Thigh High DIY?

Vogue editor Lauren Santo Domingo showing off her custom altered black thigh high boots with garter straps.  Picture from Style.com.

Out of all of the trends to come out of the shows in the past few weeks, one which has certainly stuck out to my eye is the thigh high boots. I first saw them this Fashion Week season marching down the runways of my friend Joseph Altuzarra's show, adorned with tufts of fur. As they passed, Mickey Boardman jokingly suggested that I give them the good old DIY treatment. I thought nothing of it, but Vogue editor Lauren Santo Domingo, who was also at the show, must have been thinking along the same lines as Mr. Mickey.  According to Vogue, after seeing proliferation of thigh highs on the runway, Santo Domingo immediately tried to obtain a pair, and when that failed, went straight to the cobbler, and had a pair of her boots altered and customized.  Not only did she have extra leather added to the top of each boot for extra length, but she even made a customized garter belt to wear with them.

Well if that wasn't enough inspiration to get me to the cobbler, the spate of runway shoe porn that has been gushing in over the past few days has pushed me to my limit.  I already have a couple of thigh high boots.  In fact, I just tossed a vintage pair of them for being a bit too piratey and boho for my taste.  And even though I felt adequately covered in the over-the-knee boot department BEFORE runway season started, of course now I feel that oh-so-certain-lack that weeks of gobbling up Style.com will give you.  There is Gareth Pugh's luscious video feature an angular number that tapers out at the thigh, there are Rodarte's baggy pull-ons wrapped up in leather straps, and today I saw more than a dozen different varieties up for grabs at the Louis Vuitton show.  Enough is enough.  While I will leave one of my lovely pairs of thigh high boots in tact, I am going down to St. Mark's place tomorrow with my other worn out pair, and a couple of these runway photos, and seeing what they can do for me.  At the very least, a Santo Domingo-inspired lengthening is in store.  I'll keep you posted.

A still from Gareth Pugh's video presentation, showing off the side profile of his take on the thigh high boot, taken from The Swelle Life.

Some of the way-over-the-knee stunners that I saw at Altuzarra.

Rodarte's baggy thigh-highs, wrapped tight with leather straps.  Picture from Style.com.

Louis Vuitton's gorgeous gold version. Picture from Fashionologie.

-Tiffany