And I couldn’t be happier. At least about finding these boots, that is. I’ve been in something of a galoshes conundrum for some time now: I refuse to wear Hunters like everyone else (we can blame – or thank – Kate Moss for that), but I just can’t bear to pull the trigger on pricy designer rubber boots (and I’ve seen them all, from Givenchy to Dolce & Gabbana). It doesn’t rain enough in LA to warrant a even somewhat of a commitment purchase.

Now these would have come in handy in all my months of searching. Barneys‘ private label boots are IT. Done! I’m ordering them this instant…If only I could decide on the color. Both are equally nondescript and in keeping with the classic spirit of the rain boot – a shoe so functional it’s actually kind of cool – while the flourish of lacing jazzes them up. Green is outdoorsy, traditional, a no-brainer. But those lilac laces are enticing! They inject a whole new feel to the concept of galoshes, without going all-out girly. Playful and packed full of style, lavender-on-black might be the way to go (I don’t want to act like they’re real shoes; I want fun, fun, fun!).

Either way, for this price, you can’t go wrong. As excited as I am to have found my favorite foul-weather boots, I’m still not looking forward to more rain. At Barneys New York for $100.

Pair with: I’m not too interested in stone-cold serious umbrellas, either. Marc by Marc Jacobs’ mini-automatic comes in gray python print with a splash of neon on the handle.
At Saks Fifth Avenue for $58.