A Boot for Fashion and Foul Weather...

After a few years working in the garden and continually discovering large amounts of dirt and other things lodged inside my shoes and transported back inside my house, I knew I had to come up with a better solution.

And then last year at the My Lady's Manor Races when the rain was coming down in buckets, mud caked the bottoms of my trousers and there was nothing I could do to prevent that from happening. My feet were dry with the boots I was wearing, but my trouser cuffs were a muddy wet mess. I had to do something to improve my situation.

Luckily for me, my wife had the solution to both my problems. It was time to invest in a pair of Wellies.

And when it comes to Wellies, there is nothing better than the classic green boots for which Hunter has become famous.

Hunter has helped to turn the rubber boot into a country classic and of late a coveted fashion item. A "Hunter," in various styles, can be seen today on from farms in the country to college campuses in cities and towns.

The company was originally established in 1856 in Edinburgh, Scotland by American entrepreneur Henry Lee Morris as the North British Rubber Company, which was to eventually become known as Hunter Boot Ltd. many years later. They not only made rubber boots but a variety of rubber products to include tires, conveyor belts, combs, golf balls, hot water bottles and rubber flooring.

Wellington boots or the more commonly known ’Wellies’, were not created by Hunter, by were in fact created by a shoe maker named Hoby of St. James, London, to a design by The Duke of Wellington in 1817. Originally fashioned from fine, soft calf leather, they were the first boots of their kind to be created. And while leather versions of those original Wellington Boots are still made, it was the rubber variations manufactured later in the 19th century with which most Americans are familiar.

During World War I Hunter produced their Wellington Boots for the heavy wet clay and flooded trenches of the battle fields. The Scottish mills ran day and night to eventually produce 1,185,036 pairs to meet the Army’s demands.

Today, Hunter’s are worn on happier days and can be found in a fun array of sizes, colors and quirky limited editions to brighten up any cloudy day. And while Prince Harry of Wales and the Duchess of Cambridge have been seen sporting other brands of Wellies, the likes of Kate Moss, Kate Winslet, Gwyneth Paltrow, Brooke Shields, Hilary Duff, Katy Perry, Ashley Olsen, Dakota Fanning, Liv Tyler, Reese Witherspoon and others.

While at the Maryland Grand National, with forecasts of rain threatening the days festivities, Hunter's could be found being worn long before the the rain arrived. Even at fashion conscious events like this, it is Hunter's which are the go to footwear when rainy weather threatens.

And while there are many other makers of the Wellington boot, it is Hunter which has not only won a royal warrants for their boots, but also the hearts and loyalties of Americans as well.

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