Aloïs, Paris underwater correspondent, may 10th 2019.

After 10 days disappearance, sun shined timidly this morning only to soon be replaced by dark clouds. Loosing hope. Haven’t dried in days. Just heard a drop. Trying to fight back in style. Hair won’t cooperate.

Here are my tips on how to fight rain depression. Hope it helps.

1/ Proper shoes for spring rain

a/ Avoids

As you probably now, rain is deadly to suede, even waterproofed so, as much as you can, keep them in if there is a rain hazard.

Same for shoes with a wide ankle opening that could become water tanks.

Of course, sandals and all but hey… you knew that right. Though I would like to underline that anything espadrille like is an absolute NO. The rain will soak them to the bones and then they will proceed to rot and accompany you with a nice moldy smell wherever you go. I lost a pair to a storm. May them rest in peace. Instagram memorial service here.

b/ Wears

The BEST are rubber boots. You can jump in the puddles and make a splash around. Yet, I guess you are not 5yo anymore and that your everyday life requires some style responsabilities. Otherwise you would not be behind your screen reading me.

Rejoice, rubber boots nostalgic! Some brands have developed rather stylish alternatives for reasonable grown ups. Love the “Lemon Jellies”.

If you do not live in a city with too much rain, like say Paris before it turned tropical, you can definitely get away with leather boots. Choose a leather not too fragile and keep it well fed. Like your skin, it needs hydration (not by skyfallen water OBVIOUSLY), so wax them on a regular basis. Rubber soles are optimal for waterproof purposes. If your shoes have a leather sole you MUST have a rubber sole added. Patent leather is pretty naturally waterproofed and do not need additional treatment.

Boots are a convenient shape that protects most of the feet but you could also use any other leather shoes that keep you far enough from the ground and forbid any water to enter. Like loafers or derbies.

Sneakers, if not leather made are not optimal as they soak up the water.

2/ Proper coat for rain spring rain

a/ Trench coats

As you can guess from their name, trench coats were created by Thomas Burberry for the “trenches” during WW1. They were made in an innovative very tightly woven cotton fabric: the gaberdine.

Today, if you are looking for a rather water repellent trench coat, look for this fabric. You’ll recognize it by its stiffness. The cheap brand often are too soft and do not protect from rain.

b/ K-ways

You may or may not wonder what the hell I am talking about. I do not know if this brand is famous outside of France so here is a little history. K-way is a rain and wind proof nylon (another french invention ^^) jackets brands created in France in 1965. They have a belly pocket that transforms into a fanny pack where you would stuff and store your jacket “just in case” it would rain (“en K” that would later become “K-way”). As a kid from the nineties, my mom (along with every other french moms) would have me pack my K-way whenever there where threatening clouds at a distance. Since fanny packs were raging at that moment, I was not reluctant. The product became so iconic that many brands copied it. Which led to a drop in sales.

We almost forgot about this brand and were mostly making fun about it.

It did raises from its ashes. In 2013, the brands makes a noticed come back in France with the opening of 5 trendy shops in Paris where the practical rainjacket is turned into a fashionable item.

So here you go! If you are looking for a light and hip waterproof jacket, get yourself a K way! Fanny packs are back too <3

c/ Raincoats

In the last years tooons of super cool raincoats were released on the market.

Here are my two favs but you can find amazing mockups everywhere. Asos has tons of them and I think that if you go for plastic rather than polyester, you can’t go wrong even at a low price point. However cheap coating will deteriorate super fast.

Petit bateau

Their “ciré” sailor inspired oilskin jacket, created around 2013 has immediatly become a staple of the brand. Initially produced only in yellow, a favorite colors amongst sailors that wanted to be spotted in the storm, it became a hit in Paris. So much that you would see them multiply as soon as the rain begun to drop.

I must admit to have succumbed myself. And well, the fact that there are duplicates of myself all around the city won’t stop me from using it. It is comfy, the shape is cute, the cap is just large enough and the fabric indeed perfectly waterproof and this still after 5 years. Yet I have to be honest with you, the polyester outer layer has started to deteriorate at the edges and on pockets. I wished it would have been a lifelong purchase…

Despite its mortal nature, if you wish to get yourself some french cuteness rainproofing, it now exists in a permanently updated range of colors.

Rains

Rains, the well named danish born rain proof coats and jacket brand has amazing designs and colors.
I haven’t had the chance to wear one yet, but I would be glad to 🙂

If you want to be stylish even went it is raining strands go for it (french for raining cats and dogs, I think we do make more sense don’t you? I mean cats and dogs really?).

3/ Proper umbrellas

I must say that my umbrellas consumption may lead me to bankrupcy. I shall include it in my professional fees. Let me tell you how it goes. It rains. I use my umbrellas (given I was clever enough to pack it). I enter the shop. Rain stops. I leave the shop umbrella free, smiling at the sun, rainbows in my eyes. Rains starts again. I realize umbrella has been forgotten. I forget where. I may or may not find it again. Gets soaked for a few weeks. Proceeds to buy new umbrellas. Until the cycle starts again.

I would love to be an elegant women, with a stylish umbrellas. But my safe choices are the foldable ones that I am way less likely to forget everywhere I go. Lifespan of a non foldable umbrella in my hands counts in minutes. Therefore I won’t go for the super cool umbrellas I am about to present you. But if you own a more reliable head than myself, you can. And do NOT go for the super cheap ones. You’ll look cheap yourself and they’ll break within a day leaving you with a sad, broken flappy unefficient protection.

I think umbrellas are a wonderful accessory to your style an they can make the greyest of day look brighter! That is why I would recommend to go for colors and prints <3

The so adorable transparent rainbow umbrella from quality french brand Isotoner.

Also you can see through it and avoid bumping on every passerby on crowded parisian streets.

For cool foldable umbrellas, you can also look into Isotoner’s range (they have foldable transparent one but they do not look as cool as the former) or And other stories (although they do not display them on the website, they always have the coolest prints and quite resistant structure). French readers will find satisfying choices at Monoprix. Their starry one is always my fav.

Yet, if I recommend some fun, I still advise you to do a versatile choice. Neutral colors prints as those stars, a leopard or rainbow colors will adjust with a lot. But a pink umbrella or a Van Gogh printed one won’t.

Voilà! If you do not hear from me soon, consider me drowned.

And you? How do you stay stylish when it’s pouring?