Haute College

Gene Kelly had is wrong when he belted out “Singing in the Rain” down the street. It’s hard for people to be jolly when their clothes are drenched with water and their hair is stuck to their face.

It’s hard to choose the right outfit during the rainy season in Athens. A 10-minute walk to class would leave jean bottoms soaked up to the knee. A few simple rainy day wardrobe pieces are necessary for walking on a college campus.

The first thing that comes to mind is the right umbrella. A ruined day happens when an umbrella goes missing or is not big enough. For example, a doused backpack could mean a damaged computer.

“It’s always a hat day when it rains if you don’t have an umbrella,” said Melody Margolin, an employee at The Other Place.

A simple baseball cap would do the trick, she said. When buying a new umbrella, women can add flash by buying a cute pattern.

“We’ve sold a lot of umbrellas this week, way more than usual,” said Ashleigh Snook, manager at The Other Place.

Another piece to a waterproof wardrobe are rainboots. They will keep feet and pant bottoms dry, although lack of comfort can deter purchase.

“I bought some at other place but they pinched my ankles so I don’t wear them anymore,” said Alicia Fiedler, a student at Baker Center suffering from a soaked outfit. “Now I want a trench coat — at some point I won’t be a college student and I won’t get away with wearing a hoodie tied to my chin.”

Substituting the hoodie for a nice cardigan or trench coat would be nice additions to an adult-looking wardrobe, said Matita Pardo, owner of the online story Cuskie Boutique and Ohio University alumna.

“I would also suggest flats that are closed toe because you want to keep your feet dry — that would be ideal,” she said. “It just depends on how the weather is.”

Cuskie sells different kinds of coats depending on temperature and rain durability, she said. Another great place to trench coat shop is Burlington Coat Factory, which has a whole section devoted to the beige look every spring.


(Athens weather can be tricky, be prepared for rain all day or spurts of sunny weather. Photo credit: Myself)

There are other rain day wardrobe options besides the staple pieces that can spice up a drabby outfit.

“I really like some cute shorts or a skirt (in navy blue or black) and a solid, white oxford shirt on top,” said Ali Howell, a graduate student in the School of Human and Consumer Sciences at OU. “You can go sort of conservative and then rock a pair of converse low tops or Chuck Taylors add a very structured rain coat and you are ready for a day in the rain.”
Snook and Howell both suggested wearing layers that are easy to remove, such as a scarf.

A color and scarf can add flare and color to a gray-day wardrobe when inside just like an umbrella seasons outer layering.

With only few more weeks left of Spring Quarter, students can invest in rainy day items that can last them until graduation. If not, summer may be a good time to buy them — glorious feelings could follow.