Lemon Jelly Review: the shoes that smell of happy

30th October 2019

Are you ready for the Jelly?

A great ankle boot can perfectly punctuate cold weather edits but are also very hard to come by- not to mention a pair that is effectively rain-proof which is an essential footwear component for British residents. There are few brands that can attest to these standards but Lemon Jelly has proven to resolve these sartorial conundrums with their irresistibly tangy style.

Synonymous with joie de vivre, footwear brand, Lemon Jelly brings joyous charm to those dreary rainy days through their high-tech innovation, creative direction and zesty aromas. Launched in 2013, each new collection is exemplary of the label’s hallmark: lively design, lemon-scented fragrances and weather-resistant, durable jelly components. Lead by creative vision, the footwear house’s designers have given a glamorous Portuguese makeover to the British wellington, transitioning the renowned design to streetwear finesse. This has garnered worldwide recognition, successfully planting their feet firmly into the realms of covetable fashion with cheeky quirkiness which has in turn, caught the attention of my inner fashion cognoscente.

Boasting a compilation of stylish rain boots amongst polished oxfords and refined flats, Lemon Jelly has transformed my perception on jelly shoes. Providing a plethora of opulent pieces catering to a myriad of personal styles, each design is guaranteed to help any style maven weather the storm in demure glamour and delivering a Zesty vitamin shot for your footwear arsenal. Here’s how these skilful artisans perform in an in-depth analysis…

Lemon Scented

One of my favourite things about this amazing brand is that every one of their products is lemon scented. This is an enticing and innovative feature I didn’t realise I would love as much as I have. My feet proudly smell of candy lemon drops I devoured as a child and as such brings warm nostalgic memories each time I open the shoe box. On an impressive note, the scented component is very strong and has yet to fade over the 4 months I have owned my pair. Like many products on the market, companies often make wild claims and then can’t deliver. This was something I was expecting from Lemon Jelly but was fortunately proven wrong. I don’t expect the zesty rich aromas to fade anytime soon.

The Specs

Lemon Jelly stock a wide range of jelly shoes, most of which are in the style of the iconic Chelsea Boot. The ones I fell in love with are the BLACKPEARL 01. Similar to most of the Chelsea Boots by Lemon Jelly, this ankle boot is made with PVC. Whilst this can certainly be harmful to the environment, Lemon Jelly are one of the great brands whom are consciously aware of the damage their business can cause the planet. As such, their chosen PVC is compliant with the REACH European health and environmental standards against the effects of noxious substances! As a result, their shoes are not only vegan friendly but are more sustainable than your average jelly shoes currently on the market.

As far as I am aware, Lemon Jelly shoes are crafted with a microfiber absorbent insole with a golden brand transfer that looks very chic and classy. Paired with a slick Glossy finishing these babies are fully rain proof. Each shoe also features a metallic niquel-free rivet with the Lemon Jelly logo. This not only helps ensure your shoes are authentic but their logo is phenomenal and as such adds a charmingly creative twist to your shoes.

The black pearl boots also feature a metallic buckle with the brand Lemon Jelly engraved. The dual side elastic panels allow for easy comfort and flexibility; a necessity when you are on the move constantly. Admittedly, their shoes run a little narrow. Whilst this is great for someone such as myself whom has narrow feet, I understand that I fall in the minority. Therefore, whilst I found my usual size a great fit, if your feet are wide, you may need to consider going up a size, or on the unfortunate chance, their footwear may be entirely unsuitable. Fortunately, Lemon Jelly have amazing customer service and will happily exchange your shoes, should you require a different size. The brand offers free delivery and returns for the UK, Portugal mainland and islands. There is more information on their shipping and returns page but it may also be a good idea to check out your countries shoe stores as they do stock in a number of locations.

Quality Control

I have been very impressed with the quality of my Lemon Jelly shoes. The soles are sturdy and the jelly material is highly durable. I can only imagine that the soles will chip off instead of eroding, which may cause more difficulty to repair. It is important to avoid the use of aggressive detergents or corrosive cleaners as the jelly components are highly incompatible. As an alternative, wiping gently with a soft, damp cloth will prove just as effective and arguably easier than drowning your rain-proof booties with harsh chemicals.

As previously mentioned, the fitting is naturally narrow. The shoes are not created with a zip fastening and therefore, the wearer must pull the boots on or undo the ankle buckles each time. This will undoubtedly cause the buckle holes to wear-out and crinkle over time. On a closer note, even with very narrow feet such as myself, I still found these shoes to feel a little snug upon my first wear. Fortunately this wasn’t uncomfortable and they have loosened-up to provide a perfect fight. I am thankful that they haven’t stretched out further.

I have taken my Lemon Jelly’s through muddy forest walks, rough, cobbled streets and splashed them in puddles. They have yet to show any signs of wear nor have they welcomed any water into their interiors. As a result, I am confident that my pearlescent pair will keep my feet comfortable, snug and dry for years to come.

Styling tips

Fashion-forward, clean-cut and boasting with personality, Lemon Jelly’s footwear brings style to the typical clunky rain boat. For this reason, their boots offer a myriad of styling options, proving to be a versatile pair regardless of design choice.

As Autumn has graced it’s presence throughout Britain, I wanted to style-up my new footwear with an appropriately weather-resistant ensemble to showcase how adaptable these boots are when faced with the sartorial dilemma of rainy day styling. As my pair are decorated in the most versatile colour- black- they are typically easier to style than some of their other designs. However, the jelly Chelsea boot silhouette does provide some challenge when putting together a polished ensemble that is also wet-weather appropriate.

I found that my pearlescent Lemon Jelly boots perfectly accompanied my new Ted Baker rain jacket, which has taken place as a firm favourite in my stormy weather portfolio. The long midi design offers further protection from the harsh, wet climate and elevates the black boots whilst still remaining sophisticated. Due to Chanel’s iconic relation to pearls, I established an edit around the preppy, frilly aesthetic and the label’s favouring to a black and white colour palette. This was subconscious as I am deeply inspired by this label and the late Coco Chanel herself as my personal style greatly fits the brands story. Therefore, I chose my favourite white frilly blouse and leather-effect trousers delivering added depth to the ensemble through combining textures in an understated manner. Paired with my black work bag (pre-owned) and -of course- a black umbrella to compliment the finished look.