Soaking up rain with Washington style

Is it that hard to look chic in the rain?
Is it that hard to look chic in the rain?(SOURCE: http://www.bruring.net)

I’m dressing for the rain, just dressing for the rain

What an obnoxious feeling, I’m pouty again

I’m hating on clouds, so dark up above

The sun’s in my heart, and I’m ready for SPF

 

Not everyone feels so comfortable in soggy clothes they can dance in them like Gene Kelly in Singin’ in the Rain.

Other than slippery, grubby floors, dripping trolleys and wet bus seats, deciding what to wear got to be one of the most annoying things on a rainy day.

Perhaps Seattle’s weather is really depressing people, causing them to find absolutely no interest in looking good. Somehow on rainy days everyone seems to find mismatched outfits justifiable. It’s about time to change your mindscape, people. There’s no doubt you have to put a little more thinking into your outfit choices when it rains, but there is a way around it, as always.

One thing that bothers people the most is finding THE coat to keep them from getting drenched. The word “raincoat” pops up, immediately followed by “matronly.” It’s true finding a chic raincoat is not the easiest task, but it’s definitely not mission impossible.

Good news is the trench raincoat is making a major comeback this season and you can always look up to Audrey Hepburn or Blair Waldorf for some expert demonstration of the all time classic look.

Another option of raincoat will be the windbreaker. They are light weight and waterproof, the only down side is the sloppiness they can give. But then again, there is nothing a belt can’t fix. More, if you worry that much about looking slack, why not dress down your overall look?  No one’s forcing you to do black tie inside and wear a windbreaker on the outside.

Labels like North Face, Helly Hanson and Nike have been presenting bold, duochromatic alternatives and trust me, you will not go back to your old plain white Northface once you’ve seen them.

If Gene Kelly had one thing right in his Singin’ in the Rain ensemble, it’s his hat. I know, I know they are not waterproof, but it isn’t like the rain’s always that heavy too. You can easily get away with a nice head gear most of the time. You know you need anything that can keep your eyeliner and mascara from smudging when it rains.

Last thing on the list, rainboots. You just stepped in a puddle, muddy water splashed all over and worse, your socks are soaked. Every step you take, your feet press against your soggy, mushy socks, feeling the dirty water squeezing between your toes. It’s the worst ever feeling, even worse than holding a squishy, overloaded paper bag that’s breaking any second.

Forget the raincoat and the hat, if you only have $100, invest it all on a pair of rainboots, preferably Hunters. You can do no wrong with those. (OK, they are $125 and yes, it really is the red-white hunter tag that triples its price.) In essence any rainboots will do the job. Just stay away from the chaotic patterns that look almost like optical illusion diagrams, that screams nothing but attention seeker. It’s pathetic.

Rainy days, some people love it but most hate it. Like it or not, dressing rain-friendly is just one of the many painful things we have to deal with everyday. If this is going to make you feel any better, there is always something called an umbrella.