May Not Be Suitable for Wide Calves and Petites
The Belen boots are a pull-on style with a high shaft, which may make it challenging to pull on over pants, especially if you have wider calves. I will say that a friend of mine with wide calves often takes her boots to be resized at a cobbler, and they are able to add an additional panel that looks fairly seamless. The best weapon in your fashion arsenal is a good tailor and cobbler, so it’s something worth considering.
Additionally, due to the shaft height, I don’t recommend these boots for anyone under 5’5”. I’m 5’6’’ and these hit me mid-knee. Unless you love the slouchy look, petites may find that the Belen becomes an over-the-knee boot.
High Initial Investment
$515 is not small potatoes, so it is a consideration. I am a price-per-wear person, and rather than shopping heavily every season, I tend to keep my clothing, shoes and accessories for years. So far, I’ve gotten these boots down to well under $200 per wear, and I suspect that by season’s end, I’ll have knocked it under $100.
Suede Style Is a Little Unstable
I went with the kidsuede over the calf skin boots, and while I love how flexible they are, I did notice, walking on New York’s uneven, cracked sidewalks, that they lack the stability of a stiffer material. I’ve rolled my ankle a few times on an errant acorn, which I don’t think would have happened if I had been wearing a more structured boot.
