Oh goodness gracious, this again!? There are few things more rotten than waking up to a rainy Manhattan morning. Doesn’t matter if it’s misting or pouring, walking around in the rain is the WORST! Taxis are a rare oasis when the skies are grey, so being a New Yorker means learning how to keep dry.* Thankfully, THAT’s something to love - rainy days require special accessories (and accessories are awesome).
The first essential rainy day accessory = rain boots. No shoes other than rain boots will keep you dry on your schlep from the apartment to the subway (I have ruined many a shoe this way...) so cute boots are a must. These pretty ladies and I met on Gilt Group. These will find me some day in my dreams. And of course, Hunter boots are extremely popular and classic. If you’re a dude, Dr. H has serious man-love for his “Shboots” (shoe-boots; he made that up himself!). They’re extra awesome because you can get away with leaving them on at work whereas women usually have to switch out of their “wellies” upon arrival.
Next, a small umbrella. Why small? Two reasons: first you should ALWAYS have your umbrella in your bag (the day you leave it behind is the day it starts raining while you’re out and then you have to buy an ugly, over-priced umbrella from the dude on the corner). Second, NYC sidewalks are a war-zone in the rain. You have to guard your eyes from a million poking umbrellas while maneuvering your own up and down to avoid collision. While a huge golf umbrella would probably be more effective, be a good Samaritan and only take up the essential airspace directly overheard. I love Target.com’s collection as well as those cheapies near the register at H&M.
Lastly, you need a good raincoat. I spent several years improvising on this front and it was a mistake. You want water resistant, a hood and long enough to cover at least ⅓ of your legs (umbrellas leave you defenseless against sideways rain). Luckily there are plenty of reasonably priced cute options worth investing in (Target rules; Modcloth is awesome for finding the “adorable version” of any item). Stay dry my merry friends!!
*Note: “Keeping dry” is an illusion. Inevitably your adorable umbrella will be inverted by the wind, your pants will be soaked in that 2” sliver between your raincoat and boots and your purse will be soggy, but at least you’re going to look awesome while you wait for the sun to come back out!
