What DO I Wear?!?! Hunter Rain Boots

“Let the rain kiss you. Let the rain beat upon your head with silver liquid drops. Let the rain sing you a lullaby.” ~ Langston Hughes

Thank You, Santa

Guys, I have been blogging slacking hardcore. I am so sorry. Life has been crazy. I will do an update post soon, but before half the year fades away, we need to discuss a Christmas present I received from Santa.

Yes Christmas. Yes I know it is March. And yes, my pictures are from the when I was in NH in December. Shut it Susan. (sorry, if your name is Susan nothing personal I swear!)

In my defense this is a present that will keep on giving year round. Rain or snow.

Santa, yes that Santa, was incredibly generous (as (s)he is every year) in gifting me a pair of much needed rain boots. You really can’t live in a city and NOT own rain boots. How I have survived eight years is truly a miracle, alas I did spend quite a few days having soggy feet.

Preparing to move to either a city that floods (Charleston) or a city that floods, (Paris) the time came where I started adulting and bought (or as in this case was generously gifted) a pair of Wellies or also in this case Hunters. I had owned a pair when I was in diapers…Okay not quiet but it has been at least a decade. While I loved them, it was before the days of Hunter’s carrying wide and extra wide and much like the jean dance, I had to do the boot dance, shimmying every time I put them on. I also had stupidly worn them in the kitchen when I was a chef and they were in appalling condition. Because of that we had a conscious uncoupling.

It was time to see what a decade apart had done for the relationship.

Sizing

My calves are the size of a baby bear, except baby bears are way cuter and mine are just muscular stumps. I also have small feet, (apparently God did not believe in proportions when I was created) which makes wearing boots difficult. Somehow it is assumed if your calves are shaped like unripened sweet potatoes, you must have boats for feet. NOT true shoe designers, NOT true.

It has made buying boots the bane of my existence and while I have been able to, successfully find dressy boots thanks to many of them getting with the program and being made of stretchy material. Alas rain boots are not so accommodating due to the rubber material they are made out of.

Thank the boot gods that Hunter now offers not just a wide, but also an EXTRA wide in addition to their regular width boot. While all their boots have a strap to expand slightly, the extra wide has webbing that makes them Go-Go Gadget wide. The material is also more flexible so you don’t feel like all circulation is being sucked out of your calves.

Buying

Buying online is hard, but I had a basic idea of my size, having owned a pair before. That said, I couldn’t decide between wide and extra wide. I read the reviews, but admittedly they were all over the place. We also are our own worst critic so I settled with the extra wide which not only is naturally wide but also has a strap that expands.

I also had a hard time deciding between colors. My previous pair I had owned in a glossy black. Unfortunately, a downside to the extra wide was that colors were limited and they didn’t come in a high gloss. (the only downside really) Thankfully they carried my go to staple colors of navy and army green. Since the army green, was more of a kelly green then an olive, and I have been on a navy kick, I went with navy. Oh first world problems.

The Boots

The moment I received my boots, I fell in love. It was a match made in fashion bliss. Hunter Boots are so incredibly well made, and these are no exception. I ordered a size six, extra wide. The strap is strong and stays locked in place, whether you expand the boots or keep them secured.

The tread on them is no joke, and help to keep a klutz like me from slipping and sliding in the rain or the slush.

The moment I put them on I never wanted to take them off. I had bought the fleece inserts and since it was winter, I thought it was only fitting to go with the furry ones. The inserts not only keep my feet nice and toasty, but are also super stylish.

Admittedly, I probably could have gone with the wide as opposed to the extra wide. I have more then enough room, and I haven’t used the expander once. Despite, them being a little lose in the calves, they fit perfectly in my foot area.

I love the way they look and have been rocking them ever since Santa brought them in his sleigh. They work even when it snows. With my navy winter jacket, and Naketano sweatshirt, I am color coordinated to the max!

Do you wear rain boots? What is your favorite brand?