I’ve been looking at Hunter boots for a few years now. I almost bought some a couple of years ago, but at that time they only came in orange and the ubiquitous shade of bottle green. I saw a lot of them when I was in NYC back in March, because the weather was rainy and chilly, and they seemed to be a good mix of practicality and style.
My husband calls these “pretentious wellies”, partly because he is from the UK and the Queen used to wear Hunters when she was out in the fields with the hunting dogs. Also, at $125, they are pretty pricey as wellies go. However, the quality is excellent, the cut is chic, and now that they come in dozens of colors and the new Gloss finish, they are pretty hard to resist. Hunter has been in business since 1856, so they must be doing something right. I ended up ordering Glossy because the traditional matte rubber can turn chalky over time…and also because I like shiny things!
There’s been some discussion of Hunter sizing — some people say they run large, others say small. I normally wear a size 8 or 8.5 shoe, and the size 39 Hunters fit me perfectly with medium-weight socks. They are shaped like a riding boot, and fit my (average) calves exactly. If you will be wearing these in a cold climate, I highly recommend getting them large enough to fit heavy socks, because rubber boots are notoriously bad at retaining heat.
I was so delighted when these boots arrived that I wore them with my cargo shorts while cooking dinner. The Violet color is bright and cheery without looking childish. In the fall, I can envision them with leggings and a long tunic, or a short grey wool skirt and some black tights. For now, I’m just awaiting a rainy day so I can test these out by splashing in some puddles. It’s the hottest part of summer here in the American south, but already I am dreaming of autumn so I can wear these boots!
You can find Hunter Original Gloss boots at Zappos for $125, which is the same price as other places but includes free, fast shipping.