Are Galoshes and Rain Boots the Same Thing?

Today, we realized while talking about the forecasted rainfall, we had no idea if galoshes and rain boots are the same things.

When I thought about it, I thought that they were different But, I wasn't sure. I just remember my grandpa wearing them to work on a rainy day. He always had a pair of galoshes sitting by the back door in case he need to slip them on.

The galoshes he wore looked very different than a pair of rain boots. I always thought the word galoshes was funny and wondered how they got their name.

Why are galoshes called galoshes?

For the answer, I turned to the encyclopedia. Well, the website, anyway.

The name for galoshes originated in the Middle Ages when many styles of boots from short to long were popular. The word came from Gaulish shoes or gallicae, which had leather uppers and soles carved of wood; when the Romans conquered the territory they called Gaul (France), they borrowed the Gaulish boot style.

What is the difference between rain boots and galoshes?

It seems like the words are just different names for the same thing, right? Rain boots maybe being a more modern name used for galoshes.

But, according to GC Tech Design,

People ask all the time, "are rain boots and galoshes the same thing?" In a word, no. Rain boots are intended to protect the feet and lower legs. Galoshes are more about protecting shoes. They act as a shoe cover to shield whatever footwear you happen to be sporting at the time

So, these are an example of galoshes. They look very similar to what my grandpa used to wear back in the 60s and '70s.

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Here's an example of what we are more likely to wear today, rain boots.

Canva

Do people still wear galoshes?

You just don't see people wearing galoshes anymore. If anything, it's always rain boots. Is it just me, or is that true?

I found the answer at Hogtown Rake,

Despite the fact that previous generations figured out how to protect shoes from rain and weather, many men won’t wear galoshes. And not for practical reasons, like we have some new, high-tech, water-resistant leather. But because of fear, “I’ll look like an old man.”

There you go, the reason for the demise of galoshes is a fear of looking old. That cracks me up.