Let’s Compare: Rain Boots

It seems ridiculous to post this when the temperature in my neck of the woods seems permanently set in the nineties and my air conditioner is crying with exhaustion. But I am not so silly as to think that the whole world is smoldering in their sandals. Since it is technically fall, let’s talk about rain boots:

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Last year I wrote a post about the new Chooka Rain Boots that I had purchased at Costco. I was very pleased with my Chooka Rain Boots and they even garnered their own funny story. However for Christmas, my husband surprised me with a pair of Hunter Rain Boots. And I supplied a post for those, as well.

Both are in a very similar color of green.

I decided to write a new post about what I like about each of them.

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First, when I pulled my rain boots from my closet after less than a year of being stored in there, my Chooka Boots appeared brand new and my Hunter Boots had a waxy white film across them. I only wore each pair of boots two to three times last year (darn California drought), so I am by no means an expert on accessories for the rain.

But I can tell you the pros and cons I have found with each of the shoes:

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Chooka Rain Boots Review:

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As I said above, the Chookas have retained their sheen and still look brand new after many months in storage.

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I think the Chooka Boots are more comfortable than the Hunter Boots, because they are a tad bit shorter and do not hit the back of my knees like the Hunter Boots do.

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The price. I paid $30 for my Chooka Boots at Costco last year (from what I have seen online, I believe the average retail price is around $60). This is a great deal for a nice pair of boots.

The negative about these boots is that I am not a huge fan of the buckle on my Chooka Boots. I do not mind it on the Hunter Boots, because the buckles are balanced by the label in the center. But I wish the Chooka Boots did not have the buckle on the side. I feel like it draws attention to the lack of a label (which is actually another positive. Most of the time I am a label-free girl).

Chooka also now sells boots with a pretty contrasting brown buckle. I like that look better than the ones that I own.

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Hunter Rain Boots Review:

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First, the gorgeous logo. I mentioned above in the Chooka Boot Review that I generally am not a label girl, but it has to be said that the Hunter logo is stunning and makes the boot.

The taller length of the Hunter Boot is better for skirts, and looks better with them because of their height than the Chooka Boot. However it is not as comfortable as the lower height of the Chooka Boot.

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The Hunter Boot runs slightly larger than the Chooka Boot. This means that sometimes rain can get into my boot through the larger gap at the top (which kind of defeats the purpose of wearing a rain boot). I bought a size eight in both brands and the Chooka Boot fits perfectly while the Hunter Boot runs a little big. There are pros and cons to both. In colder climates, the Hunter Boot would allot for a thicker sock to keep feet warm in the brisk weather. Hunter Boots also appear to accommodate a larger calf. I feel the Chooka Boot is better for warmer climates because it would not accommodate a larger sock unless you sized up, but in California, I do not need that. I simply need a boot to keep my feet dry. Chooka Boots seem better for smaller calves.

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The price. Hunter Rain Boots are expensive. My husband purchased mine for $79.99 at Nordstrom Rack. They are usually around $150. I know Costco typically offers them every year on their website at a large discount, as well.

Finally, my pair of Hunter Rain Boots do not look as pretty as they did when I first received them less than a year ago. I am hopeful the waxy finish will go away with more trips out into the rain but I am not positive. The reason I am thinking it is going to take a bit of work to remove the white film is based on this article I found on the subject. I really wanted a low maintenance shoe, so I am disappointed that these require some elbow grease.

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So with all of that said, which ones do I recommend? Honestly, I like them both. The Chooka Boots have a slight advantage because of the great price I paid for them. And the fact that they still look the same as when I first purchased them.

Vainly, I like the Hunter Boot for the logo. And I adore the many colors it comes in. If you ever see a baby pink tall pair at a discount please let me know. I love that color!

I will keep wearing both of them.

And be happy and grateful that I have the options.

Do you own a pair of either of these brands? What do you think? Did your Hunter Boots produce a white film? And if so, did the waxy quality on the Hunter Boots go away without having to do anything special to them?

*I was not compensated for writing this post. These opinions and reviews are my own. Your experience with the different boots may vary.

It’s The Little Things: My New Favorite Sandals

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I knnnnnnooooooowwwwwwww. Sandals?! It really is not the time for them. And yet, it is. It is not fall yet. Now is a good time to stock up (or stalk up, whichever creep level you feel is appropriate when pricing out shoes) on sandals for the spring and summer of 2015. Almost all of the sandals I have seen in stores are now on sale. I purchased so many boots on sale last winter that now I only need a black pair to complete my collection. Shopping between the seasons is the best way to accumulate items for a wardrobe on a budget.

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I picked up these Julianna Hough Teresa Sandals two weeks ago for $25 (regular price is $60. Link goes to a different site, in case you do not live near a Nordstrom Rack. The link price is a little more).

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I loved the eyelet design on the back. They are sweet and comfortable. I like the color, too. I purchased mine in a pretty beige color that reminds me of my favorite tall gladiator sandals. Here is a peek at an outfit post coming up with these shoes. They go with so many items in my closet. I have a very high arch and I was scared that the high back of the sandal would rub on my ankle, but they surprisingly do not. I took my regular 7.5 shoe size. They have a zipper in the back making them easy to get on and off without messing with any buckles.

