When I packed up for college – headed to North Carolina from Austin, Texas – I was looking forward to lots of things. One of them (lame enough) was seasons! Changing leaves and snowfall were foreign concepts to me, and I was thrilled to sport my meager winter wardrobe for months at a time, as opposed to three days out of the year. Actually, “Boys in Sweaters” ranked pretty high up on the “Pros Column” when selecting Wake Forest University as my undergrad alma matter, if I remember correctly.
But people kept mentioning the rain. ”Oh its rainy up there – pack your umbrella!” ”Do you have a good raincoat? North Carolina sees a lot of wet weather!” Um, okay silly adults, I’m from Texas, remember? I’ve been practicing tornado drills since kindergarten and survived some pretty severe thunderstorms… I’m pretty sure I can handle “the wet season.” Bring it, North Carolina.
Yes, well. By October, my foot was planted firmly in my mouth as rain – from drizzle to downpour – continued for days on end. Some days, I felt like Forest Gump and Bubbah… hard rain, soft rain, sideways rain, upside-down rain – on and on and on! And it was cold! By Christmas-List-Making-Time, I was coveting the Northfaces that seemed standard fare for my South-Eastern classmates, and something nearly identical to this topped my wish-list.
Ever the practical shopper, my mom found a coat she claimed to be “the Northface’s twin!” You won’t even know the difference, she promised. I took the woman at her word… and subsequently walked around campus like this for several months a year for the next four years:
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If you feel I’m being a tad over-dramatic, I have (seriously embarrassing) proof of the ginormousness of the Yeti Jacket:
{author’s personal collection}
Why I appear to be molesting a mannequin’s torso in this photo is neither here nor there, but, let me tell you, I never allowed my mom to make a Cardinal Fashion Switcharoo again. (I love you mom, even if I did look like a colossal snow beast as a coed)
This (rather lengthy) journey down Fashion Police Memory Lane is not merely a humorous anecdote. Nay! Rather, it is my oh-so-clever lead-in to an actual point…
IT WILL NOT STOP RAINING IN DALLAS.
{Seriously, at this point, we’re probably better off moving to Seattle. Or the Amazon Rain Forest. We might see the sun more. And have super delicious coffee / play with super awesome spider monkeys on a daily basis.}
This time, however, I’m older, wiser, and I have credit cards (or at least credit cards that I’m actually allowed to have)! Thus, without further adieu, I give you my picks for looking fabulous whilst staying warm and dry during seasonal downpours:
(1) a Fabulous, Water-Proof Trench:
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(2) Fun Wellies:
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(3) and a Funky, Standout Umbrella!
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Stay dry! And Non-Stay-Puff-Marshmallow-Woman-Looking!
Twitter: @magmaeA
When the Sartorialist was in Dallas for his book tour, he snapped a photo of this totally gorgeous, interesting-looking woman downtown wearing a perfect trench in the rain.
http://thesartorialist.blogspot.com/2009/10/on-streetthe-bowery-nyc_26.html
Who is the girl and why aren’t we friends with her?
.-= Maggie’s most recent blog post: Getting dirty in the Big D =-.
Twitter: @purelyelegant
hahaha, love that picture of you! Brings to mind a certain coat gifted me by a grandmother several years back. I physically could not rest my arms by my sides comfortably the coat was so large. I adore that purple trench you posted. I have a black burbery trench but I adore that color! I also have those red hunter boots you posted and they’re quite clunky in real life. I prefer the rain boots that Kate Spade makes, she somehow makes a rainboot still appear feminine and cute, not sure if I could say that for the hunter ones I’m afraid.
(About the rain)…. I know!!! I feel like next spring we’ll have a tropical rainforest sprout up!!! It’s insane. I will never ever say that I am tired of sunshine (which I’m apt to do in the midst of summer).
The other day I had a designer come in that had on the cutest wellies over her jeans, and a cute sweater on top. Nothing fancy, but really just cute – and practical!
I have a khaki trench I can wear, although it’s not truly waterproof. And a basic black umbrella.
I’m boring!
Twitter: @blueeyedbridÉ
I’d dying for some wellies. I really want the Violet color… but there are already 4 pairs of shoes on my birthday wish list. Can I add another?? Loving the jackets!
.-= Erin @ Blue-Eyed Bride’s most recent blog post: my fictional dream house: something’s gotta give =-.
Twitter: @aliflower88
oh hey, barbs barbs! here she is more recently… I am not the one kissing her directly on the mouth…
http://photos-b.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc1/hs146.snc1/5409_1125484227795_1547820056_30445611_2433882_n.jpg
love your blog(s) and sao,
Ali
.-= Ali’s most recent blog post: Me as Daisy Buchanan =-.
Twitter: @spiceandsass
Due to the rain in my part of East TN, the North Face jackets were de rigeur. So much so that in high school my group of male friends were (rather derisively) nicknamed the “Phat Phish-heads from the North Face”. Hmmmph.
Love the massive jacket!