The Puzzle of Rainy Day Fashion: How to Be Cute and Comfortable

Sitting in my dorm, staring out the window at the rain pouring down and the trees swaying back and forth, I grieved my wasted weekend. I would spend it locked inside, avoiding the torrential nor’easter. In that kind of weather, nothing would keep me dry. Sideways rain could soak even the best umbrella or raincoat. If last year’s Cambridge weather were any indication, this would be the first of many rainouts. I had to find a solution: What is the perfect rainy day outfit?

As I biked through the rain in my flip-flops and leggings, I thought there had to be a better option. My leggings were soaked through and clinging to my skin. Water sprayed my toes as my front tires splashed through puddles. I thought back to my wardrobe conundrum that morning. Already late to class, I had torn through my drawers, disturbing the neatly folded tank tops and cardigans. Eventually I settled on my outfit and rushed out of the dorm, leaving my room littered with clothes.

Realizing this choice was impractical, I decided to find a way to balance staying dry, warm, and cute. It is easy to dress for two out of the three, but all three at once is a tall task.

Staying dry and warm is easy with a heavy, waterproof jacket, but it has its flaws. In my experience, they are often bulky, leaving my now-boxy figure looking like I am ready for an impending blizzard. Sure, it is easy to find an adorable gray wool peacoat for fall or a purple puffer for winter, but few outer layers have the added benefit of water resistance. I have tried the tried-and-true Patagonia raincoat, but I still end up shivering on my way to my 9 a.m. lecture, even though I’m dry.

This isn’t to discourage anyone tempted to sacrifice dryness for a good outfit day—I know I am, especially on a university campus. College is like an everyday fashion show, and Harvard is no exception. We typically reserve sweatpants for desperate mid-term days; some students dress more professionally than their instructor, and upper-level students often ditch backpacks for more stylish totes. Moreover, on days you especially don’t want to go to class, showing up well-dressed and confident can make all the difference. Matt Yan, a writer for the “New York Times,” described this as the “college catwalk.”

After struggling long enough, I’ve developed a rainy-day outfit formula built on four components: footwear, hairstyle, clothing, and outerwear.

Footwear

Rainy-day footwear is arguably the most controversial, yet most vital, of the four categories. Two polar-opposite options exist: rubber flip-flops or rubber rain boots. Some readers may be surprised that flip-flops are even on the table, but in many ways they are similar to rain boots: they don’t absorb water, and they dry quickly.

Misaki Imai ’29 strongly supports flip-flops. Her credentials? Daily treks from Currier House—the unfortunate result of habitually missing the Quad shuttle.

According to Imai, flip-flops have few drawbacks in a downpour. She remembers regretting thong shoes only once, after squelching her foot in mud on the way to section. The damage was so bad she needed to make a pit stop in the bathroom to clean off her feet. But this debacle didn’t deter her, and I can still count on seeing her toes out every time it rains.

From Imai’s experience, everyone should try flip-flops in the rain once. Who knows? You might be converted—though you will not be covered.

“We’re a minority here, but great people,” Imai said.

Hairstyle

The best strategy for keeping hair manageable in the rain depends on your hair texture and humidity.

I will use myself as an example. With wavy or curly hair, I’ve found it best to keep my locks tightly secured on wet days to stop strands from forming a collective poof. Whether I leave my hair natural or flatiron it, moisture can turn anything from shiny and orderly to frizzy and undefined.

For a closer breakdown, depending on the day’s humidity, you can use two strategies to keep your hair looking its best through a full day of meetings and classes.

On cold, dry, rainy days, the water itself is naturally the biggest challenge. In this situation, covering your hair entirely is your best bet. You can even get away with heat styling and wearing it down, as long as it stays dry.

Warm and sticky rain days are more challenging. Humidity will get into your hair no matter what precautions you take. On these days, I prefer styles that contain as much of it as possible. Good options include slick-backs, French braids, or a tight claw clip. Barrettes and bobby pins can help control flyaways.

Clothing

With the right outerwear, rain shouldn’t change your core outfit much. The one exception is pants. The worst thing to sport on a rainy day is dragging fabric. No raincoat or umbrella can protect you if your pants soak up rain from every puddle you step in—an unavoidable experience on Cambridge’s patchwork sidewalks.

And let us look on the bright side. Cool, rainy days are the perfect chance to lean into the fall spirit. Get cozy in oversized sweaters, your favorite leggings, and a hot latte. In Currier, rainy days make the house feel so cozy I never want to leave. The best way to enjoy a rainy day is to embrace it.

Outerwear

With outerwear and raincoat accessories, you have two paths: raincoat or umbrella. Each has pros and cons. Raincoats offer more versatility and style options, but umbrellas let you wear more cute, non-waterproof coats.

Blake Lively, who played the iconic Serena van der Woodsen in the CW’s “Gossip Girl,” used umbrellas to make any outfit waterproof. One of my favorite looks of hers was a sparkly sweater dress and blazer paired with dark tights and UGG boots. Her bubble umbrella kept her dry even in her not-so-rainproof outfit.

Umbrellas merely accompany an outfit, while raincoats play a foundational role. In this way, raincoats also reveal who is most dedicated to their personal “look.” You might like ballet flats and a classy merino wool coat, but can you keep that up in pouring rain? The nor’easter revealed that yes, some people can.

Celebrities do a good job of using the rain as a chance to show off. Bella Hadid’s 2019 look was unique and eye-catching, featuring a matching Chrome Hearts raincoat and waterproof bucket hat. This set reminds us that rainwear can be exciting, unique, and daring.

Rain lends itself to Gorp Core, or the granola aesthetic. The first raincoat that comes to mind is probably from some outerwear brand like Patagonia or Arc’teryx. But if that is not your style, more options are out there.

You can find iconic raincoats similar in style to the original Mackintosh at any price point. Lands’ End and J. Crew offer mid-priced coats, while luxury brands like Burberry offer pricey but beautiful options.

Eddie Bauer, Helly Hansen, and more sell classic raincoats, like the bright yellow one featured in the novel “It” by Stephen King.

If this feels overwhelming, you are not alone. Throughout history, people worldwide have tried to waterproof their clothes, from stitching together panels of whale intestine in the Arctic to using straw and grass to make semi-waterproof capes in ancient China. With countless rainy days ahead, don’t be afraid to experiment with your outfits and find what works best. Future you will be drier and grateful for it.

Kathleen Shovlin ’29 (klshovlin@college.harvard.edu) is comping the “Harvard Independent.”