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Rain ruins outfits in three places: the hem, the shoes, and whatever fabric you trusted that turned out to be a sponge. Looking chic all day in it is mostly a materials question.
Tightly woven cotton, waxed cotton, wool, leather, and coated nylon all shed water, and all of them are easy to find secondhand.
Nine outfits below, each built around one piece that does the weather work so the rest can be normal clothes. One of them comes with a five second seam check that tells you whether a rain jacket is finished.
Khaki Trench, Striped Tee, Dark Straight Jeans
The trench is the answer most days, which is why it’s first. A khaki cotton gabardine trench coat over a navy and cream striped tee, dark indigo straight jeans, and black leather loafers with a lug sole.
Tie the belt in a knot and skip the buckle. It looks less like a uniform.
The tell: gabardine is a tight diagonal weave you can see up close, and that tightness is what sheds rain. Look for a cotton or cotton blend shell, a storm flap across the back, and buttons inside for a removable wool liner. Grime at the collar and cuffs cleans. $40 to $90.
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Olive Waxed Jacket, Cream Fisherman Sweater, Tan Cords
The tell: waxed cotton feels cool and faintly tacky, and it creases into pale lines where it’s been bent. Those lines are normal. A dry, papery feel means the wax has worn off, which a tin of wax and an hour will fix. Tears along the elbow creases and a musty lining are the real problems.
Wear an olive waxed cotton jacket over a cream wool fisherman sweater with tan corduroy trousers and brown leather Chelsea boots.
This is the weekend one, and it looks better the more weather it sees. $50 to $120 depending on the maker.
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For Drizzle: Black Wool Coat, Charcoal Turtleneck, Black Trousers
For drizzle and an umbrella, wool is enough, and it’s the best looking option here. Dense wool sheds light rain before it soaks in, so a good coat comes home damp on the surface and dry underneath.
A black wool and cashmere coat over a charcoal merino turtleneck, black wool trousers, and black leather Chelsea boots. All black with one change of texture is the fastest way to look pulled together in bad weather.
The tell: wool listed first on the fiber tag, a dense matte surface, and a full lining. Check the hem and the back of the collar for moth nibbles. It’s a drizzle coat, so on a downpour day take the trench. $40 to $90.
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From the Avant Heir Closet
One of One
Larry Levine Lambswool Cashmere Coat Womens
Sourced · Inspected · Shipped
Boho Chic: Rust Floral Dress, Brown Leather Jacket, Felt Hat
The mistake with boho in the rain is suede. Water spots it and stiffens it, fringe included. Swap every suede piece for smooth leather and the outfit survives.
So: a rust floral rayon midi dress, a chocolate brown leather jacket, brown leather knee boots, and a camel wool felt hat with a wide brim. The hat is the umbrella here, since wool felt shrugs off light rain. The same swap works for dark boho winter outfits.
The tell: a good felt hat is firm, springs back when you press the crown, and has a leather or grosgrain sweatband with a size stamped inside. Hats are sized by head circumference, so measure yours once. $20 to $50 for the hat.
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Forest Green Quilted Jacket, Grey Sweatshirt, Light Jeans
A forest green diamond quilted jacket with a corduroy collar, a heather grey crewneck sweatshirt, light wash straight jeans, and white leather sneakers. This is the errand outfit.
Cuff the jeans above the ankle. Denim wicks water up from the hem, and a wet hem is what makes the whole day feel damp.
The tell: the shell should be nylon or polyester, which is the right call here since it sheds a shower and dries fast. Run a hand over the quilting for popped stitches and check that the snaps close firmly. $25 to $60.
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Yellow Rain Slicker, Navy Sweater, Rain Boots
On a properly miserable day, wear the brightest thing you own. A yellow rubberized rain slicker, a navy wool crewneck sweater, dark jeans tucked in, and tall black rubber rain boots.
Keep everything under the slicker dark and plain so the yellow reads as a choice.
The tell: bend the fabric and look at the coating.
- Good. Smooth and flexible.
- Done. Sticky to the touch, cracked along the folds, or peeling from its backing.
- Hardware. Snaps and clasps free of rust.
Rubber boots get the same bend test at the ankle, where they crack first. $20 to $50.
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For The Office: Navy Mac, Ivory Blouse, Ankle Trousers
The mac is the trench’s quieter sibling: single breasted, no belt, cut to the knee. A navy mac coat over an ivory silk blouse, charcoal wool ankle trousers, and black leather loafers.
Ankle length trousers are what make this work, since nothing touches the pavement.
The tell: look inside for a zip out lining, which turns one coat into a three season coat, and a fiber tag reading cotton and polyester, the classic raincoat blend. Check the shoulders for fading, since that’s where water repellency wears first. $30 to $70.
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For A Date: Black Leather Jacket, Oxblood Floral Dress, Tights
Leather is better in rain than its reputation. A conditioned jacket beads water, and you wipe it dry when you get inside.
A black leather moto jacket over an oxblood floral midi dress with black opaque tights and black leather ankle boots. Tights are what make a dress work in the rain: wet legs dry in minutes, and wet trouser hems don’t. It’s a formula that also covers most fall going out outfits.
The tell: heavier cowhide handles wet weather better than thin lambskin, which spots more easily. Bend a sleeve. Healthy leather creases softly, and cracking means the hide has dried out. $45 to $110.
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Keep Going
Nine outfits, one idea: let one piece handle the weather.
Start with the trench or the waxed jacket, since either covers the most days. Add a shell for real storms.
More formulas are in outfit ideas. The yellow slicker is optional, and also the most fun.
