I'm an Aussie and used to work in David Jones selling sass & bide, so after seeing them every shift I gave in and bought the normal ones and the pvc rats. I bought the pvc first, which only come in a size s/m or m/l, and the s/m is a bit too big for me around the waistband (I'm usually a size 25" in their jeans, sometimes 24") but regular ones fit perfectly.
I wear them with dresses and long tops. They're great for winter when you want to wear a dress but it's a bit too chilly. As for footwear, my favourite match is my really high black gladiator-style heels with silver buckles, but also wear them under knee-high boots or with black dunlop volleys for comfort.
I don't agree that you have to be super tall to pull them off. You can always get them taken up. I'm only 5'3". My legs are long in comparison to my torso though. I'd be wary if you are long-waisted regardless of whether you are tall or short, as the ruching creates many hortizontal lines and for a lengthening effect you need verticals. Unfortunately the horizontal lines are not flattering if you have large legs/thighs as they give a widening effect.