Here in Sydney, we’ve had some unseasonably heavy rainfall over the past few months.

With the days swinging from sunny humidity to torrential downpours in the blink of an eye, you’d be forgiven for thinking you were actually living in the depths of Kakadu during the rainy season.

Last week alone I managed to ruin two pairs of ballet flats on successive days, thanks to the rain. I am very attached to my ballet flats so this kicked me into decisive action: to buy gumboots.

Last time I rocked a pair of gumboots I was under the age of five and they were made of a rather unflattering plain black rubber. The good news is that these days you can find gumboots that are both fashionable and protective. Some people even go so far as to wear them for a night out as a fashion statement. While this reeks a little too hard of hipster doofus syndrome to me, I am definitely not averse to wearing gumboots on the street when it’s pouring with rain.

Save

If you need some functional gumboots but don’t want to spend a packet on them, your first stop should be departments stores such as BIG W and Target. They always have a range of affordable gumboots in stock.

You can also try Clark Rubber, which specialises in, well, rubber.

Spend

Spend a little more on your gumboots and you can pick some up with a fashionable look to them. Puddle Beach is an online store that specialises in wet weather gear. I bought the paisley boots pictured here for $67 the other day. You can check out more of their range here.

Splurge

If you’ve got cash to burn or really want to make a fashion statement with your gumboots, then you can’t go past Pucci. Yes, the same Pucci design house that is known for its bold, colourful prints. It’s really quite remarkable to see these colourful designs transferred to the humble gumboot. However because they carry the Pucci name, they can be a few hundred dollars.

Locally, Pucci gumboots are stocked by Myer. You can get a feeling for what they look like here.

By Caroline Warnes