Designer Wellies: fashion meets function for the farm or play time

Most commonly women’s footwear falls into two categories – fashionable or functional – with precious little overlap. In the spirit of modern fashion, Rosie Roo from Australia is bringing a change to functional women’s wet weather footwear with their spunky new wellies/gumboots/galoshes (depending on what part of the world you’re from).

The designs were inspired by the creator’s horse-loving family. Her fashion conscious daughters were tired of turning up to equine events in boring old black rubber boots. The first range of Rosie Roo boots offer a range of bright and crazy styles: polka dots, strips, nautical colors and animal prints. They also come in a lace-up option for the fashion forward consumer. The focus is on fashion, but also comfort. The rubber gumboots are completely waterproof (even the lace-up ones), with comfy cotton lining and inner soles. Available in adult sizes 6-10, they offer three heights: ankle, mid-calf and knee-high. Recommended retail prices are AUD$90 (approx. USD$80) for the ankle boots, $130 (approx. USD$115) for the mid-calf and $150 (approx. US$135) for the knee highs.

I don’t know how much use ladies out on the farm will have for these considering they would be quickly covered in mud and manure, so perhaps we could see Rosie Roo designs strutting the catwalk instead. Hey, if ugg boots managed to enjoy their 15 minutes of fame (thanks very much Pamela Anderson) then why not the trusty gumboot? These are much more chic, and in styles reminiscent (although in canvass, not rubber) of those from Sugar Shoes have already been a big hit, particularly with the fashion-savvy kids in Japan.

See the Rosie Roo site for more info and a list of stockists.