Many choose to wear older shoes during the season, so as to not ruin their favourite pairs splashing through puddles or wading through water. The prerogative has always been to keep our feet clean and dry, and to choose tough, inexpensive footwear you don't mind roughing up.

With the wide range of footwear available in waterproof materials today, however, it's time to retire those old sneakers and start wearing shoes that are both seasonally suitable and fashionably funky!

Footwear should be chosen according to what you are most comfortable in, and of course, the kind of wardrobe that an occasion demands. If you a flip-flop fanatic, go for those -- they come in fabulous colours, and are ideal for the rains, because they are usually made of rubber and dry easily. What's more, flip-flops look great on both guys and girls.

Steer clear of leather. "Leather slippers become soggy when wet, and are not suitable for the rainy season," says a Bata executive.

Store your leather pumps and boots safely inside of your shoe cabinet for the duration of the monsoons. "Washable and easy-to-maintain footwear that dries easily is ideal for the rains," counsels a Westside representative.