It used to be that rain boots fell squarely in the category of "functional fashion." No longer. These days we don't have to choose between suffering wet socks and looking like a playground-bound tot in vulcanized yellow rubber. That's because in recent years several designers have given rain boots a real fashion-forward makeover. At the top of our minds: Phoebe Philo during her tenure at Celine, Demna Gvasalia at Balenciaga and Daniel Lee, first for Bottega Veneta, then Burberry. Some of the silhouettes are so fun to wear, you'll often see them on the feet of the street style set even when there's not a single puddle in sight.
That said, rainy days — of which there are bound to be many ahead — are when this new class of galoshes truly shines. Whether paired with miniskirts, slouchy cargo pants or water-resistant coated denim, they're all sure to make a statement. All you need to do is settle on a height and a vibe. Do you gravitate toward minimalist, super-Scandinavian lace-up styles? Check out Ilse Jacobsen. How about punky embellishments? Noir Kei Ninomiya, JW Anderson and Jeffrey Campbell. Bright colors? Hunter, Acne Studios and Thom Browne. Mixed materials? Chloe, Diemme and Stella McCartney. Phoebe-era Celine dupes? Ambush. Hyper-exaggerated proportions? Why Bottega Veneta, of course.
