February 4, 2010

Gushing Gurgling Galoshes


With snow still faling in many parts of the northern hemisphere and spring rain soon to follow, my thoughts go directly to what shoes can I wear that will both cope with the inclement weather and survive the slush mush that is snow or the gurgles of rain while still preserving an ounce of style.

While looking into this issue, the first solution I found, though practical, and versatile, was not very pleasing to the eyes and was not even that affordable:



1. J&G Rain Bootie Shoe Cover
This specific Rain Bootie is clunky and seems more fit for a ski trip rather than a walk to the office. I give it an F because I hate both velcro and nylon by themselves, moreover in combination as is the case with this shoe cover.

If for some obscure reason any of you would be interested in purchasing it and therefore going against my dire wishes you can find it here.

2. Totes Rubber Footwear

The second item I stubmled upon held much more promise as it was not a shoe cover but a Galosh (et. Fr. galoche - clog) which by definition is "a waterproof overshoe that protects shoes from water or snow". The Totes galoshes get a B for being very affordable (under $20) and versatile ( they offer men and women galoshes and they are the only company that offers a galosh for bigger work boots, working wonders for all you Timberland fans out there). The reason why I did not give the Totes galosh an A was that I found their lack of available colours disappointing and that they did not do anything to vary their designs.
Nonetheless, for someone who is practical and needs a good solution for rainy weather, Totes galoshes can be purchased here.

3. SWIMS Galoshes

Recently featured in GQ, the SWIMS galoshes are my absolute favourites. They come in different sizes, different colours, different styles and are deisgned with a style-savy consumer in mind (yes, women too :) ). They get an A+ for everything I mentioned above and for delivering not only to the U.S. but to Europe, Asia and the rest of the world as well. The + is for not forgetting, as most American retailers do, that there are just as many consumers, if not more, outside of the U.S.A. rather than inside.



The SWIMS website can be found here, while their online shop can be accesed here or you can purchase them from Saks Fifth Avenue in NYC, San Francisco, Chicago or Philadelphia. Enjoy the galoshes and the other items SWIMS are starting to sell, like these very cute cute slippers for men.


Caring for your shoes during Fall, Winter and Spring

Water is leather's worst enemy and unless your wearing pure cotton shoes most any other materials will suffer from water exposure. Here's a few tips that could save you money and your shoes their life.