Gone are the days when the Wellington boots — also known as "Wellies" or rain boots — were solely used for gardening, farming or for children to stomp around in the rain. Now, these stylish boots are reinvented for the trendsetters and fashion trendies alike, to wear all-season round and any place they wish.
The Wellington boots are hotter than ever, and you can find them in vibrant candy colors, funky patterns and made by fancy designers, with a variety of styles to choose from. Pretty polka dots, checkers, stripes, squares, argyles, swirls, hearts and floral prints in every color are just a few of the cheerful designs that adorn these new and improved rain boots. Innovative designers such as Emilio Pucci, Marc Jacobs, Tamara Henrique, Burberry, Fendi and Prada have been flooding the market with their own trendy twist of the Wellingtons (prettified with a stacked-heel, retro pattern, branded monogram, faux-fur collar, sexy top buckle, shiny rubber exterior, comfy insulation, juicy colors and other sassy frills imaginable), making the contemporary Wellies even more in vogue than ever.
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NORDSTROM
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On our own turf, Western Chief by Washington Shoe Co. [1] — family-owned and Seattle-operated since 1891 — manufactures playful rain boots for women who are kids at heart. The youthful rain-wear designs include the best-selling red ladybug Wellies, yellow bumblebee, green froggy, spotty Dalmatian, pink kitty and the fire-chief rain boots, as well as the multi-color dots and the leopard Wellies from the Splashy Prints collection.
"Our women's rain boots were an extension from the children's line and attracts novelty and whimsy," says Rob Moehring, president of the Washington Shoe Co. "It sells in Seattle because it's functional while being fashionable with colorful, exciting designs," he adds.
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WESTERN CHIEF BY WASHINGTON SHOE CO.
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Indeed these boots were made for splashing, and what better place to sport these dashing waterproof boots than here in our dear drizzly city. If it's going to rain, you might as well prance through the puddles in a very fabulous way.
There are Wellies for everyone at every price range. On the more economical end, you can find low-cost rain boots for under $20 at discount retailers like Target and Wal-Mart, while the luxury designer brands can range from $59.95-$250, currently available in Seattle at Nordstrom [1] or through the designers directly.
Useful any time of the year, the mod Wellington boots look best with jeans tucked inside or with your denim cuffed at the top of the boots. Of course, adding your own personality with how you wear your Wellies is half of the fun.
The chic and comfortable Wellington boots are sure to brighten your mood even during the gray, misty days. Take it from a gal who at one point repeatedly uttered the words, "Fashion is pain. Fashion is pain," trying to convince myself why I should keep walking around with my painful stilettos that look oh-so-cute, but pinch oh-so-very-bad. Do yourself a favor and set aside your torturous boots, donning one of these sleek cozies as you blissfully greet the rainy days ahead. Your feet will thank you for it.
If you have a shop, sale, event or great product tip you'd like to share, e-mail seattleshopping@nwsource.com.
Copyright © 2008 The Seattle Times Company
