Thighboot
A thighboot is a boot that is so long that it covers part of the thigh. Such boots are staples of fetish clothing, and are often regarded as a necessary accompaniment of a catsuit. They are usually made of PVC, shiny or matt, but ones of other materials, including leather and latex, also exist.
As the wearer's knee bends, the distance along the length of the leg changes differently on the back and front of the leg. Because of this, the leg's circumference also changes as the angle of the leg changes.
The back of the knee grows in circumference as the knee bends significantly, especially if more than a right angle - any skin-tight and stiff material would exert considerable pressure on the wearer's leg and restrict bending. In normal walking this is not an issue, though, as the angles needed are minute.
Thighboot designs, except for those extending just over the knee, must account for this; most do so by either of the following:
- very stretchy materials, either all around the leg or a gusset insert in the back or sides
- wider-than-leg top section
- uniform material for the whole shaft
- shaft is not skin-tight but moves freely
Thighboots are normally made so that the part at and above the knee has no back or at least is quite loose, allowing the wearer to bend his or her knee easily. However, they may be made deliberately tight at the top so as to restrict bending of the knee. Usually, such boots have long zips to allow them to be put on or taken off easily. They may also have lacing; this may be purely ornamental, or it may allow the boots to be tightened, especially if the intention is to stop the knee bending. If the boots when tightened are very restrictive, it may be impossible to put them on without assistance. Heel heights vary but most boots have high stiletto heels, and platform soles are fairly common.
While having a very strong fetish appeal, thighboots are not that common a sight in fetish clubs; this may be because people find them difficult to move in or wear for extended periods. Anyone considering buying a pair should if at all possible try them on first and not just buy on price alone.
The film Pretty Woman featured Julia Roberts wearing a pair of thighboots which both helped popularise them and at the same time strengthened the public's association of them with prostitution. The mainstream media also associates the imagery of thighboots with the imagery of the dominatrix.
Despite being very much a fetish fashion item (one does not see people wearing them in the street), thighboots are sold in a relatively large number of shoe shops, mainly those that target the goth, punk and alternative cultures; Camden Market in London has a number of such stores. It is possible, however, that these stores might be using them as window dressing to demonstrate their street credibility rather than a stock item they expect to sell in large numbers.
Alternative names are thigh-length boots, thigh-high boots and over-the-knee boots.
Boots so long that they reach the crotch are sometimes called crotch boots. Such boots (often of rubber), under the name of waders, are used by anglers and others who have to wade through water; these have obvious appeal to rubber fetishists.
A pirate boot is a high boot, generally knee-length or longer, with a turn-over at the top, the style supposedly worn by 18th century pirates. Such boots often have low heels, though high-heeled ones exist.
See also
| This article on "Thighboot" incorporates text from from Wipipedia.
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