In 1964 in Paris, André Courrèges showed a Space Age collection that was mostly white, and low-heeled white boots were part of the picture. The same collection put miniskirts on the runway of a Paris fashion house for the first time. The boots became known as the Courrèges boot, and the name go-go came from the French à gogo, meaning in abundance.

Knee high boots for petite women are worth getting right, because the sizing was never drawn for shorter legs. One petite blogger points out that many brands start their knee-highs at 16 inch shafts, because they are cutting for women 5'5" and taller. Her own rule is that under 15.5 inches usually works. A separate petite fit guide says the top edge should land about 1 to 2 inches below the kneecap, and that a boot riding over the knee may have been designed for a taller frame. So the number that matters is the shaft, not the size.

Suede is the softest place to start, and it is where I would begin this fall. The Blondo Alexis in chocolate has a 15 inch shaft and a 2 1/2 inch block heel, which is a solid everyday height. The Aquatalia Sabrena in amaretto stretch suede is cut slim for a narrow calf, with a 13 inch circumference and a side zip. The La Canadienne Jaxson is the one for slushy days: black suede, waterproof, 14 1/2 inch shaft. The Blondo Maddix slouches on purpose at a 14 inch shaft. DuoBoots also makes the Haltham in a petite shaft, about 14.2 inches, in black suede.

Before you order anything, measure from the floor to a point 1 to 2 inches below your kneecap, then compare it to the listed shaft. Do it in the tights you plan to wear.

Leather is stiffer than suede, so the shaft number deserves a closer look. The Sam Edelman Milla in dark brown has a 14 1/4 inch shaft and a 1 1/4 inch stacked heel, which is about as low-key as a knee boot gets. The Steve Madden Jendi in tan sits at 14 inches with a 2 1/2 inch block heel. If you want something with more weight, the Aquatalia Romello is black leather on a lugged sole, waterproof, for rain.

I would wear the Regarde Le Ciel Jolene, in polished brown with a back buckle strap, with a short wool skirt and sheer tights for a Friday dinner. The Lucky Brand Adana is black with a stacked block heel, and the Sam Edelman Porter in spiced pecan has a square toe that looks good under cropped trousers. DuoBoots adds the Charlotte, a matte dark brown calf leather equestrian boot with a gunmetal buckle strap and a hidden stretch panel, at about 14.6 inches.

DuoBoots started in 1974 in Bath, England, with the founders Ted and Muffy, and its calf-fit idea is to offer the whole range in eight calf sizes and nine shoe sizes, 72 in all. The boots are made in family-run workshops in Portugal.

What I would skip: any leather boot where the listed calf circumference is a snug match for your own measurement with no stretch panel at all. Leather does not give much, and you will feel it by the second hour.

Wide calf does not have to mean tall. Plenty of boots here keep the shaft at 14 to 15 inches while opening up the calf, which is the combination petite shoppers usually have trouble finding. The Naturalizer Deesha in mahogany suede comes in regular, wide and extra-wide calf, with a kitten heel and a 14 3/4 inch shaft. The Nine West Caddy in black suede is the shortest of the bunch at 14 inches, in regular and wide calf, with a pointed toe and a 3 1/4 inch heel.

The Vince Camuto Pavla is black leather on a 1 inch heel, offered in regular, wide and extra-wide calf, with a 15 1/4 inch shaft. The Blondo Tessa is waterproof black suede with a block heel at 14 inches, in regular and wide, so it is the one I would reach for in a wet October. The Söfft Taryn in luggage tan has a roomy 16 1/2 inch calf, and the Vince Camuto Alesa in brandy uses an elastic gore for even more room, at 18 1/2 inches around.

A calf measurement is the other half of the test. Tape the widest part of your calf, then check it against the listed circumference, not the label. The DuoBoots Charlotte and the Dalia petite shaft, both in black leather, come in eight calf widths, from 30cm narrow to 53cm wide.

What I would skip: sizing the whole boot up just to clear the calf. You end up with a foot that slides in the heel. Shop by calf width instead and let the shaft stay short.

A heel makes sense on a shorter frame, because it adds height and gives the boot a reason to meet a skirt. A PureWow stylist notes that even a kitten or block heel usually looks better than a flat boot if you are petite. The GUESS Hartin in tan brown has a sleek 3 1/4 inch heel at a 14 3/4 inch shaft, in regular and wide calf. The Nine West Gerty in taupe is a pointed toe on a slim 3 inch heel, and the Frankie4 Allegra has a 2 3/4 inch kitten-style heel.

For something more grounded, the Børn Harding is black leather with a stacked block heel and a side zip, at 14 1/2 inches. The Paul Green Evette is black stretch on a lugged sole with a 2 1/2 inch heel, which I would put with a slip skirt and a big sweater.

Then the two DuoBoots with attitude. The Freya is a black calf leather stiletto with a rounded pointed toe and a stretch panel, a 15.4 inch shaft and a 3.5 inch heel. The Saffron is western-inspired, with pull tabs and a stacked Cuban heel at 14.6 inches.

What I would skip: the tallest heel in the room if you plan to be on your feet for six hours. Walk the length of the room in them, stairs included, before you commit. A boot is only a good shoe if you can wear it to the end of the night.

The riding boot is the old pedigree here. Classic riding boots were traditionally made of leather and extended to just below the knee, tied to equestrian pursuits and country life, and that just-below-the-knee line is the same one petite fit guides recommend. On flats the shaft matters even more, because there is no heel to give you extra height.

The Frye Campus in chocolate has an ankle buckle strap and a low 1 inch heel at 14 3/4 inches. The Tory Burch T Lock in dark cocoa is suede and leather with a turnlock and a flat heel, 15 1/4 inches. The Stuart Weitzman Celia in walnut is a smooth, flat leather shaft at 15 1/2 inches. The Sam Edelman Penny in dark brown has a back stretch gore, and the Seychelles Stand by Me is glossy black with a 1 inch heel. The Vince Camuto Bercla in brandy has an almond toe, which I like with jeans.

DuoBoots has two more here. The Verity is smooth black calf leather on a flat stacked sole, 14.6 inches, and the Haltham in a petite shaft, about 14.2 inches, is the shortest of the pair. If I were choosing one flat boot for school-run mornings in November, I would look at the Haltham first.

A quick test: sit down and cross your legs. If the top edge digs into the back of your knee, the shaft is too tall, whatever the product page calls it.

What I would skip: a flat riding boot with a stiff shaft and no stretch gore, if your calf is on the fuller side.

I would start with the number. Measure the floor to 1 or 2 inches below your kneecap, tape your calf, and write both down in your phone. Then filter by a listed shaft of about 15 inches or less, and read the calf circumference before you read anything else.

After that, pick the one you will wear most. For me that is a suede boot with a modest heel in chocolate, with tights and a skirt in October. A white Courrèges boot is a good story, but a boot that fits your leg is a better one.

Still thinking about shoes? These are the ones I'd open next.

Nike Air Max

Khaite Boots Dupe

Red Hunter Boots

Leopard Flats

Tennis Shoes

Burgundy Boots

Chanel Loafers

adidas Sambae