Sassy’s Rain Shoe Solution – rainy day shoes tried and tested!

There isn’t much that flummoxes a Sassy girl. Sauntering down Peel Street in 4 inch heels after a night of cocktails? Easy! Contending with the crowds on Queen’s Road so you’re not late for your yoga? A doddle. However, there’s one thing that seems to repeatedly and universally scupper our Sassy mentality – what footwear to wear in Hong Kong’s torrential downpours.

Fear the rain no more girls! Because, drumroll please, we have compiled Sassy’s much needed and impossible to live without “The Rain Shoe Solution”. Read on for our rated reviews of the best and worst rain shoes… your feet can thank us later.

WHAT NOT TO WEAR
When you look out the window and see rain pounding the pavements or even if your iPhone shows the slightest hint of wet weather, there are some rookie shoe mistakes that should be avoided at all costs.

1.  CONVERSE, KEDS & VANS
Avoid canvas at all costs (suede too for that matter). Highly absorbent, it promises to retain smelly rainwater for hours after the offending downpour. A sure fire way to ensure freezing cold blister covered feet for the rest of the day. Their “thicker than average” rubber soles just aren’t enough to counter their shortcomings.

RAINY DAY SHOE RATING: 3/10

2.  PUMPS
Never wear your favourite pumps (or any pumps for that matter!) unless they have a suicide wish. Not only will you ruin them due to lack of water resistance but you will slip and slide along streets and increase the likelihood that you will land flat on your backside. Unglamorous on so many levels.

RAINY DAY SHOE RATING: 1/10

3.  HEELS
Dare to wear heels at your own risk. Combine Hong Kong’s steep hills with gushing torrents of rainwater and the gamble of placing your wellbeing in the hands of a 1cm radius heel starts to lose its appeal. Don’t forget the risk of spoiling/losing your favourite stilettos in murky puddles (see above!).

RAINY DAY SHOE RATING: 2/10

SASSY’S RAIN SHOE SOLUTIONS
Whilst we always aim to please, our list is far from perfect; every shoe has its downsides so consider all aspects when choosing which to opt for.

1.  HAVAIANAS
Unquestioningly, the most popular solution amongst Team Sassy when surveyed for advice. With their rubber composition and durable build, there is no way of spoiling these stalwarts of the flip flop world. Add to this their ability to dry quickly and their low price and it’s clear to see why so many of us rely on them. However, the lack of straps and grip mean you may find yourself slipping down roads and also off the shoes themselves. Couple this with their tendency to streak brown splashes up the back of your calves (one Sassy solution for this was to be armed with wet wipes at all times!) and they fail to achieve perfect rain shoe status.

RAINY DAY SHOE RATING: 8/10

2.  WELLIES
Luckily, thanks to Hunter, the good old-fashioned British Wellington Boot has come back into fashion. Designed to deal with the British countryside, fighting off typhoon level rainfall amounts is a breeze. Your legs are guaranteed to stay dry whilst the majority of the kicked-up splashes hit the boot itself. However, they’re certainly not hot weather shoes and it takes the likes of Kate Moss to be able to stylishly pull off the bare leg wellie look.

RAINY DAY SHOE RATING: 7/10

3.  LEATHER SHOES
No, we’re not going crazy. Remember the hippie stories about wearing leather pants so tight the only way to mould them to your body was to put them on in the bath? The same is true of leather shoes. Use rainy days as the perfect excuse for moulding your new leather brogues perfectly to your foot shape. Yes, it may be soggy in the short term, but once they have dried out, you have yourself your own version of tailor made shoes. This option falls short in that it only works for the first shoe outing… but what better excuse to treat yourself to some new leather lovelies?!

RAINY DAY SHOE RATING: 7/10

4.  *Ducks for cover before saying* CROCS
No, I don’t mean the famed and ridiculed variety, but when attempting to find the perfect wet weather shoe, a store famed for rainproof rubber shoes had to be investigated! And, I was pleasantly surprised and ended up buying not one but two pairs. Their range of boat shoe style pumps are super comfortable, made purely from waterproof material and well gripped on the soles. I went for navy with a red stripe and have actually started wearing them even when it isn’t raining, such is their aesthetic appeal.

The flip flops are a little less stylish whilst they try hard. A little clunky looking, I still made the purchase as they’re discreet enough, 100% rubber, super comfortable but most importantly the combination of the grip on the sole, secure straps and grip inside the shoe means that not only will my feet stay dry but there is no chance of me slipping over. I would even wear these shoes on a hike!

RAINY DAY SHOE RATING: 9/10

So, it seems the answer to our rain shoe conundrum may be to shed your preconceptions and check out Crocs’ multi-coloured range of rubber offerings. Your street cred will be restored when you’re the only dry shoe-d, unscathed girl in Hong Kong. Alternatively, put the kettle on, find a good book and refuse to leave the house until it dries out!