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This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at U Maine chapter.

            This past week I decided to look into buying my 2013-2014 boots. I have always hated boots because they are usually super ugly, have huge treads on them, and are not flattering with a pant suit and they usually super expensive. Unfortunately this purchase had to be made…I was about to walk into a store and buy something expensive and ugly.

 

            To my pleasant surprise, I found a pair of winter boots that I fell in love with! Believe me, I was just ask shocked as you are.

 

            But while I am thinking to myself, these are cute, practical, a nice color and are not going to break my bank, are these also snow boots?

 

            There are two kinds of boots: winter boots, and snow boots; but how do you tell the difference?

 

          

            Snow boots are specially made for snow and wet, muddy conditions. Snow boots are essential for snow conditions because of their design and materials. Snow boots have a 100 percent rubber sole making it completely waterproof, not to mention that when you get back from shoveling and sanding your driveway, cleanup is a breeze, just wash the rubber with some warm water and let them dry. The top of the boot is usually made of a nylon and leather mix and usually rises above the ankle so that no snow will get into your boot, no matter how much snow and slush you are walking in. While snow boots will guarantee to keep your feet dry and warm, it comes with a price: they tend to be big, bulky, ugly and cost you half of all of your student loans.

 

       

            Winter boots have the same basic principals. By winter boots, I am not talking about riding boots, those are two different things. Winter boots are designed to keep your feet dry and warm if they are good quality and will serve you well in your everyday activities of walking to class, walking to work, brushing off your car of the dusting you got last night while you were sleeping, however they are much more fashion forward than a clunky snow boot. Winter boots usually go above the ankle, have have about a 1 inch rubber sole with a good amount of tread on them so you are not slipping and falling however, not all of them are 100 percent water proof, which you may not need depending on what your everyday activities entail. Winter boots also have either a leather or “pleather” (a leather substitute made out of polyurethane)  upper. Higher quality winter boots will usually have leather.

 

            Uggs, because they have a suede upper, they are not a practical winter boot or snow boot. Because of all of the salt and sand that gets put on the sidewalks and road ways, it will severely diminish the lifespan and the look of Uggs. They may be warm, but Uggs are very ugly when they have white salt stains on them.

 

            Since we live up here in Maine it is almost mandatory to have both a pair of snow boots and winter boots. it is important to know the difference so that you will still be able to walk to class in the snow but continuing to be fashion forward.

Name: Rachel Boudreau Grade: Senior (Graduating in December) Major: Journalism/Broadcast Concentration Minor: French Aspirations: Write for Cosmopolitan, or Foreign Correspondant in France Hobbies: Swimming, shopping, photography, cooking, crafting, friend time,
Taylor is a fourth-year journalism student at the University of Maine and one of Her Campus UMaine's campus correspondants. Taylor was born right outside of Philadephia, Pennsylvania, but spent summers teaching sailing on Vinalhaven, Maine. Taylor also produces video for The Maine Campus, and loves making videos.