Hunter boots - how did they become fashionable?

[dappleton]

I've just seen the homepage of MN today and the competition prize of Hunter Boots, does anyone else think they're a weird fashion accessory - I spent my childhood wading around in these covered in thick mud and would have died of embarrassment if my school friends had seen me!
Sorry for the slightly odd post - think I have too much time on my hands today

They're fashionable among the same sort of people who think that Barbours are 'fashionable' and drive Range Rover Sports, i.e. people who want to appear a bit 'country' but would drop dead of fright if they had to an emergency fence repair in the pissing rain, or were presented with a brace of birds in the feather as a dinner party gift :)

haha totally agree. Mine are so old and mank you can't really even tell which colour they are meant to be any more. Certainly wouldn't consider them as a fashion item.

I saw a silver pair the other day and I did think how bloody ridiculous the woman looked in them. My ancient green/mud coloured ones have just developed a split by my big toe so I need to get a new pair soon. Perhaps I should go for silver or gold myself...

calisto - don't buy a pair of new Hunters. They are now made in China and the quality is lousy. Dunlops are still great in my experience.

Oh really? I assumed they were still made in bonnie Scotland. Do Dunlop make wellies that you can also ride in? If not I shall have a look at Aigle maybe, though they are so expensive.

My chav neighbour has a silver pair for walking her yappy mutts.

Personally I don't find Hunters comfy (I have the wrong shaped feet I suppose) so I gave mine away.

Festivals and Kate Moss.

calisto - they do ones with a decent heel so ok to ride in, although they all have quite a heavy tread so if that bothers you better to go with Aigle, Ariat, Mountain Horse etc, although obviously a lot more expensive!

I loved my aubergine hunters, especially with my barbour! But they are cold in winter and not very supportive, and it was before I discovered all the poor person's versions of dubarrys which are obviously better to ride in anyway.

I love my green ones which is why I can't quite bring myself to bin them even though they leak. They are really cold in the winter though but I have some lovely long winter riding boots by Tuffa which have a sheepskin lining and keep my feet toasty. I like wellies for really muddy/wet weather dog walking and it feels wrong to put leather through that much abuse.

I'll have a look around.

Nagini is right. Kate Moss was photographed wearing Hunters (with what looked like saggy nappy that she'd just filled - a way of avoiding Glasto loos, perhaps?)
... Hey presto, Hunters were a fashion item (saggy nappies, less so).
Yep, quality of Hunters is now crap.
And much as I love MN, there is something a bit yuk about seeing Hunters on homepage - it really corresonds with MN's slightly naff image image, apart from anything else.