Plenty of people get by in life without thinking about wellington boots, but I’m afraid I’m not one of them. There was a time when I trotted off to the fashion desk at a national newspaper in all manner of silly shoes – dagger heels (the ultimate in cobblestone ankle-twisters), white patent brogues (who knows what that was about?), knee-grazing roman sandals (lattice-work imprints an added extra). Those were the days when a gumboot did not feature on my fashion radar. But times change and for this dog owner, living in wettish, brackish Britain, wellies are essential kit. But which ones to choose?
Now that Hunter Boots are everywhere, of course, I want something different. Not a patterned or metallic pair (these feet won’t be taking me to a music festival any time soon). Not a stiff baggy pair that hit the backs of my knees as I walk (who wants laddered tights?). I don’t want a disingenuous pair that masquerades as a ‘proper’ shoe: not a chelsea boot (J Crew) or a biker boot (Burberry), but something fit for purpose, that does what it should without too much fanfare. So you’ll begin to appreciate my excitement when I came across a rare pair of simple black rubber boots that were lovingly hand made, utterly comfortable, eminently practical, with the tantalizing whiff of smart French style about them. Not too clunky, but low profile, with no discernible heel (they do a wedge version, possibly best for non-dog-owning urbanites), Le Chameau’s Cabourg Rubber Boots flash a dark red sole – a cheery touch when you are wading through mud – and come with a spare strip of red elastic, because they are jelly-soft enough to be folded, banded and stowed. Ideal for the dog-owner about town.
