Who wears galoshes these days?

[marcelo]

It seems “spats” - actually an abbreviation for “spatterdash” - were originally intended to keep the shoes and trousers clean while riding, and not so much to keep them dry in the rain – thus, there is no reason to confound them with galoshes. But how should “spatterdash” differ from “gamashes”? Any intersting images?
Pvpatty, I have also been considering acquiring a pair of galoshes in virtue of the same wet experience I have had with C&J leather soles two days ago.

[pvpatty]

I've just done a bit of digging around, and the Tingley commuter (https://www.tingleyrubber.net/b2c/b2c/c ... y=00000666) seems like a much more economically sound alternative to the Swims.

Marcelo, the worst part about my experience is that I specifically bought a couple of pairs of C&Js, one pair of bluchers with a dainite sole and a set of lace boots with vibram sole, to wear in the rain. Of course, it was overcast the last two days and I decided to wear them then and give them a rest today. On those two days, it didn't rain. That's life, I suppose.

[garu]

It seems to me that part of being elegant is being suitably prepared for whatever situation may arise. It is natural that it rains during Autumn, in most of the world (adjust for your particular hemisphere), just as it is natural that it may snow in winter. Suitable attire does extend to the feet (or does it start there?). As my Glaswegian mother used to say when I was a wee lad: there is no such thing as bad weather, only the wrong clothes.

Galoshes (or rubber over shoes) are fine, many people here in Japan wear them, as are shoes with a non-leather sole (Dainite, etc.). Here in Japan, however, we have gone one step beyond (if you'll pardon the pun).

We have shoes for outside and shoes for inside. Every job has space for their employees to store shoes (some employers also offer private lockers for jackets, coats, and umbrellas). We would not think of wearing our outside shoes inside our places of employment (in our homes, we take our shoes off). Three days ago it was blowing a blizzard, so I wore snow boots for my walk to the office; today it is raining, so I wore a pair of Church's with their proprietary rubber sole. Horses for courses.

This seems a most civilised response to what Nature throws at us. Why don't you try it?

[storeynicholas]

It seems to me that part of being elegant is being suitably prepared for whatever situation may arise. It is natural that it rains during Autumn, in most of the world (adjust for your particular hemisphere), just as it is natural that it may snow in winter. Suitable attire does extend to the feet (or does it start there?). As my Glaswegian mother used to say when I was a wee lad: there is no such thing as bad weather, only the wrong clothes.

Galoshes (or rubber over shoes) are fine, many people here in Japan wear them, as are shoes with a non-leather sole (Dainite, etc.). Here in Japan, however, we have gone one step beyond (if you'll pardon the pun).

We have shoes for outside and shoes for inside. Every job has space for their employees to store shoes (some employers also offer private lockers for jackets, coats, and umbrellas). We would not think of wearing our outside shoes inside our places of employment (in our homes, we take our shoes off). Three days ago it was blowing a blizzard, so I wore snow boots for my walk to the office; today it is raining, so I wore a pair of Church's with their proprietary rubber sole. Horses for courses.

This seems a most civilised response to what Nature throws at us. Why don't you try it?

Down here it rains (and does it rain), in the spring and early summer but it never snows - so a pair of the galoshes, as recommended by marcelo, is quite enough - although I have yet to find a pair for my sandals.
NJS

[goddenrich]

I thought these were “spats” – something of hardly any help under pouring rain. Did Jordan Marc have them in mind when he referred to “those buckled monsters” of “the middle of the last century”?



This image, by the way, stems from the site of a LL member known as Sir Royston.
Practical or not, I would not ever call them monster. I am more inclined to think Jordan Marc had in mind the rubber protection depicted in my previous post. Am I right?

These appear to be on the wrong feet but it is a nice pair of spats.
NJS

What exactly do you think is wrong with them?

I think the buttons should be on the outside of the foot rather than on the inside as shown here (so the spats are on the wrong foot).

[storeynicholas]

Yes - my earlier comment is open to the interpretation that they should be on someone else's feet - they are just each on the wrong foot! Also, they don't work so well with Derbies as they do with Oxfords.
NJS

[Costi]

I think of galoshes as accessories I would not go outdoors with, though I might well return home with them on.

It all depends on where you are going. If you are going to any kind of public place (bar, restaurant, theatre etc.), you certainly won't be leaving home with your galloshes on! But if you're going on a visit to a friend's home and if there is a good probability that you will walk over a long distance, or the streets are muddy (not very likely in a big city), or they are covered in snow but you don't want to wear boots, then the best thing to do is put your galoshes over your shoes so that, upon your arrival, you won't either have to feel ashamed for leaving cakes of mud on your host's floors or (worse!) take off your shoes at the door.

in our homes, we take our shoes off

Dear Garu, I understand that is a rule in Japan, but in Europe, as a guest, as you certainly know, it is not a socially acceptable practice.

