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Wellies

I’m in the market for a new pair of rain boots.

The Renegade Craft Fair was this weekend – this very wet and rainy weekend. I wore my pale pink Martha Stewart garden boots (I bought them years ago when Martha still had a mail-order catalog), but I think it’s time for a new pair. They’re pretty dirty by now, but I’ve actually never been all that thrilled with the color. The pink is so pale that they’re almost flesh colored, and a flesh colored rain boot silhouette on the leg isn’t exactly flattering.

Rain Boots

Right.

There are a ton of rain boots at Target (all for $25 or less), but they’re all mid-calf height. I want a knee-high pair, most likely in red. Maybe a pair of actual Hunter Wellingtons? They’re available here, here, and here.

Any other suggestions before I splurge on the Wellies?

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  • jen
    September 15, 2008 at 10:20 am

    Instead of pitching the fleshtoned wellies once new ones are bought, have you considered personalizing/decorating them yourself? Its one of those projects that I consider, and never really follow through on.

  • Paige
    September 15, 2008 at 10:22 am

    I was JUST wishing for some rain boots this morning in preparation for the fall! I can’t wait to see what sort of suggestions you receive!

  • Making it Lovely
    September 15, 2008 at 10:24 am

    Jen, I’m keeping my current boots for their intended purpose: as garden boots. That way they can get super dirty and I’ll still have my nice shiny-clean new wellies to wear in the rain. :)

  • Lee
    September 15, 2008 at 10:29 am

    I love Tretorn’s Skerry Vinter boots.

  • Cayenne
    September 15, 2008 at 10:37 am

    I have been eying the original Hunter Wellington too. Thanks so much for the links to where you can buy them in the US. I have been hesitant to purchase from the UK store in case I got the sizing wrong.

  • M&Co
    September 15, 2008 at 10:50 am

    I have Le chameau, and I couldn’t be more happy…love the traditional look!

  • callie
    September 15, 2008 at 11:06 am

    The target rain boots are much more comfortable being mid calf. I have worn mine out! I also have the others, which make bending the ankle a bit more cramped, notice the target boots flare a bit on top where the knee height do not. or maybe you can find some that do …. but i wear my target ones more because of the difficulting bending my foot in the others going up and down stairs (i live on the 4th floor at the moment & the L stairs) cg

  • anh-minh
    September 15, 2008 at 11:09 am

    I am also a fan of Tretorn’s rubber boots.

  • Lor
    September 15, 2008 at 11:21 am

    I would love a pair of the Hunters Wellies too! Here in Scotland it rains a lot so I also need to go shopping for some new ones soon. Our local Cath Kidston store does some nice ones.

  • arawa
    September 15, 2008 at 11:27 am

    I do not know if they are still available, but I love my Orla Kiely rain boots. The bonus is that they are warmly lined which (also being a Chicagoan) makes them great for the colder rainy weather we can experience here.

  • Gina
    September 15, 2008 at 11:52 am

    A friend & I have been agonizing over this same decision. The Target ones are so much cuter (not to mention much cheaper!) but we really want them to come up higher near the knee. Please post what you find!!

  • stephanie
    September 15, 2008 at 11:58 am

    JCrew! They have so many cute ones.

  • H R Scarlett
    September 15, 2008 at 12:25 pm

    I’d like to cast my vote for the Hunter Wellies, all the way-

    I own 2 pair- a red pair for wandering and a green pair for dirty work.

    I say splurge- they are super durable, but also comfortable- I recommend getting either the Hunter wellie socks or the felt inserts for warmth…and definitely something cushiony for the sole.

  • Kim
    September 15, 2008 at 12:43 pm

    I have the red polka dot ones from Target and I LOVE them. They have a nice size adjustment strap at the top so you can wear em loose and with plenty of room to tuck in jeans, etc., or nice n tight so they don’t flop around all that much.

    Comfy comfy! I say go Target! The midcalf length ain’t all that bad!

  • erin
    September 15, 2008 at 12:43 pm

    i love the hunter wellies – esp because they are so tall.

    and definitely get the socks for those colder chicago days.

