ESRA KESKİN DEMİR, İSTANBUL
Who would have ever guessed that rubber boots, widely known as Wellingtons, would become fashionable, all because of a British duke? These boots, which you can find everywhere these days in every color and design imaginable, have roots that go back all the way to the 18th century.

The world of fashion often includes many unnecessary accessories, unusual designs and uncomfortable outfits. But at the same time, there are lots of aspects to fashion that came about due to basic human needs. Some of the most iconic items in the fashion world today -- like trench coats or the Chanel 2.55 handbag -- actually emerged because of a range of basic needs. This is where rubber boots, or Wellingtons, come in. And what's more, who could have possibly guessed that these boots, made from some of the cheapest materials possible, would become fashionable through the actions of a British duke?

The story behind the rise of the Wellington boots goes back to Arthur Wellesley, the Duke of Wellington. It is said that this duke found the very popular 18th century Hessen boot worn by the British military extremely uncomfortable and, thus, he gave orders to his shoemaker to come up with a modified version of it. What he wanted was a boot that would both be comfortable on the warfront, and look good in the evenings. The duke's shoemaker designed a low-heeled boot made from cow leather, one that went all the way up to mid-calf. The product was both chic and very comfortable, and soon many members of the army were using them. They began to be called Wellington boots. During the World War I period, this style of boot became even more widespread. But with so many men in the trenches fighting, there was a need for something that would protect them even better from the mud and that would be cheaper to produce -- which is when these boots began to be produced from rubber. Some sources note that for the British military alone during this period, 1,185,00 pairs of Wellington boots were produced. The boots remained popular throughout World War II as well, and even started to be worn by civilians at this time. Not long after, these boots started to show up in different colors and different lengths, with various embellishments on them, too -- just like today.

Rain boots are very popular in lots of different spots across the globe. Since rubber boots are manufactured with rubber made from the gum tree, they are also called gumboots, especially in Australia. In America, gumboots are especially popular in places where it snows -- for when it starts to melt. In Russia, these boots are also extremely popular due to the weather there. During the time of Stalin's rule, there were a total of 17 factories throughout the Soviet Union devoted solely to manufacturing rubber boots. Color preferences tend to change from country to country. In England, green Wellingtons are probably the most popular color. In Canada and America, black boots with red soles are the way to go. The Irish seem to love olive green the most when it comes to Wellingtons. At the same time, though, it appears that no particular color is going to reign anymore when it comes to rubber boots, as the fashion world now provides so many alternatives on this front. To wit, in the 2013/14 fall-winter season collections, you can find rubber boots in absolutely any color or design you could want. There are flower motifs from Barbour and Ted Baker; plaids from Burberry and Ralph Lauren; lacy patterns from Dolce & Gabbana; and leopard print, polka dots and solid colors from Sperry Top Sider. Some of the more obvious advantages of rubber boots are that they are completely waterproof, they keep feet warm since they are lined with felt and wool and, of course, they are sold at reasonable prices. Of course, keep in mind that your feet won't be very well ventilated when you wear these boots as they are completely closed. In fact, anyone with foot fungus problems should definitely stay far away from Wellingtons, no matter how chic they may look!


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