Splash around in Bella's purple wellington boots as seen in Twilight

You've gotta dress the part when in damp and drizzly Forks...

Once upon a time wellington boots were only worn by old timers at allotments as they pottered about with their plants throwing out an air of crusty fustiness. But these days are well and truly gone as wellington boots are now back, back, back on the fashion agenda and at the forefront of this rubber booted revolution is cinema’s resident girl in the rain aka Bella Swan (Kristen Stewart) from Twilight.

So what makes wellies cool now all of a sudden? First up, they no longer come in just your bog-standard green but all sorts of gorgeous colours, adding a bit of energy, youth and excitement to what was the least glamorous pair of shoes in your wardrobe. Taking that further, many now offer eye-catching patterns and prints from spots to stripes, paisley to paw prints and stars to skulls, not to mention fun flourishes like laces that elevate the wellie from forgotten footwear to an essential part of your outfit that can even coordinate with the rest of your clothes.

And Bella’s not the only trend-setter to be seen wearing them with all sorts of fashionable female celebs getting in on the act, both those celebrated for their edgy styles like Gwen Stefani, Sarah Jessica Parker and Kate Moss to those with a more feminine look like Keira Knightley, Liz Hurley and Gwyneth Paltrow. They’ve even earned the stamp of approval from haute couture fashionistas like Stella McCartney who has been snapped in them and by top design houses such as Burberry, Marc Jacobs and Jimmy Choo (incidentally working in collaboration with Hunter) who have released rubber shoe ranges.

Not that there’s any mystery as to why they’re wearing them – wellies give your feet a break from uncomfortable high heels (thank you!), keep them warm and dry and protect your lower legs from dirty splashes and puddles (a sure fire way to ruin your outfit) making them perfect for this time of year with the wet, wintry weather or in summer when hitting a muddy music festival.

Fighting off a wet climate is definitely something Bella knows a thing or two about since her move from sun-baked Phoenix to the wettest corner of mainland America – Forks, Washington. Being the smart cookie that she is, Bella soon trades her summer wardrobe for the raincoats and boots of Forks and we just love her choice of wellie – the Hunter boot.

Hunter has been at the forefront of wellies for years, being the oldest manufacturer of them in the UK. Their chequered history dates back to the 1850s and over the years they’ve churned out everything from golf balls to hot water bottles, but it’s the boots that we’re all about and with good reason too, just look at them.

With the distinctive label at the top front, there’s no missing a Hunter pair and prior to Twilight they scored some memorable screen time in the likes of Mr and Mrs Smith (as worn by Angelina Jolie) and P.S. I Love You (by Hilary Swank). Bella favours the Hunter Original model, famed for its comfortable fit, warmth and durability, and ever keen to follow her own fashion sense, she opts for an aubergine pair rather than the more common green and squeezes into a pair to visit La Push where she hangs out with Jacob (Taylor Lautner).

So if you’re braving some wet and wild weather, check out these aubergine Hunter wellies and some cool lookalikes in similar shades.