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I also purchased them in this lovely brown color for my daughter. They came in a pretty black color, too. My sister came over to my house and tried my sandals on. She was going to go and get some herself. I hope she did (did you Mandi?). Nordstrom Rack had a lot of them in stock just last week.

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Did you know Julianne Hough made shoes? At first I was incredulous, thinking that she could not possibly make comfortable shoes. She is a dancer. A beautiful, beautiful dancer. I wanted her to stay in her perfect little box that society or myself had put her in and perfectly dance away. Barefoot. But I tried them on. Swallowed my inner envy that the girl can do anything. And I am now happily walking around town in them. Maybe even spinning. Just a little.

With only a bit of jealousy to my step.

You can barely see the green envy of my sole.

Just don’t look too closely.

Help Me Choose…Pretty Please!

UPDATE AT THE BOTTOM!

I made a trip to Nordstrom Rack with my mother-in-law last week. We had a fabulous time together, but think I might I have given her a panic attack. I actually needed a cart. She bought a tank top. I bought quite a few lovelies. I fell in love with this dress in two colorways. It is by Free People and called Sleeveless Miles of Lace Dress. It was originally $128, but the dress was on sale for $40 at Nordstrom Rack.

I do not “need” them both.

But I do need your help deciding. Which one should I keep?

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I picked up the hot pink.

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And the cream.

So, which one? I gots to be good! I do have a favorite, which is probably the one I should keep. Please help! Thank you!

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And if you are all ready commenting on which one I should choose, could you please help me decide how to style this? I got it the same day. It is a Free People tulle slip. It is a midi. Meaning, it is awkward. It comes to my calves. I had lusted after it at $98, but for $40, I could not resist. How should I wear it? I am clueless. I paired it with my new Anthropologie Waverly A-Line (Thank you mom for the birthday gift card. I love my new skirt) for a date with my husband last night. I felt delicious in it. However, that is the only thing I can think of to wear it with. Please help! Thank you so much!

P.S. UPDATE: Thank you everyone so much for commenting and giving you opinions. I was worried no one would respond. I was overwhelmed with happiness from the replies from those of you who did. I ended up taking the pink dress back tonight. Thank you for making the choosing process easier for me! It was fun!

I’m Bad

I was being so very good last month. The “bestest” of good. But my mother-in-law and I went shopping five days ago: At Nordstrom Rack and Marshall’s. Oh man. The deals they had that day. It felt like a dream. I found so many sale items I had been waiting and waiting for. And everything was at least 60% off.

If you are looking for a crochet top to layer with (which I was), Marshall’s has a ton of them right now. They all seemed to be under $15. They also had some good Nanette Lepore pieces. And Nordstrom Rack was teeming with Free People items, galore. So many pretty slips. It is a very, very good thing it is my birthday this week. I had my husband wrap most of it up.

[And just a quick note regarding sizing. I am almost always a medium, but I tried on all sizes in clearance. I have said it before, but it might have made its way to clearance because of wonky sizing. Almost everything I am wearing or purchased that day is either a small or a large. I used to wear an XL or sometimes XXL. So, to me, the letters on the tag are just that, letters. They mean nothing to me.

And you never know. Try it on!]

Here are my outfits from last week:

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I loved this dress so much, I could not wait to wear it. So, it did not get wrapped with the rest. It is Free People’s To A “T” Crochet Slip dress. It was originally $168, but I scored it for $39. Almost 77% off! The tag said $65, but it rang up for less. The under slip is not included. It is Free People’s Seamless Dot Slip that was at Nordstrom Rack for $20, instead of the original $58. It looks putty in color. The necklace is from Simply Livly on Etsy. She gifted me the necklace and I wear it all of the time. It is $15 in her shop and I love it.

I felt perfectly “me” in this dress. It reminded me of the “doily” dress from Reality Bites. But I am wearing undergarments. Phew!

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I also purchased this shirt from Anthropologie last month for $24 (with a price adjustment for the 20% off sale currently going on). It is called Paisley Trails Tee. It is sold out, but I have seen it pop up again three times this week, so I am still including the link. I am wearing a medium. It was originally $88. I wanted to pair it with my pink Pilcro stet pants from Anthropologie. Could not find them. So, I paired it with jeans. I am creative.

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Necklace is Free People’s Solid Supernova on sale here. Shoes are from Anthropologie last year, by Seychelles.

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And I purchased this little strapless dress for $23. Originally $44. It reminded me of the Tarana Maxi dress from Anthropologie (which I think is so beautiful, but this worked for me). The silver necklace was a gift from Free People for participating in Free People Me. It is called Pewter Short Chained Collar. My post about it is here.

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I paired it with my Cloth & Stone chambray shirt from my closet.

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And a purple t-shirt from Splendid that I also picked up that day.

The shoes in the pictures are my favorite from Anthropologie last year. They are called Tracy Reese Corchorus Wedges.

That is all for now regarding my gluttonous behavior. This week. I also gained five pounds in the last two weeks. So, now I am super cranky on my diet. Good times!

Have you scored any deals lately? Please share!