Victoria winter weather isn’t always the easiest thing to dress for. The endless days of rain usually mean frizzy hair, frumpy jackets and mucky boots. Just because this is what dressing for a rainy day usually ends up looking like doesn’t mean you have to look like this all winter. I grew up in the Fraser Valley, a place with just as much rain, and although I still occasionally struggle to look cute on rainy days, I have discovered some tips and tricks for rainy day style.
Tip 1: Get a cute pair of rain boots and some wool socks.
Finding a cute pair of shoes that won’t get ruined in the rain and that you don’t mind getting mucky is key to rainy day style. There are a bunch of different brands out there that make really cute rain boots in a variety of style and colors. Hunter, Tretorn, and Aigle are just some of my favourites. I personally have the Aigle Juliette and absolutely love them. Now, you might be asking why I put wool socks on the list. Well, have you ever noticed that your feet get really hot when you wear rubber boots, and then later in the day your feet are absolutely freezing? Wool socks are the solution! A rubber boot will naturally cause your feet to sweat more than in a normal shoe, so you end up with cold feet. Wool socks, though, maintain their warmth even when wet, so you get nice toasty toes all day long.
Tip 2: Get a hat.
Rainy weather automatically means frizzy hair. If you’re like me and really don’t have the time to spend styling your hair, a cute hat will be your new best friend. Having a toque, floppy hat or baseball cap that can be thrown on it two seconds will cover up any frizz and up your style level.
Tip 3: Buy a good umbrella.
Having a good umbrella that can stand up to small gust of wind is essential, since Victoria tends to be very windy. If you have a decent umbrella, it allows you to wear a warm winter coat that isn’t waterproof instead of a (generally less cute) rain jacket. Unfortunately, since Victoria is so windy, the umbrella solution doesn’t always work. Additionally, if you bike to school an umbrella is not an option. This leads me to my next tip…
Tip 3: Style your outfit around your raincoat.
If there is no way for you to carry an umbrella – i.e. you bike, or it is way too windy – then the only option is to style your outfit around your raincoat. This can often be frustrating depending on the length of your jacket. My raincoat is at hip height so it rules out wearing any long sweaters underneath it. I try to pick sweaters or shirts that are about the same length as my jacket or will only stick out the bottom a little bit. Also, rain jackets tend to make your look sportier, so I try to stick to wearing either leggings or jeans and saving skirts and dresses for clearer days. Finally, I make sure I wear a cute scarf that matches my jacket, put on a toque if I feel like it, and wear my rain boots.
And that’s how to look cute in the rain!