Re: "Shop Like A Billionaire"
I think it depends upon what you buy, as in what it is made of. I live in what used to be a farm. So lots of land, and being in Brittany it can get pretty wet here. Well, less so these days than twenty years ago but that's a different argument.
I need to cross the field (grass, usually mown) to feed the furry ones. When I go I usually wear leather shoes, just generic ones from a high street shop (I don't like wellies and only wear them when necessary). They don't get soaked, but there is some amount of walking in the wet, particularly if it is chucking it down. But they last several years.
Synthetic leather? Cheaper, ideal for this sort of thing, right? Wrong. Synthetic leather is basically a piece of fabric with a foamy gunk stuck to it, and a piece of plastic that's "the leather outside" stuck to that. And the important thing to note is that this piece of plastic is actually what attaches to the sole. So when you walk in the wet wearing a shoe like that, a little bit of water will seep into the foamy stuff. That plus the walking movement and the foamy stuff will start to degrade. After a while, all that will be holding the top and the sole together will be that thin layer of plastic, like a piece of cling film. Once that goes, it's game over.
So yes, I pay twice as much for leather, but given that it lasts for years rather than months (if that) it's a logical choice. Neither shoe was expensive, but it's better to consider the use cases when choosing to avoid wasting money.