  • amy
    September 15, 2008 at 12:46 pm

    hunter all the way! I just blogged about this too recently!!! :)

  • Jen
    September 15, 2008 at 12:49 pm

    Romika had some very cool gumboots available a couple of years ago. I saw them in Germany but also online; they might not have been available in the US though.

  • Amy
    September 15, 2008 at 1:24 pm

    Check out Chooka too!

  • Valentina
    September 15, 2008 at 1:33 pm

    I absolutely love the Hunter Wellington… indeed I *heart* red shoes in general!

  • JB
    September 15, 2008 at 1:38 pm

    I got mine at LL Bean a few springs ago when cute rainboots were still a scarcity. They have seasonal patterns now and their fall assortment is very cute! http://tinyurl.com/68vy2y

  • Making it Lovely
    September 15, 2008 at 1:54 pm

    Ooh, just saw these: Hunter Festival Tall Boots.

  • Jessica
    September 15, 2008 at 2:15 pm

    I’m jumping on the Hunter Wellington bandwagon. Red, yum.

  • MrsMisener
    September 15, 2008 at 2:24 pm

    Go with Hunter (QUALITY). The Target boots will fall apart and are a complete waste of money!

  • Shannon
    September 15, 2008 at 2:58 pm

    I splurged on Wellies and have been happy ever since. I wasted money on some Marc by Marc Jacobs ones and have considered the J Crew ones, but the real Hunter Wellies are actually comfortable, and I know from comfort as a San Franciscan who walks up and down hills every day! You won’t be sorry.

  • theycallmered
    September 15, 2008 at 3:21 pm

    I have a pair of wellies from Target. Beware that they do run a bit big. I normally wear a 7.5/8 (more often an 8). I bought size 7’s and am quite happy that I did.

  • Jaime
    September 15, 2008 at 3:58 pm

    I say splurge on a pair of Orla Kiely wellies, they’re too cute not to splurge on!!!

    http://www.edressme.com/dmsa8e-180.html

  • Birdie
    September 15, 2008 at 4:26 pm

    I have the Tretorn Skerry that I bought last year and they leak already (small rips where boot flexes by the toes). I am really pissed. My only problem with the tall boots is that I have large calves and nothing fits! I honestly wouldn’t spend a lot on rubber boots – I mean, they’re just rubber boots.

  • Joy
    September 15, 2008 at 5:21 pm

    Flying the United Jack, I have to say go for the Hunters. You will look super duper daaaaahling. Hunters are the high class boots in Britain, favoured by proper country folk who own landrovers, but they are definitely cook for city chic too.

    PS I LOVE your blog, I have been re-reading all your all posts and lurking for a while now. It’s beautiful.

  • amy purple
    September 15, 2008 at 5:27 pm

    They have a lot of adorable rainboots here, but i’m not sure if they’re knee length…
    http://www.plueysmanila.com

    The only downfall is it’s not from the USA, so shipping might be a bit much.

    • Maryanne
      April 15, 2010 at 9:19 am

      Amy Purple, you can buy Plueys here:

      http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=230432934312

      I myself live in Manila so I bought my Argyle Crush Plueys from the Plueys Manila site, and shipping anywhere within Metro Manila is free and takes only a day. Plueys are adorable.

      Now I also have navy Hunter wellies, and I love them!

  • amy purple
    September 15, 2008 at 5:29 pm

    NEVER MIND – apparently shipping is included in the price!

  • Clementine Cassie
    September 15, 2008 at 5:43 pm

    Believe it or not, LL Bean has some pretty adorable ones for fall–but they’re also mid-calf height, I believe:
    http://tinyurl.com/59c46d

    (I had to tinyurl-it because the LL Bean link was huge!)

  • Corie
    September 15, 2008 at 5:47 pm

    I say splurge on the Wellies! OR get a few pairs of the Target ones for variety! :)

    What font is that, the one you used for Hunter Wellingtons and Target Rain Boots? I LOVE it!

