I can’t be the only one who has ever wondered this – why don’t guys wear rain boots?? Seriously, it seems most guys I encounter would rather brave a flood in flip-flops or – worse, tennis shoes that are sure to mildew – than step into these rubber boots. Any Duke student can tell you the rainfall on campus is a force to be reckoned with – one of the first things that I was told to invest in before coming to Durham was a pair of durable galoshes. This only makes me wonder more why there’s such a disparity between girls and guys in terms of these shoes, especially in a location with such heavy showers. To figure this out, I went to the source of the conundrum and asked guys on campus what exactly deters them from what is possibly my best friend during rainy season (which, to be honest, is all the time in Durham).
Here’s a roundup of their thoughts, and a response to each:
• “They’re big and heavy; why would I want to wear them to class all day?” – Okay, this point is understandable – most boots out there are bulky and shaped awkwardly to your feet so that you feel as if you’re clunking around and liable to fall down the stairs at a moment’s notice. Or at least, that’s been my experience. I could certainly do without feeling like I have clown feet. Nevertheless, having clean, dry feet at the end of the day significantly outweighs this drawback for me. Plus, although rarer, there are certainly sleek styles of boots you can purchase to make this concern a thing of the past. A lot of girls swear by Hunter Boots, although I don’t own a pair myself.
• “I have this picture in my head of them as something for women – like women’s stockings.” – This one made me laugh.Though I have never associated rubber boots with women’s hosiery, perhaps the thought just seems preposterous because I am a girl and can’t conceive of what they look like from a male perspective. Societal influence is most likely also at work here, whether we like to believe it or not. Maybe most men simply unconsciously associate rain boots with females and/or wouldn’t be caught dead in knee-high galoshes because of what “society” would think of them. Well, in an ideal world, everyone would be free to wear whatever water-proof footwear his or her heart desired. I guess I’ll have to leave this vision up to future generations.
• “I just have never felt the need to guard my feet against the rain.” – Many guys claimed this, to my surprise, so it seems to be a common rationale among our male counterparts. What it comes down to for some guys is just blatant indifference toward the relationship between Mother Nature and the condition of their toes. I will respectfully agree to disagree on this point – there’s nothing quite like getting scraps of grass and woodchips stuck to your feet when you cut through a wet quad on your way to class. Ladies, I’ll take my rain boots any day, and be clear that you can stick by yours too (lest the grass get to you first)!
So, collegiettes, even though we may never be able to convince our guy pals of the utility of these boots, don’t be afraid to flaunt yours during the only too frequent rain showers in North Carolina. And hey, it can be kind of fun to match your clothes to your goofy boots!