In June 2005, Kate Moss wore Hunter's Original Tall Wellington to Glastonbury, and the boot has been tied to her ever since. On Sept. 25 of this year Hunter, founded in 1856, launched its 170th-anniversary campaign for Autumn/Winter 2026 with her back in the lead. The Original Tall in Black Croco is the pair that matters here, and it is the reason I went looking for Hunter croc boots.

The boot itself has not changed much. It was first developed in 1956, it is handcrafted from 28 parts, and it still has the little moustache detail on the toe and the side buckle. Lady Diana Spencer was photographed in Original Talls for her 1981 engagement photos, and a pair of Moss's wellies ended up on a plinth at the Barbican. A rain boot with that much history can take a croc finish and still look like itself.

That black croc pair is the first thing in the edit: glossy, with the buckle strap and the red Hunter tab. Next to it I would put the plain black Original Tall with tonal motifs around the shaft, and the Hot Fudge brown, which is the one I would wear with a camel coat. The Original Short in Hunter Green suits cropped trousers, and the LoveShackFancy toile is for anyone who wants a boot that looks like wallpaper. The Diana has the chunky lug sole and neoprene lining for rougher ground, and the Chelsea cut has elastic gussets and pull tabs for quick exits.

In October I would wear the croc pair with tights and a short wool skirt, or with denim cutoffs and a biker jacket. Check the shaft height against your calf before you commit, because the tall ones sit high.

Hunter makes a slimmer line called Refined, and it is the one to look at if the Original feels bulky. The Refined Tall Gloss in black uses thinner, more flexible rubber, so the shaft sits closer to the leg. That matters under a long coat, where a wide boot can bunch the hem.

The quilted pairs are the closest rubber gets to the croc look without any embossing. The Original Refined High Gloss Quilted has a diamond texture and a tailored fit, the Refined Quilted Rain Boot has a rubberized logo patch at the topline, and the Refined Tall Quilt in dark brown is the softer, warmer option. I would take the Chelsea version with the quilted heel panel if you hate pull-on tall boots, since it has a quick-dry lining and a cushy footbed.

For color, the Original Tall Gloss in dark red and the Original Short Gloss in military red are the two that read as a deliberate choice. Try the short red pair with black tights and a gray knit dress, and the tall one with a long black skirt. A gloss finish catches every scuff, so wipe it down with a soft cloth after muddy days and keep it out of direct heat.

At the fitting stage, pull the boot on with your thickest socks and bend your knee. If the topline digs into the back of the knee, size up or go for the short. What I would skip: the glossiest tall pair if you walk on gravel daily, because the finish shows every mark and you will notice it all day.

Croc embossing is a pattern pressed into leather with heat and pressure, stamped permanently into the surface by an engraved metal plate. It is not real crocodile, and you can tell, because the scales repeat evenly while real crocodile never does. That regularity is the charm for me: it reads as a graphic texture, not an imitation.

This is the leather side of the story, and the heel decides how you wear it. The Sam Edelman Ramona 2 is glossy black with a pointed toe and a modest kitten heel, and the Lauren Ralph Lauren Francesca in chestnut brown has the same kitten-heel shape in a warmer color. The Favorite Daughter Hadley in coffee bean has a square toe and a stacked block heel, which is the one I would pick for walking. The Steve Madden Jendi in tortoise croc has a 14 inch shaft and a 2.5 inch heel, so it will stay put under a skirt.

For a sharper look, the Schutz Maryana is a stiletto, and the Chie Mihara Nishawa is patent leather with bold crocodile embossing. The Matisse Ellington in black croc has a block heel and is the easy daily one.

Before you buy, zip the boot up and sit down. A knee-high that gapes at the calf will look wrong with tights. Wear them with a pleated midi skirt, or with shorts and opaque tights once it turns cold. What I would skip: a stiletto if your commute includes a lot of stairs.

Ankle boots are where croc embossing is easiest to wear, because a small amount of texture goes a long way with jeans. The Dr. Martens 1460 Croco is the classic eight-eye lace-up in croc-embossed leather on a chunky sole, and it is the one I would wear with a wool sock peeking out above the collar.

For something sleeker, the TOTEME Croc Embossed Chelsea in dark plum is flat with a square toe, and the TOTEME Slim Croc Embossed ankle boot in black has a kitten heel. The Chie Mihara Cumiya adds a block heel in black crocodile-embossed leather, and the Madison Maison pointed ankle boot in chocolate has a stacked heel that works with straight-leg trousers.

Two are more of a statement. The Ariat Jade is a pull-on western boot in glossy black patent croc with a pointed toe and an angled heel, and the BLACK SUEDE STUDIO Aries is a snip-toe paddock boot in croc-embossed patent leather. The Burberry Dame is the stiletto version, with a pointed toe and crocodile-effect leather.

Look at where the embossing meets the seams, because that is where flat patches show up on a poorly pressed pair. Wipe the surface with a soft damp cloth after rain and let the boots dry away from a radiator. A pointed toe and a lug sole never quite agree, so pick one mood per outfit. What I would skip: a patent finish with white jeans, since any dark transfer shows.

The Black Croco is the Hunter story, but croc embossing looks just as good in color. A bold boot turns black tights and a gray coat into an outfit, and it changes the mood of a wardrobe without touching anything else you own.

Red is the loudest option. The Frances Valentine Mackie is a bright red knee-high with an almond toe and kitten heel, and the Steve Madden Nitro in red crocodile is a four inch stiletto. For wine and burgundy, the L'AGENCE Cortland sits on a flat riding sole and is the one I would wear with jeans, the Coconuts by Matisse Kirby is a western boot with a curved topline, and the two Paris Texas pairs, the Stiletto and the Anja, are slim and pointed in deep burgundy.

Two oddballs are worth a look. The London Rag Uptown is a cobalt blue mid-calf with a slim mid heel, and the London Rag Bass Head is a metallic silver croco-print boot with a pointed wedge-style heel. Wear the blue with a navy coat and the silver with black leggings and an oversized sweater.

Keep the rest of the outfit quiet. Check how the color looks in daylight, not just under shop lights, and hold both boots side by side, since embossed color can vary from one boot to the other. What I would skip: red boots with a red bag, which turns the look into a matching set.

I would begin with the rubber. If you want the real thing, the Black Croc Original Tall is the pair that Hunter chose for its 170th year, and it handles October rain without a second thought. Then I would add one leather croc ankle boot for dry days.

If the weather is dry, go for the leather: knee-high with a kitten heel for skirts, a TOTEME Chelsea for trousers. Try both on with the socks and tights you really own.

Kate Moss wore black wellies to Glastonbury in 2005, and the look still works. I would do the same, with tights this time.

If you want the full range beyond the black wellie, I put together Hunter boots for women, from tall rain boots to puffers.