It is gloomy, cold and raining. While I actually love the rain, that does not mean I enjoy a straight week of it, much less relish the walk from North Village G all the way to Plyler while water is streaming down from the sky, sometimes sideways. If I wake up and hear the unmistakable plunk-plunk-plunk of pouring rain, I admit that I groan a little inside. And then, I put on my rain boots.
However, this action undertaken by one such as myself (i.e. female) is met with much derision. By putting on rain boots, I will be considered hilariously “basic” and predictable.
“It is raining, so look out for all the girls in their rain boots,” someone will joke.
“For every drop of rain, there is a girl wearing rain boots today,” another will say.
To this, I must admit I am baffled. Why the backlash, supposedly done in the name of humor, against those who wear rain boots? For all the times women are criticized for wearing impractical footwear in the form of heels, you would think that the mass usage of an entirely utilitarian form of footwear would be applauded. Instead, it is made into a joke: look how predictable all the girls are, wearing rain boots on rainy days. How “basic.”
It seems absolutely silly to me to laugh at the fact that many girls wear rain boots. People often dress to match the weather. Of course many girls are wearing rain boots–it’s raining outside!
I do admit that I love my rain boots. They are not expensive Hunters, but a rather inexpensive pair my mom got on sale at Target to give me for Christmas my senior year of high school. They are fire engine red and allow me to fearlessly traverse even the most perilous of puddles. They also remind me of one of the books she used to read to me when I was little, “Big Sarah’s Little Boots.” They are not much of a fashion statement, but they do their job, and they do it well.
When I wear my rain boots on a rainy day, I know that I am not going to have to deal with many of the annoyances that dreary weather can bring.
Wet socks? Squelching noises from water buildup with every step? These problems can be prevented by rain boots. Hate hanging up your socks to dry on the windowsill during class (yes, I have seen this happen)? Don’t like the horrible smell of soggy feet? You will not have to deal with these problems if you wear rain boots. Bonus points for not having to clean mud and grass off your new sneakers at the end of the day.
Rain boots simply make rainy days less of a pain. Thus, I urge everyone to invest in a pair of rain boots or other waterproof footwear. There are many options out there, from cheap Wellies at Walmart to the notorious Bean Boots and even expensive pairs of Hunter rain boots. Do what works for you, but most importantly, recognize that wearing weather-appropriate footwear has distinct benefits far outside the world of fashion.
