Wellington boots, or wellies as more affectionately known nowadays, are notorious for being some of the most uncomfortable footwear to have. Not only can they be considered uncomfortable, they often have a bad reputation for not being the nicest pair of boots aesthetically, with lots of khaki and black shades being sold in specialised outdoor shops. They’re mostly associated with older country folk when we simply know that’s not true either!
We’re here to tell you that wellies can actually be comfortable and stylish if you need them to be. If you’re buying wellies for farm or country work, you will need to pay more attention to the tread than anything else. You’ll need to keep your eye out for a practical pair, preferably with a neoprene lining for extra warmth for working outdoors. If you’re just an occasional wellie wearer, a patterned or glossy regular pair should be enough. This is where a pair of wellies can really show off your personality!
We’ve compiled this article to not just show you how a pair of wellies should fit properly, how to pick the perfect style of wellies for you as well as how to clean them properly. We’ve also included some of our favourite pairs from our current range, including plain colours, patterns and different boot heights. These include men’s, women’s and children’s styles too so this means wellies for the entire family in one place!
How wellies should fit
You might not have put a lot of thought into the fit of a pair of wellies. However, they’re not necessarily like other types of footwear; they need to fit on both the foot and leg. Our top three tips for how to ensure the perfect fit are definitely something you need to consider before keeping a pair of newly purchased wellies!
- Always try on with socks, preferably ones that you’ll wear with wellies regularly. If you’re going to wear thick, boot socks whenever you stick your wellies on, you may need to size up. If you’ll wear them with regular socks for the most part, your regular size will be better for you.
- Use the top strap to adjust. Wellies should be snug against your calves but not tight. Make use of the strap to have them as loose or as tight as you feel comfortable with. If you don’t like full-length wellies that go up to your knees, you might want to consider a shorter style that reaches your mid-calves instead.
- Wear them around the house first. This means you will get used to them quicker and you will also help to mould them to your feet easier too. Again, choose your socks as if you would be going out in your wellies and just wear them for an hour or so a handful of times. It also means you shouldn’t get blisters when you are ready to wear them outside!
Top tips for choosing the best wellies for you
Now you know how they should fit, have you thought about which style is best for you? At Rydale, we offer full-length styles and mid-calf versions as well as specialised outdoor working wellies. First of all, you need to think exactly when and where you’ll be wearing them to get the correct style for you and your lifestyle.
If you’ll be wearing your wellies for farm work or practical reasons, go for a matte finish. Matte styles in neutral colours are a lot easier to maintain than glossy styles and often come with a better tread, designed for country terrain and working conditions. You’re thinking more about function here than style so they need to be heavy duty and to keep your feet warm for longer periods of time.
If you’ll just be wearing yours for occasional countryside walks and errands, a gloss pair can help to add a pop of colour to any outfit! You might want to stick with a plain colour as opposed to a funky pattern or bright colours! There’s something about making your wellies the focal point of your outfit; we guarantee you’ll get tonnes of compliments on your fancy footwear. For even more style points, match up your accessories or jacket/coat to your wellies. Red always works well for a classic, rainy day look but purples, blues and khakis are all fun colours to try to mix and match too.
How to clean your wellies properly
We know it’s not a fun job but if you want to get value for money and invest in a pair of quality wellies, you need to spend some time looking after them. That means cleaning them!
We recommend that you clean them quickly after every wear. The more often you clean them, the easier it will be to keep them clean! Giving them a quick wipe with a cloth and water should be enough for most of us. If you’ve been for a particularly muddy walk, hot soapy water should do the trick in getting rid of thick mud. Use a soft bristle scrub brush or an old toothbrush to clean the soles too.
Our range of wellies
At Rydale we have a selection of wellies for everyone: ladies, gentlemen and children too!
Glossy styles are so classy for both women and children, with lots of colour to choose from.
We’ve got tonnes of pattern to choose from too, with snaffle and pheasants for ladies, camouflage for gentlemen with both bright colours and patterns combined for the children.
Classic styles for both women and men mean you can go for practical and traditional but these can be styled just as cool as a glossy pair.
For those requiring a pair of working wellies, our gentlemen’s Gransmoor III style have a neoprene lining, perfect for those colder days in the outdoors!
As you can see, we pride ourselves in having a pair of wellies for all types of country people. Whether you’re after a showy pair to add some colour to an outfit or a practical pair for muddy fields and terrain, there’s definitely a pair for you. By breaking them in and checking you have the right fit, you will have a pair of wellies to last you longer. Investing in a quality pair and keeping them clean frequently means you won’t need to replace them as often and you can keep your favourite pair forever more!