  • Sara
    September 15, 2008 at 6:10 pm

    Go for the Wellies! I had a pair of the Target ones, and the second time I wore them for splashing in Chicago puddles (our street corner sidewalks seem particularly bad at getting too big to jump over) they cracked. So they are no longer waterproof. If you have to pay $25 everytime it rains, that will add up quickly. You can definitely find the wellies for sale prices places, and they are gooood.

  • elizabeth
    September 15, 2008 at 6:35 pm

    must.have.the red-soled pair at target. must.

    I would never have thought your current pair was pink! They look pale yellow or something. But you are right… they blend right into your legs! Not a good look- even though they’re for mud-slogging.

  • rena
    September 15, 2008 at 6:42 pm

    i quite love my hunter rain boots; i purchased them last year at akira here in chicago, and got a size down from what i normally wear…

  • Jenny!
    September 15, 2008 at 7:20 pm

    i bought these yesterday & love them to death
    they’re covered in black & white zigzags, you might love them, too

  • erin
    September 15, 2008 at 9:36 pm

    does anyone know of a pair of rainboots with a wide calf??

    my calves are on the thicker side (which i hate and am self-conscious about) so i usually don’t even bother with trying on boots- but as some from the chicago suburbs i do need them!

    p.s. i REALLY wanted to go to renegade- it would have been my first time but just couldn’t because of the weather.
    how was it???

    • Maryanne
      April 15, 2010 at 9:21 am

      Hi, Erin. Hunter has the wider and shorter calf variant. It’s called Huntress. Many women say that it’s actually more comfortable.

  • Paula Roegge
    September 15, 2008 at 9:51 pm

    The Target ones are cute, but I say go for the quality and get the Wellies! I love red boots, so you will be styling in these for a long time to come! Plus I def. think taller is better.

  • Caroline
    September 15, 2008 at 10:09 pm

    I own the red Hunters and I LOVE THEM. They are truly indestructible, and they are also very flattering because they are so tall. Most regular rain boots only come to mid-calf, which I find to be quite stumpifying on anyone who isn’t six-foot-three. Also, the Hunters have adjustable buckles, so they can be made wider or narrower as needed. And I know you can get them on Zappos, so yay for free shipping and returns…

  • Amy
    September 15, 2008 at 10:53 pm

    I love my Chooka Tattoo rain boots, cute and very comfortable.

  • naomi
    September 15, 2008 at 11:24 pm

    you can get the hunter “huntress” boots if you are concerned about the narrowness of the knee highs. these have a wider calf but I don’t know if they have all the snazzy colors to choose from

  • Sue
    September 16, 2008 at 9:04 am

    Re: Wide calf…at one time Hunter offered “Huntress” – whose claim-to-fame was that it provided additional room in the calf. Zappos carried them – not sure for now. Best of luck!

  • Christina
    September 16, 2008 at 9:14 am

    http://www.wonderfulwellies.co.uk/ladieswellies.htm

    Has some lovely ones, if you click “WHATELEY HIGH CUT” adn scroll down, they some some pink loves brown ones (but a better pink than your old ones)…also make some pretty cool zebra ones too.

    They’re British, but who knows better than them about rain, eh?

    Good luck :)
    Christina

  • Aminah
    September 16, 2008 at 9:28 am

    I have the knee-length Marc by Marc Jacobs — and while they’re warm and protect your pants, they’re not comfy at all! I’m waiting on these to get here today: link

  • SFB
    September 16, 2008 at 9:58 am

    Hunter 100% all the way! I almost look forward to rainy and snowy days since I made the purchase. I bought them from Shopbop.com and got free shipping.

  • panyizsuzsi
    September 16, 2008 at 10:38 am

    I have a pair polka dot patterned, I bought on e-bay. They are fantastic!

  • Dana
    September 16, 2008 at 1:39 pm

    http://zeta.zappos.com/product/7270720/color/754

    saw these and thought of your request

  • Making it Lovely
    September 16, 2008 at 2:07 pm

    Corie, the font I used is Studio Swing.

    Thanks for the suggestions everyone! I especially love the zigzags, Jenny. It looks like most of the rain boots are indeed mid-calf though (12″), so I think I’m going to go with the Hunter Festival boots. They have an extra 1/2″ of width in the calf compared to the original style, and they come in red (which the wider legged Huntress boots do not).

