Ladies - I need your thoughts on WELLIES

[squeaver]

Ok, my mum's buying me wellies for Christmas.

I was going to get a pair of nice coloured Hunters, but they're too tight round my (apparently) ginormo-calves.

I like the Hunter huntress but they're out of stock and not due until just before Christmas.

So, tell me what's the collective MN opinion on Ilse Jacobsen boots?? Too poncey for words?

Btw I live in London so not likely to need them for heavy farming work or anything.

They look like something Giant Haystacks would wear in the ring, sorry.

I like them but they are poncey. Definitely the sort of things someone else should pay for.

why would you "spend" £65 on a pair of wellies??

I can't imagine anything other than Hunters really, maybe I should branch out a bit - I quite like the Dubarry leather wellies, have you seen those?

Or how about something like these?

sarah raven wears them. what are you likely to do in them, gardening, dog walking or going to john lewis?

Get down to Asda for a cheapo pair and spend the cash on something else.

(do not like those ilse jacobsen ones at all sorry)

they are grim OP
I have a lovely zebra striped fleece lined pair from Matalan for a tenner, ideal for me rugger mummy weekends!

I'm only going to be going to the park in the rain or the odd trip to the country/beach fishie.

High-heeled wellies, mm!

I've got a feeling you have to see them in the rubber flesh to decide whether or not you like them.

Didn't know who Sarah Raven was but now I think I might have a girl-crush on her.

How much were the Matalan ones? I need a pair for when I go to see DS at rugby too.
Saw a pair of short Hunter wellies yesterday in TKMaxx with a rose print for £15 which sounded like a good buy.

ooh look at these

Agree ruby. I like that they're fur-lined.

These were the ones in TKMaxx for £15

I've seen those full length too btp. They're nice but tight.

if you don't care how they look - for dog walking on heath now permanently one large mudbath, I've just bought muckboots derwents and no longer fear for my life each day - they have neoprene upper bits so they stretch, and they grip on anything =- bit heavy, but better than broken limb. They don't look too bad, just not hunter nice. They have them at pedlars, but cheaper elsewhere if you google search - I think I paid 48 quid instead of 60 something at pedlars

If you live in the country and wear your wellies nearly every day it isn't extravagant to want a nice pair - I wear my Aigle ones which cost about this much more than anything else I own, cheaper ones are not comfortable for walking long distances in and often are slippery in ice and snow, and don't flex in the leg when you are climbing over fences. I'd go for the lace up ones if you are a rural type - but suggest you check they are really waterproof as if the front bit that has the laces is folded it might be subject to wearing through easily. Personally next time I'll be saving up and getting neoprene and leather lined ones - why is it extravagant to spend £100 on wellies when some people who post on here would spend twice that much on a pair of shoes they would hardly wear without blinking?

Like Higgle, I live in the countryside and wear my wellies every day, sometimes everytiem i leave the house. I have these -

fab wellies

They are wide enough for my also apparently ginourmous calves (Hunters don't fit me either), and supportive enough to walk in for miles and miles. Sole has good grip, for muddy walks. They are rubber (rather than PVC) so properly waterproof and durable. I love them. Best wellies I have ever had, apart from some work safety ones I used to have from the National Coal Board!

One week after I met DH he bought me a pair of Nora wellies. I wear them pretty much daily from September to April as we have 2 dogs and live on a farm.
Last weekend I got a wet foot when I went paddling in a puddle ...
So that's 9 years, 10 months and some days and the tread is still perfect - they've just got a small split in the upper.

However, they are not very stylish.
I don't think I'll be replacing like-with-like but can't afford much.

BTW - I wouldn't get fur/fleece lined wellies as they would be hard to get dry if they happened to get wet or muddy. I'd get something like this (I know that these are only kiddies sizes but they do make them for adults but I don't have time to search right now ...)