booties – Ok I know we just told you to avoid them. If you are wanting to wear the trend we found that if you wear them with pants or a longer midi dress or skirt it will minimize / hide the problem area. See the below image on how this trend was styled on a couple of women with heavier calves, ankles. We like these looks!
Switch to Long Pants
Pants are perfect for hiding “cankles” ( thick calves fused at thick ankles). Your best bet is solid colored pants in a dark color but make sure they’re not too skinny. A tight pant will emphasize your problem. Bootcut or wide legs jeans help hide the problem. And no cropped pants and capris. They draw the eye to the widest part of your calves and ankles and make your legs look stubby.
Wear Full Skirts or Dresses
Choose a dress or skirt that flares out at the bottom. A fuller skirt will make legs look slimmer by comparison.
Make sure your dress hits at or above the knee. The shorter you are comfortable going, the slimmer your calves will look. Anything below the knee will draw attention to the widest part of your calves, creating a matronly look.
Other skirts or dresses for thick legs are maxi styles that fall to the floor, because they cover the problem area all together.
Direct Attention Up Top
If you don’t want people looking at your legs distract them. Wear dark colors below your waist and highlight your top half by wearing lighter colors near your face.
Restrict prints to your upper body, and use fun accessories like scarves or statement necklace to draw the eye up and away. This is a great tip for anyone looking to draw the eye and attention up.
So while you may not be able to change the legs you have, you can make them less noticeable.