Better yet, not only will you save your host a carpet cleaning as well as the sight of your wet socks, but your feet will be dry and comfortable.
I think the same applies in the case of going to your own office, as long as there is a convenient place for you to leave your galoshes.

[storeynicholas]

You certainly wouldn't wear galoshes/rubbers into a restaurant r theatre but I have before worn them to walk there and then placed them in a plastic bag at the cloakroom -which often raised a smile.
NJS

[marcelo]

No - I did not mean to be so restrictive to the point of not ever contemplating the possibility of going outdoors with a pair of galoshes on. But, ceteris paribus, in the face of an ongoing bad weather, I would have a prima facie reason not to have a reason to go outdoors with them on.
Yes - I could take them off, tuck them away in NJS’s plastic bag, and forget them in the overcoat’s pocket. And if I am greeted with a friendly , so much the better… though
No - I cannot possibly think of ever having an occasion to wear an overcoat in Rio de Janeiro…

[marcelo]

Does any one have interesting images illustrating how “spatterdash” differ from “gamashes”? The OED defines them thus:
Spatterdash: Hist. A long gaiter or legging of leather, cloth, etc., worn to keep trousers or stockings clean, esp. when riding. Usu. in pl.
Gamash: In pl. & dsing. Leggings or gaiters, worn to protect the legs from mud and wet.

[Cufflink79]

It seems to me that part of being elegant is being suitably prepared for whatever situation may arise.

As my Glaswegian mother used to say when I was a wee lad: there is no such thing as bad weather, only the wrong clothes.

Two very good pieces of advice for a happy life.

This past weekend I had the chance to watch the movie "Airport", which I hand not seen for quite a while. The movie takes place in Lincoln Nebraska during a snow storm, but the filming actually took place at the Minneapolis/St. Paul airport up in Minnesota where I grew up.

Anyways, getting to point at hand, in the movie Burt Lancaster plays Mel Bakersfeld the overworked airport manager who must keep order during many different crises. He has to head out to the snowy airfield to check on the plane stuck in the snow and mud and does so in a suit and tie, hat and carcoat. (Ah the good old days when people dressed up for work.)

When he'd head outside he'd put on galoshes that looked great. They looked like a pair of chukka boots, they covered his shoes and cuffs of the suit trousers very nicely.

Are there any firms or bespoke makers that could make such an item?

Best Regards,

Cufflink79

[Baldoon]

In Canada overshoes and overboots are pretty well a necessity during our winter months. To avoid using either would certainly lead to unsightly stains on your trousers and salt damage to the leather of your shoes. I use both the Swims overshoe and overboot and have found them to be excellent and worth the price. My only concern is that the zipper on the overboot is somewhat delicate and I question how long it will last after repeated use. Having said that my overboots have lasted two long Canadian winters without mishap and hopefully they will continue to do so.

[marcelo]

Hi Baldoon, welcome to the LL. Did you say zipper? Wouldn't you have a picture of your overshoes? Are they also known as "galoshes" in Canada?

[J.S. Groot]

I had a pair of Swims overshoes for my birthday last year and I've put them to great use a couple of times. It is nothing short of fantastic when you peel of the overshoe after a walk through mud, rain or snow to reveal a spotless shoe, clean and shiny as when you put them on. The handy thing about the overshoes is that they come with suitable shoebags (so no need for unsightly plastic bags) and are flexible enough to be stuffed into a briefcase.
I wouldn't carry them with me at all times (I don't wear leather soles all the time either), but during the fall/winter season they're are definitely a nifty little trick for keep shoes clean.

[Baldoon]

Hello Marcelo,

Thank you very much for the welcome. I am very glad to be part of this knowledgeable group after being an observer for so long. We do call them galoshes in Canada but I always think of galoshes as the heavy rubber overboots that my father used to wear during the winter months with his suits. They usually had a very heavy duty zipper in them or buckles that were cumbersome and not very elegant at all. What could be said for them was that they certainly got the job done. The Swims overshoes and overboots do the same but use more modern materials and I think they look quite smart in comparison with their predecessors. Swims had a website that was very good and showed all of their models to good effect but it appears to be under construction right now. Hopefully it will be up and running soon and you will be able to see what they have to offer. I will try and get some photos to you if I can.