I am surprised at the number of people in inappropriate rain gear

[Anonymous]

I was at Giant earlier in the downpour and a casual glance at my fellow shoppers showed me the little thought people seem to put into getting dressed when leaving the house in the rain. Ugg boots, large soaking sweatshirts, sneakers, wet hair.

Why not just wear a pain of rainboots, rain jacket and have an umbrella in your car?

[Anonymous]

Getting wet doesn’t really bother me.

[Anonymous]

I hate rain coats... or coats at all. Why do you care?

[Anonymous]

About 12 years ago I invested in a really great pear of rain boots (French brand named Aigle, highly recommend) and a really good rain jacket and it was such a game changer for me. Before that I just had cheap rain gear -- knock off Hunter wells and whatever cute but only minimally rain resistant rain jacket I could buy on sale.

It's like finally getting a proper parka and lined snow boots for truly cold winter weather after years of scraping by with cheaper, less functional options.

I don't really know why, but when I was young I had this idea that practical clothes were not attractive, but also I had very little money so I often bought cheap versions of even impractical weather gear and it was so unnecessarily miserable.

[Anonymous]

I grew up in Scotland, where rain boots and raincoat are something you use day in, day out.

I've noticed that in less-rainy parts of the world, people are put off by these items and view them as cumbersome and uncomfortable. They'd rather get soaked a few times a year than learn which boots work for them, and which rain coats have the best peaked hood and least leaky pockets. It takes experience they don't have to choose the best rain gear.

So my kids dash out of class in the least heavy outfit allowed by me and decency. My husband, born in a tropical place where you get wet because it's too warm to get dressed, has finally allowed me to select a raincoat and boots for him. He wears them now. We've been married 20 years.

[Anonymous]

I’m allergic to plastic

[Anonymous]

I’m nearly 50, born and raised in the dc metro area where it only rains occasionally, and I’ve never owned rain gear.

I can dash to my car without needing rain boots and a slicker.

[Anonymous]

I don't have rain boots.

[Anonymous]

I have a rain coat, but find rain boots uncomfortable, probably because mine are cheap.

[Anonymous]

I used to live in Seattle, I have lots of rain gear. Kids there go outside for recess rain or shine. My kids had about 3 pairs of waterproof pants, rain boots, and even their sneakers were water resistant. When it wasn't raining I would still dress us all in rain pants for the playground, because the slides and benches are usually wet.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Getting wet doesn’t really bother me.

Same

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I grew up in Scotland, where rain boots and raincoat are something you use day in, day out.

I've noticed that in less-rainy parts of the world, people are put off by these items and view them as cumbersome and uncomfortable. They'd rather get soaked a few times a year than learn which boots work for them, and which rain coats have the best peaked hood and least leaky pockets. It takes experience they don't have to choose the best rain gear.

So my kids dash out of class in the least heavy outfit allowed by me and decency. My husband, born in a tropical place where you get wet because it's too warm to get dressed, has finally allowed me to select a raincoat and boots for him. He wears them now. We've been married 20 years.

Please give recommendations. I grew up in Florida.

[Anonymous]

We don't need that stuff very often here, especially now with WFH/no commute.

[Anonymous]

It’s the DC area. No one ever dresses appropriately for the weather.

[Anonymous]

I have rain boots and an ok rain coat, but they aren’t very comfortable. If I’m going to be walking around mostly outside, I will wear them. Like walking to pick up the kids from school today, or sight seeing in a city. But if I’m going someplace that just involves dashing from the car to the store/restaurant, I’d rather get a little bit damp than have to spend the entire meal in clunky rain boots.