Rain-Colored Rain Boots

Transparent rain boots! They match everything! Including the rain! Devoid of their own color, they take on the pattern or hue of the socks inside. Just think of the wardrobing possibilities. Unfortunately this clever design is stuck in the prototype phase. And it is likely to stay there, according to the boots' creator, who I met recently during Tokyo Designers Week. Apparently, the idea of see-through boots did not go over well with Japanese consumers. I suppose they felt their feet were a little too exposed. I kind of see the point. Though we take off our shoes in front of strangers all the time, most Japanese people prefer to cover their feet with indoor slippers. Perhaps wearing clear footwear is akin to walking around in one's socks. And out in public to boot.