Wellington boots or Wellys … call ‘em what you like, these items of typically English footwear were originally humble utilitarian things, destined for the garden, the farm and the building site. My own ‘Wellys’ ranged from my childhood shiny black ones, to a series of hefty ‘Gumboots’ by tyre manufacturers; Dunlop, Pirelli and Firestone with the annoying ability to strip off your socks and stuff them, soggy and cold, into the toe of the boot – Yuck! Then came the first ‘green welly’ in the 1980′s, when the Hunter brand suddenly burst on to the scene with the ‘must-have’ footwear of the decade which was a comfort, quality and style revelation. Now with Hunter, Barbour and Joules offering an amazing range of boots in many colours, uses and styles, we have never looked back - although you still don’t have to look far for some very cheap and nasty rubber boots.