It is a dreary, fall day on Bucknell’s campus. The rain comes in waves. Students run frantically to their 8:00 a.m. classes with their hoodies functioning as umbrellas, and their shoes soaked with water. Because I’m from New York City, I hate the rain, but I’m always prepared. In fact, I just invested in some rain boots, and I’ve been looking on Pinterest to find ways to style them, which I suggest others do if they’re embarrassed of that type of shoe — for reasons I can’t explain. Even on days when it’s not raining, I still find myself confused about the choices some people make in accordance with the weather. Of course, I am not judging, I’m just confused.
The transition from summer to fall is complicated, I get it! One day it’s 70 degrees and sunny and the very next day you’re forced to once again pull out your winter jacket, hidden deep in your closet. That being said, us East Coast folks should be aware of this pattern by now considering the ongoing climate change crisis. Since middle school, I have made an effort to check Apple’s Weather app on my phone in the morning, or even the night before. My mom always made this a habit, so she taught me to do the same. You can imagine my surprise when I came to college and saw how drastically different students dress on a given day. I’ve seen jean skirts and tank tops on days where it’s below 50 degrees, and on the other end of the spectrum, winter coats being worn in September.
Going back to rainy days, I would like to clarify that I care a lot about my clothes, sometimes to an obsessive extent. Therefore, I try not to wear my favorite pieces of clothing when there’s even a chance of precipitation. Shoes, especially, are what I try to avoid damaging the most since they’re not always redeemable once wet. Take UGGs, for example, an extremely popular shoe that’s been worn by teenage girls since the dawn of time — AKA the early 2000s. It is well known that these shoes are better off staying dry, though there are kits available where you can make them waterproof. That being said, I am a little shocked by the amount of UGG boots I’ve seen today. For context, it is currently raining cats and dogs outside.
And that brings me to the bigger question, why are people so willing to sacrifice such an expensive item out of fear of being different? A piece of my heart dies a little when I see people walking on campus with half-soaked UGGs that are now permanently stained, knowing that this mistake could have been avoided. Okay, that might be a bit dramatic. As a teen girl, I totally get how everyday can feel like a fashion show in some way. Ultimately, though, I’ve learned that I’d rather keep my clothes dry than try and keep up with everyone else’s outfits. Sometimes, staying dry and warm is better than fitting in. But, again, that’s just my opinion.
If I could provide any tips for those truly interested in dressing according to the weather, I would suggest checking the Weather app as a first step. I like to have it as a widget on my home screen so that I can always be alert of what it’s like outside. Aside from that, quite obvious, advice, I encourage you to do what works for you. That might mean disregarding that trend you saw claiming that winter coats are unfashionable or that scarves are officially out of season. If you want to be comfortable outside while staying chic, I would recommend getting boots, coats, and scarves that stand out to you and could go well with various outfits. If rain boots really aren’t your thing, wear an old pair of sneakers that you don’t mind getting dirty.
At the end of the day, people can do whatever they want. If getting rained on without an umbrella is okay with you, then by all means keep being you! Speaking of umbrellas, I really don’t understand that one, if I’m being honest. I can’t even count the number of times I was told to put my umbrella away by my peers because they found it to be embarrassing. What’s wrong with pulling out something made for exclusively rainy days, on a rainy day? Anyway, these are just things I think about when I walk to class as the weather is gradually changing. Who knows, maybe Gen Z doesn’t hate the weather app after all — they just prefer to let the rain prove it wrong.