My father had puttees, they were leather, moulded to fit his legs, and fastened with a looooong leather strap about 1/2" (13mm) wide. The strap went through slots on one side. Many if not most, men wore high-top shoes, (as did the kids), and the puttees covered the top of the shoe.

He only wore them when out hiking, as they were not considered proper for normal day wear. For riding, a tall boot was always worn.

I can see wearing them for rugged outdoor work, but not otherwise.