Fashion people are often declared either bag people or shoe people, and I consider myself one of the latter. But with the frequent rain we’ve been experiencing in the Bay Area, I’ve had to suck it up and stuff my feet into some more practical footwear. Trouble is, I’m not into rubber rainboots, since they’re clunky and uncomfortable to me, so here are a few of my alternatives:
1) Patent Leather – While brightly patterned rainboots will always rain supreme (yes, I’m awful), I find them awkward to wear and walk in. This is especially so when the rain stops and I’m left with very clunky footwear. Solution: Patent leather. It’s waterproof, on-trend, and you’ll look wonderfully sleek and sophisticated. Shown: Steve Madden
2) Platforms- If you’re a heels-no-matter-what kind of person, you might have an advantage here. Platforms will keep your feet farther away from actual water and will decrease the chances that your actual toes will get wet. Just make sure they’re walkable, because you know those puddles are out to get you. Shown: Harajuku Lovers
3) Rubber soles- No matter which shoes you’re wearing, you should make sure they have rubber (vs. leather) soles. They’ll keep the water out, more or less, and will give you better traction against slippery ground. If your shoes don’t have rubber soles, you can consider resoling them with rubber soles. I did that to a pair of booties (not the ones in the main photo) and was surprised at how much easier it was to walk even on a non-rainy day. Mine are by Jeffrey Campbell.
4) Duck boots- Kind of outdoorsy, but definitely made for splashy situations, duck boots will give you similar amounts of rain protection as rainboots, but look less ominous (or am I the only one who thinks rainboots look ominous in a “watchoutitsgonnarain!” kind of way?). I don’t have a pair myself, but I’ve been searching for a nice pair in my size. Shown: Etsy
5) Docs- I’m sure many of you have a pair of these lying around, and they definitely fit the bill. They’re pretty waterproof as they are, though a patent pair would be better, and would be great for stomping around in shallower puddles. For a punch of color on a dreary day, try wearing a neon-bright pair instead of basic black. Shown: Doc Martens (Lavender)
Here’s to you staying dry in this cold-catching weather!
