How do you not look an absolute mess when walking?

[procrastinationstations]

My dog walking coats, although warm, are my old, relegated 'nice' coats - all
Zara, so nice enough quality but old fashioned, a bit tight and wrecked. My fleece-lined and padded leg welly boots, although warm, are getting worn through and look shocking, even a good clean will not help.

I've ordered a new oversized duvet coat, which is fairly fashionable and will be warm. what about boots? Is patent the answer or am I doomed to always look a mess?

Thanks

Apple jane - i agree ‘what does your dog think’

You are walking the dog……………. Nobody cares, especially your dog!

If your dog is well trained,you can look an absolute mess.if your dog is a nightmare outside,no matter how smart your clothes are,you will look like a twat

My winter dog walking clothes are jeans with hunters wellies and welly socks, snood, hat and gloves and my Barbour jacket - big pockets hold dog toy, torch, whistle, treats and poo bags plus my keys and phone!

@procrastinationstations

I meant glossy wellies.

Not walking in Chelsea or anywhere swish but I've seen people looking so much less 'bag lady' than me on walks lately, it just got me thinking.

I was really asking more for recommendations for warm but not crappy looking boots.

The picture posted with the Barbour coat and dubarry (i think) looks smarter and more suitable than what I wear.

I think it must be the more appropriate and decent quality the brand, the better....?

The Dubarry's I'd recommend as they are sturdy and practical and are still going strong with nearly daily use 10 years on. I do yard work and ride in them too. Jacket's not a Barbour though it's waxed and waterproof. £2 from a charity shop and probably older than me.

Mustard waterproof coat for when its raining, duvet coat if its just freezing cold and windy. Walking boots. wellies or trainers depending where I am walking and weather conditions. I prefer walking boots as I dont really like wellies. To be fair I dont look very fashionable but I am normally dry and warm.

The only thing visible when I walk the dog are my eyes (wrapped up in hat &scarf) so nobody recognises me. They do recognise the dog though, but her coat is lovely

Yes yes to dubarrys.
Either with black gym leggings or jeans.
Plus I have a barbour style jacket, not actually barbour tho.

Actually I wear a leather hat like this because I find hoods a pain and I wear glasses so this keeps the rain off and I see with getting steamed up.

When it's properly pelting down I wear this. Coat was another charity shop find.

It kinda depends on the dog and how far you are walking. I have a large collection of walking boots and some serious wellies plus and similar selection of coats. I'm sure I look a bit like Ray Mears some days, apart from my lovely silk hats.

When you see me at the dog field, we have already covered three miles. If it is wet, I am muddy. Nobody bats an eyelid, they've met my Ddog.

If you own a pug, chinese crested or similar you are likely to dress a little differently.

You know we can't advise you properly until we have seen your Ddog

https://equestrianco.com/products/walker-hawkes-unisex-brown-leather-cowhide-outback-braided-traveller-hat?variant=31823735160928&gclid=Cj0KCQiA47GNBhDrARIsAKfZ2rCgI6GFX9UPG-q6suausK9ur7bwhmCyllT2bF3DHt42daMaRBoOtcaAqaqEALww_wcB

I wear Ariat Langdale Boots (similar to Dubarry but fit me much better) all spring autumn and winter. They looked pretty nice when I got them... many dog walks later, not so much
Barbour in milder weather and I'm afraid a bushman's hat if it's raining as I hate rain in my face. I guess it's a 'country' look but it's not trendy..it's just practical for tramping through the fields!
Winter it's a long thick raincoat and whatever woolly hat I can find!

Asda thermal leggings in the winter, sports leggings in the summer. Lots of layers, walking boots, wrist warmers, snood, a bobble hat and an old (8 years?) Regatta waterproof coat.
I look a clip but then I don't tend to care.
My pockets have holes in so I use a dog walking bag now otherwise I end up with dog treats and poo bags in the coat lining.

When I walk the dog I make sure I am warm so sometimes I put my coat and scarf and gloves and boots on over my pyjamas.

It's where you walk the dog and what day/time that can make you feel scruffy.

If you go to a place where people go at the weekend and there is a cafe there is a tendency to feel scruffy when they all have their Sunday best on and make up etc.
Stay warm and comfortable and to hell with fashion I say !

In this weather I wear a nice warm coat that can take a couple of jumpers under it, scarf, my lovely warm 'thinsulate' gloves, hood and wellies, which could do with a clean to get rid of the mud splatters. If it's rainy, I'll add waterproof trousers.

If it's raining but the weather isn't too cold I'll wear a very waterproof raincoat.

The dog has never complained about how I look and frankly I don't care what other people think.

I got a lovely pair of fleece lined boots from Tuffa (British company) for dog walking. No matter how scruffy the rest of my outfit they pull it altogether and make me feel a bit smarter.

@Thatldo

If your dog is well trained,you can look an absolute mess.if your dog is a nightmare outside,no matter how smart your clothes are,you will look like a twat

This is so true.

I used to watch a lot of television programmes that feature untrained dogs and their clueless owners and one thing that always struck me was how many of the owners would wear flat strappy sandals or flip flops when walking their dogs.

I know most of those kinds of programmes are filmed in the summer when the weather is good but even so, surely strappy sandals aren't appropriate footwear for running around with a dog, especially one that's never been taught to walk properly on the lead.

I can't help thinking there might be a correlation between untrained dogs and inappropriate footwear.

@StillMedusa we sound like twins. It's a country "look" but one born of what has worked for decades of people who live in the country. Might look a bit weird if I didn't live in the country though.

@Shannith

I've just ordered some boots like that, that is the exactly what I want to look like dog walking

Oi! I wear my third best pyjamas, I'll have you know!

@nothingcanhurtmewithmyeyesshut tell us more about these warm and water proof pyjamas

I don't think Dubarrys have the build quality they used to, and so I now get Dublin boots (same quality, these days, and half the price)

I'm seeing more people in Muck Boots

And there will always be plenty in wellies in various states of decay

Otherwise walking boots, Doc Martens, or trainers (hope they're the sort sold for trail running else the poor humans will be slithering on every muddy section)

Muck boots are amazing. My several pairs of fashionably expensive wellies have been shoved to the back of the cupboard in favour of a good quality neoprene boot.

My Dublin boots are my absolute favourites. I had a pair of Dubarrys which I LOVED but these are every bit as good (for me, anyway) and go with whatever I can be bothered putting on my bottom half.
Top half depends on weather but I wear those boots rain or shine

That’s Muck Boots on my Christmas list! They look great.

Muck boots are great but even the expensive ones (£100+) tend to crack at the heels within a year or so of regular use, so they are no longer totally waterproof for wading across streams, through deep mud and so on.

I have these ones: muckbootcompany.co.uk/collections/dog-walking/products/mens-edgewater-ii-multi-purpose-boot-moss which are warm and comfortable and still waterproof, but DP has been through several pairs over the years.