When you’re investing over $100 in boots, you want to make sure you get the color and style right. I sat in the store and tried on every color before I finally settled on black….in all 3 styles I own. Matte Black? Gloss Black? Wool Black? Yup…but let’s answer the short or tall question first.
In college, the first pair I bought were the Tall Hunter Boot Matte Black. The main reason I went with tall was because of the cable knit fleece inserts. I needed a shoe to trek 30 minutes across campus at Michigan State and my feet not freeze to death. Hunters worked better than Uggs for walking across campus because they are waterproof, but the fleece in those Uggs are SO much fluffier and softer.
Pictured Above:
- Short – Black Gloss
- “Tall” – Arlen Black/Navy Wool Plaid – not available anymore (limited edition from 5 years ago)
Pros / Cons of Tall Boots
Moral of the above story: Tall boots are better for those looking for a winter boot because you can add in those fleece inserts. The one con – whenever I sat down in class the top back of the boot would press into the back of my knee / calf area. The uncomfortable buckles would press also into my calf. Short Girl Problems – this might not happen if you are taller than 5’3.
I ended up giving the Hunter Original Tall boots to my mom and buying a new limited edition pair, Arlen Tall Boots. They are half wool / half rubber, and a few inches shorter than the “Original Tall’ but I would still consider Tall. They were the perfect height for those 5’2! You can find a used pair on eBay or Poshmark, otherwise they are sold out. That’s what I’m wearing above as the “tall” boots.
Update – Hunter does have a new “in between” tall style – the Original Play Tall! These are the same height as my limited edition pair featured – they are matte black with a striped pull on the back. I really like them! They also come in a few other colors besides black. If you click on the links below – there will be a drop down menu to select other colors.
Shop Tall Hunter Boots
DSW usually has the cheapest “regular” price for gloss Hunter Boots- $110 instead of $150 – Shop more options below!
Pros / Cons of Short Boots
As a short girl at 5’3, I don’t have any cons of the short boots. If you’re like me, I recommend short, especially if you’re in a warmer climate most of the year! You won’t have the issue of the tall boots digging into your knees, and you can still wear it with jeans or dresses.
Shop Short Hunter Boots
Color Matte/Gloss Preference:
The scuff marks are easier to clean on the black gloss over black matte (I’ve had both). The black gloss seems to look fresher all the time, while the matte are dull. That leads me to color – I love the gloss grey’s – both light and dark. Other colors I consider neutral if you didn’t want all black is a a metallic silver, plum, olive, green, light lavender, or light pink.
Sometimes Hunter boots do go on sale!
Here’s the search query already plugged in for you to shop Hunter boots with their current price – these are the main retailers that normally have sales!
- DSW
- Zappos – tons of colors and styles
- Nordstrom Rack – all on sale – some in fun colors! Not a huge selection / changes frequently but you may catch a great deal $40 – $100
- Nordstrom – unique colors
- Bloomingdale’s
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