Thigh-high boots

Cheaper thigh boots are often worn by female models, prostitutes and dominatrices, so many people consider them icons of such trades.

Samantha Clark, in her book Outfits in Minutes, writes: "The shorter you are, the less leg there is above the top of the boot, when wearing footwear that ends above the knee.

A very high heel helps to give the illusion of height, but when there is much more boot visible than leg; the effect is to optically foreshorten you.

By the end of the 19th century, over-the-knee length laced leather boots were becoming a trend among London prostitutes wanting a style that would appeal to foot fetishists and clients interested in finding a dominatrix.

Characteristics often include very high heels, thigh- or crotch-high length, or unusual colors or materials.

As referenced by several authors, the popularity of the motion picture Pretty Woman hurt the credibility of thigh boots as wardrobe staples.

[citation needed] Like shoes in general, fashion thigh boots are marketed through several different channels.

Reaching a wider audience through fashion magazine editorials, the footwear style was shown in two different feature layouts in the September 2009 issue of US Vogue.

The boots were finished in a variety of materials, including black suede and different shades of blue denim.

Karl Lagerfeld showed the Chanel[23] black leather thigh boot with many of his Autumn 2005 designs that actress Anne Hathaway later wore in The Devil Wears Prada, which made her a fashion icon.

Narciso Rodriguez[24] created a stir in Autumn 2003 when almost half the models in his ready-to-wear show were wearing thigh boots with his clothing line.

Phoebe Philo at Chloé[25] showed leather and suede thigh boots in several colors, including red and green, in addition to the more typical black and brown.

[29] Thigh boots as articles of fetish clothing date back to at least the 1950s when Irving Klaw used them in the costuming of the women in his erotic photography.

For instance, Bob Guccione photographed the 1982 Penthouse Pet of the Year, Corinne Alphen, in a pair of black leather thigh boots for her feature layout.

Similarly, Dwight Hooker photographed the Playboy 25th Anniversary Playmate, Candy Loving, in white leather over-the-knee boots for her layout.