I’m off to Scotland for the weekend to see my sister’s new house. I’ve been keeping an eye on the weather forecast and I noticed a few snow showers creeping in. Looks like winter has arrived, along with months of wet, squelchy shoes. But don’t despair, if you’re looking for funky but durable footwear to see you through the rainy season, look no further than Plueys.

Plueys boots combine style and practicality. There are a number of fun themes to choose from including origami, fish, puppies, polka dots and my favourites the sugar plumb boots.

Well that’s your feet sorted. If you’re looking for something to keep your hair dry, Plueys can help with that as well with their range of cheery Raindrop umbrellas. And if you order before 24 December you can take advantage of their Stomp Together sale. Buy any two pairs of boots and get another one absolutely free! What are you waiting for?

Following on from yesterday’s ethical theme, Worn Again is another environmentally aware company that makes shoes for people who want good-looking feet, without a guilty conscience. Everything from old coffee bags, car seats, reclaimed jeans and raggedy old suits are given a new lease of life as hip, edgy trainers.

Worn Again explains that making shoes is one of the most resource-intensive, polluting and toxic industries there is. That’s why the company is committed to improving the social, economic and environmental conditions in the regions where they operate, while at the same building a profitable business.

The Bigger Shoe trainers above have been created to celebrate the Big Issue’s 15th birthday. Materials include firemen’s trousers, scrap car seat leather, jeans, men’s shirts and recycled rubber. £6 from the sale of every pair will go directly to the Big Issue.

Looking stylish and living a cruelty free lifestyle needn’t be mutually exclusive. Beyond Skin have proved this with their classic, yet unique collection of vegetarian/vegan shoes.

In 2001 owner Natalie Dean set out to create beautiful, handmade and ethical footwear, that was produced ‘in a manner that is non-exploitative to animals or humans and - wherever possible - the greater environment’. Each pair of Beyond Skin shoes is handmade in the UK by a small manufacturer in East London. The shoes are made from a variety of man-made materials including sumptuous satins, soft suedes and organic cottons.

And if you’re thinking that ethical shoes can’t possibly be aesthetically pleasing as well as cruelty free and kind to the environment, think again. They really are beautiful. Their latest collection ranges from Mary Janes to calf length slouch boots and they come in a huge range of contemporary colours and trims. And for handmade shoes they’re very reasonably priced from around £165 to £185. I’ve already picked out my favourites - the ultra feminine Dorothy shoes in black faux suede/brown faux snakeskin and the sultry 40s style Lorelei shoes in black faux suede with focal brooch.