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.

Stylin’ The Torsade Dress

A few weeks ago, Anthropologie’s Torsade Dress* popped back for me for $30. And I pounced on it. I had been waiting for it for this price because $98 was just too much for me. Unfortunately when it came, it reeked of garlic. This is a mystery I would not like to examine further. This might seem gross. But it was an easy fix with a quick wash in the washing machine. Although if I had to guess, I would say the dress was worn previously by some awesome female vampire hunter. This makes the dress more special. Sadly its special garlic powers washed out of the dress and thankfully I was able to wear it.

But now am weak against vampires. Oi.

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Here is the dress as it is. Without playing with it. This is actually the way a vampire hunter would wear it except my accessory would be a wooden stake. I just wanted to give you that visual.

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* Pairing the dress with different colored bottoms will momentarily confuse the vampires in order for you to get away.

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I thought it would be fun to pair it with rain boots even if this outfit will probably never make it to my reality with California’s drought. I think the teal matches well. I would love to have the opportunity to wear this.

I also hope any vampires near me are having their own drought as well.

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My favorite way I paired it was using it as a top. I have been wanting a floral top with some pink in it to pair with my red and white striped skirt. But I did not want to pay for one. And I am not sure the exact shirt I had in my head exists in reality. Then I happened to see these two pieces next to each other and I could not wait to try it!

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Or you could use the dress as a skirt. This is perfect for those chilly nights when you need to arm yourself with more than just garlic.

Do you own this dress? A floral dress? What is your favorite way to style it?

* This is the link to the dress, but it is sold out. However a brick and mortar store might still have it if you call customer service. I cannot, however, guarantee that your dress will have any anti-vampire properties. Sorry about that.

** This has not been proven. If you happen to see a vampire, I doubt that the way in which you style this dress would be enough to scare them away. Well, unless you covered the dress in mirrors. But I think I would rather take my chances with the beasts.

* P.S. I shared this on The Pleated Poppy!

On The Hunt For Rain

It’s Raining

It’s Pouring

The Old Dog is

Snorting?

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For Christmas, my husband went to the Nordstrom Rack and purchased me a pair of Hunter Boots in this teal color. He said he wanted me to have the “real” thing after I did that post about buying my rain boots at Costco, but really wanting the Hunter Boots sold online there. Which is so sweet. But they sat in my closet until the last day in February, because California decided to repel rain this year.

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When I finally saw rain clouds, I pranced around in my boots for three days.

First, I paired the boots with my other surprise Christmas present from my husband. He bought me this Free People flannel shirt from Nordstrom Rack, as well. I guess I can trust him to shop for me. Because I love all three items he picked out for me.

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Then, the next day, I paired the boots with two new popback scores. My Iremel Brocade Skirt ($30 down from $138) and my Ravenna Cardigan ($10 down from $118). And then my husband came home and he saw me in this outfit.

“Heeeeelllllooooo kindergartner!” He said. And it was not good. But, oh, well, I still like this outfit. It is fun and it made me happy.

I probably will wear this skirt with an untucked shirt next time. It will look better, I think. Or a belt. Hmmmm. I am unsure on this one.

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Then I met some girlfriends at a little bar. And you know what the perfect thing to wear to a bar is? That’s right! Hunter Boots! No? Well, I can’t always get the answer right. I was not going to miss an opportunity to wear them even if they probably weren’t the right choice for a night on the town.

The top is actually two slips layered together. The cardigan is the Ravenna Cardigan from above. The mint slip is the Trapeze Slip from Free People.

And look at my sweet baby. He had to photobomb the picture. He loves Hunter Boots, too.

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And Ollie is irresistible.

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Plus, he makes the best photo faces.

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I could not resist trying to give him a kiss. But he hates kisses. So, all I usually get is a snort in the face. This is actually sexier than it sounds.

Okay.

It’s not sexier than it sounds. It is actually grosser than kissing your dog on the lips.

But I swear it makes my make up stay on longer.

Okay.

That’s a lie, too.

Let’s end this post before I get in any more trouble. And go off on any more crazy tangents.

Have you worn rain boots lately? How do you wear them?