  • kate (pm)
    September 16, 2008 at 3:10 pm

    I have had my Hunter wellies for many years and love them! I recommend purchasing the flannel boot liners for the really cold weather. I live in NYC and with boot liners, so I get away with using those boots all through the winter. (If l lived in heavy snowfall area and/or in the country, then I would purchase real snow boots.)

  • Goody
    September 16, 2008 at 3:13 pm

    i got some from payless..cute, pink, does the trick but i just got a link to this place in an email..

    i love the

    http://www.dllrainwear.com/servlet/the-Adult-Rain-Boots/Categories

  • Olivia
    September 16, 2008 at 5:52 pm

    Those rain boots hit at the widest part of the leg, which is extremely unflattering for most women. Order the Hunter Wellingtons a size down from what you normally would…they run large.

  • katie
    September 16, 2008 at 9:21 pm

    have you ever poked around at boden? they have some very cute rain boots in their autumn catalog.
    http://www.bodenusa.com/en-us/Womens-Shoes-and-Boots/Flat-Boots/AZ095/Womens-Printed-Wellies.html

  • Katharina
    September 16, 2008 at 10:30 pm

    I’ve been waffling back & forth for a while now on this very issue….I’d love to see a post on your final decision! I do love me some red boots, but I can’t tell from the website if the Hunter wellies are a true red, or that fishy, washed-out orangey red. Any thoughts?

  • robyn
    September 17, 2008 at 6:43 am

    Haha, I also noted on my blog how every other girl at Renegade was wearing galoshes. It’s funny how for years and years I’ve searched ridiculously to find a pair of cute but affordable ones, and then bam, this season they’re everywhere.

  • Never teh Bride
    September 17, 2008 at 9:48 am

    The Target boots are comfortable but they do not last. I’ve never had a pair keep for more than a year, and it’s not like I’m wearing my rainboots every day. They’re inexpensive, but you end up buying more pairs.

  • Margie
    September 17, 2008 at 10:08 am

    Hi Nicole,

    I’ve gone through about 5 pairs of boots in the last 8 years ago. First, I bought the expensive Tamara Hendriques striped boots which were the first to start the striped Wellie craze.

    http://www.tamarahenriques.com/stripes.html

    They ripped within a season — and they were expensive!

    Then I bought a less expensive pair of red Polo wellies — very cute and lasted longer, but also tore after about 6 months of use. Then three other pairs of Target or no-name brand boots.

    What I found was that the shiny boots don’t hold up well. They bend with your foot and this causes tiny tears in the rubber. LEAKS!

    So last year, I ponyed up and bought two pairs of the Hunter boots and I love them. So sturdy and I know they’ll last forever. You do have to know that they aren’t shiny — they actually shed rubber with wear so you need to brush them off after use.

    But for someone like me who wears Wellies a lot — I’m in NYC and commute to work by train and walking every day so they get a lot of use.

    I wish I had seem the Festival boots last year! So cute!

  • Shannon Cary
    September 17, 2008 at 12:45 pm

    Urban Outfitters has a cute pair. I recently posted about rain boots on my blog:
    http://sisterly2.blogspot.com/2008/07/caught-in-rain.html

  • KT
    September 22, 2008 at 4:45 pm

    I have the Hunters in black and another pair in an eggplant color. They are so comfy! I’m glad you got a pair!

  • MW
    September 26, 2008 at 3:30 pm

    Hi Nicole,

    I vote for quality – go for the wellies! ;) (although according to a more recent post, you already have).

    I was just wondering which font it is you used for the “Hunter Wellingtons” and “Target Rain Boots” writing in this post?

  • Sharon
    November 12, 2008 at 9:58 am

    I have searched and searched for rain boots for a gift for a friend’s birthday. Finally found a very cute pair of Kate Spade ones that were actually on sale! Great price!!! ($50) The only problem was that she has larger calves and even with the buckle open, they were too tight. But, I would definitely recommend the Kate Spade ones to anyone who doesn’t have this problem. May buy myself a pair at this price.

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