That's more like it!

Snowstorm, ooh, rain, ooh, wind, oooooh! Bring it.

We live in the mighty Pacific Northwest and we don't take nothing off of nobody! We like layers, we like Gore-Tex, we like waterproof shells, we like fleece (oh, don't act like you don't,) we like Smartwool, we like techie stuff, we like insulated, waterproof, seam-sealed, moisture wicking, breathable, abrasion resistant, sustainable and supportive. We like to be outside and play hard and be comfortable and dry doing it.

Oh but we like drama too, and Mother Nature serves it to us hot off the griddle. "Dramatic weather" - to quote one of the fabulous instructors from Passages Northwest - its not bad weather or good weather, its dramatic weather and we live with it day in and day out. We don't stay inside because it’s raining, or cold, or windy, or snowing! It's always doing something and we adapt in order to enjoy the outdoors. We dawn the ensemble and head outside, in the city or otherwise, steadfast into whatever comes our way. We like our weather, the sideways rain, the bitter cold wind, the burst of snow and the frenetic energy that follows. We're not afraid. We step to the fray with our shoulders back, our highly developed calf muscles flexed, our intention to be at one with the dramatic weather so as to prove our credentials of being from the Pacific Northwest. And so to, we expect our gear to perform for us with the same fervor when called upon.

Not coincidentally, the following two brands embrace a similar aesthetic . . . Introducing Sorel and Bogs.

Sorel comes to Market Street Shoes with over 100 years of waterproof boot making expertise. One of many lines created by the Kaufman Rubber Company in Kitchener, Ontario, Sorel launched in 1959 as a winter sport and work wear line and quickly secured its place in the annals of waterproof footwear, keeping company with the likes of L.L. Bean, White's, Hunter, Aigle, and others. We begin our venture with Sorel by offering the Tivoli, a fully waterproof, city friendly version of their classic 1964 Pac boot. Available in four colors with a plain or polka dot lace, 100g of Thinsulate insulation, fleece lining, and a grippy rubber outsole. More styles will arrive in the coming months, so stay tuned. . .

See and download the full gallery on posterous

Bogs are also a welcome addition to Market Street Shoes, hailing from our Pacific Northwest neighbor, Oregon. Being from Oregon, Bogs knows a thing or two about weather, wet weather in particular, there tag line being "Wherever there is weather." Bogs also knows a thing or two about making footwear, the family behind them having been in the shoe business for more than forty years. 100% waterproof, breathable, insulated to sub-zero temperatures, grippy on slick surfaces, Bogs have a "bring it on" attitude that we tend to like in our clime, and they do it with style and a modern form follows function credo. Bogs also take a modern approach to construction and insulation with the use of a neoprene and rubber lamination, where Sorel relies upon the traditional pac- boot construction with a removable felted bootie inside a vulcanized rubber outer. Two different approaches to accomplish the same goal, like it! We'll be rolling out more styles with Bogs as we go the through the year, so stay tuned for these as well.

See and download the full gallery on posterous

Well, that about wraps up this little sortie into waterproof footwear. I do say a pair of Bogs must find their way into my shoe closet soon, and that my Sorel Caribou are still going strong. There you have it. Until next time . . .