For most women, the springtime is when we think about rainy season clothes. However, here in Arizona, it’s a whole different story.
But that doesn’t mean you can’t get creative with what you have in your closet. By wearing these rainy season clothes for other times, you are making your closet more sustainable.
Join the Ageless style group as we give you ideas no matter if you live in the rainy part of the world or in the desert.
Quote of the day: “The difference between misery and happiness depends on what we do with our attention.” Sharon Salzberg
We have over 300 days of sunshine here in Phoenix, but in a normal summer, we do have monsoons. The first summer we moved here the monsoons took a vacation and the news called in nonsoons (creative, right?).
Yet, just because there are items we think about when you say rainy season clothes, doesn’t mean they can’t be worn for non-rainy days. It’s no different than wearing our workwear after we retire. Just stop thinking of them that way and think of their function instead.
Lesley, Charlotte, and I will discuss the 3 most popular rainy season clothes: rain boots, a raincoat, and an umbrella. Plus, I’ve included other ideas below for these same items to make them incredibly sustainable.
Related post: What to pack for rainy weather
(Rain) Boots are Made for Walking
The secret of getting more use out of your rain boots? Just think about them as boots. Boots can be worn whenever you want to keep your feet warm or dry, and it doesn’t matter what they are made of.
So here are some other occasions when you should grab the rain boots.
1-Snow or slush. Because they are rubber, they will keep your feet dry.
Insider tip: If you need extra warmth, there are boot socks available.
2-Traipsing through any kind of field or orchard. The higher shaft can protect you from any creatures or dirt.
Related post: Worn for an apple picking outing
3-They would be perfect at those water fountain areas at the outdoor parks and centers if your kids or grandkids are playing in the water. You can play with them and not get your feet wet.
4- Anytime you want to wear boots. Think of them as stylish footwear especially since many rain boots are super cute or colorful.
Personal Story
It wasn’t until we booked our trip to Alaska years ago that I even thought about buying rain boots. To prove it you can see my first pair in our Alaska post. Yet, even in Denver, there isn’t much rain and it’s an arid environment, so the boots cracked around the foot. I wish I had thought to repair them, but instead, I found this leopard pair while thrifting.
Rain Boots Outfit Details
I decided to style a white denim skirt and sheer navy top. The navy top has some amazing designs on it that wouldn’t be evident if I had worn a navy camisole under it. Instead, I wore a light pink cami, but any color that isn’t dark would be wonderful.
The boots provide a whimsical feature with the leopard print, and then I added pops of bright pink with my earrings, bracelet, and purse.
Even though the necklace isn’t a focus of the outfit, it was a gift from my husband when we were engaged and it holds many dear memories. Pearls are being seen everywhere, so pull yours out and wear them with a casual look.
BTW, when I was removing the label from the sheer top, the fabric tore. And so I almost threw it out. But then I decided to stitch up the tear and hope it looks like part of the design. Can you even tell??
Moral of the story: Stop obsessing over those “imperfections” that only we are aware of.
Skirt: Just Black from Fashom~~ Top: label removed-secondhand~~ Boots: Aldo-thrifted ~~ Necklace: from my hubby~~Earrings: Amazon ~~ Purse: Steinmart
Umbrellas in the Sun
Of course, if you live in a rainy part of the country, umbrellas are a part of your life. And they are one of those rainy season essentials that we keep in the car at all times.
Yet you can use them for the sun and snow too. In fact, I have a couple of sun parasols that I have used to protect myself from the sun shown when I wore a halter top.
Advantages of an umbrella for the sun:
1-They don’t mess up your hair as a sunhat does.
2-It covers more of your body as opposed to just your face and neck.
Disadvantages:
1-You have to carry it with your hands.
2-Watch out, you don’t want to poke someone’s eye out!
While rain umbrellas can do double duty as sun parasols, it doesn’t work the other way around.
Personal Story
It was so interesting when we were visiting friends in Seattle that the store had a wet umbrella bag wrapper in one of the stores. I was so enthralled with it since I had never seen one before.
Charlotte said they had them in Hong Kong too.
Insider tip: If you haven’t ever tried the reverse-opening umbrellas (on Amazon), you should check them out. We have one and love it.
Umbrella Outfit Details
Charlotte bought this Burberry tartan plaid umbrella when she saw it at the store because of her love of this plaid.
While most of us normal people wouldn’t style an outfit around an umbrella, it’s not a terrible idea if you know you’ll be carrying it.
BTW, give up on only having black umbrellas. If you find a colorful one, you’ll stand out in the sea of black ones.
Charlotte is styling brown and white with her Chicos pants and tank top from our Chico’s event years ago. Instead of the brown and white cardigan, she wore a white lace blazer which is a wonderful alternative to a white denim jacket. Notice the silver snakeskin print flats too!!
Insider tip: If you know you’ll be carrying an umbrella or parasol, it’s much easier to carry a crossbody purse or belt bag.
Pants: Chicos c/o~~ Jacket: EFAM from Japan~~ Top: Chicos c/o~~ Shoes: Naturalizer-Macys ~~ Earrings: Toledo Art Museum giftshop~~ Purse: Vince Camuto-thrifted~~Umbrella: Macys
Raincoat for Everyday
All of the “it” women always talk about how a trench coat is such a basic coat, so of course, you should wear it no matter if it’s raining or not. So wear your raincoat for outings where you need an extra layer for warmth. Or in the case of Lesley, to add some fabulous color to the look.
If you want to get even more creative, your coat could even be styled as a dress or tunic depending on its length. Trust me, I thought this was silly the first time a saleslady suggested it, but it’s seriously very sustainable to make our clothing do double (or triple) duty.
Related post: My jacket worn as a dress
Don’t forget that your coat can be worn in colder weather too. If you have lots of layers underneath it, it can be the perfect overcoat for winter (as we have showcased before).
Insider tip: If you have a trench coat and don’t love the length anymore, think about having it cut off to be cropped (like Nancy’s here).
Outfit Details
Lesley said her outfit reminded her of the Warning Poem by Jenny Joseph that starts off with “When I am an old woman, I shall wear purple” (here is the rest of the poem).
She’s had this classic red trench coat for about 10 years. In her words: “Because I have a high waist, it looks goofy tying it in front, and I’m not crazy about the tie in the back styling because if I’m sitting, then the buckle digs into my back or tush.
Therefore I style my coat with the belt hanging loose in the back and the ends rolled up and tucked into the pockets.
I really like how the coat is double-breasted which gives a slim look instead of being puffy. And since the coat is lightweight, it is good for evenings in the spring and fall here in Arizona.”
Coat: DKNY ~~Dress: Jostar~~Shoes: Alfani~~ Scarf: from her stash~~Purse: no label
Other Ideas for Rainy Season Clothes and Items
Now let’s explore even more ideas for rainy season clothes or items so your closet can be even more sustainable.
When the rain boots crack, or the umbrella won’t open easily anymore, how about these ideas instead of throwing them out.
BTW, those pink rain boots are Lesley’s front porch decor. The umbrella photo was found online.
Need more ideas for those old rain boots. This article (not mine) is full of them.
Or take them to DSW and donate them to Soles4Souls. You get rewards as a VIP member (information here).
Ageless Style with Rainy Season Clothes
The Ageless Style group is a wonderful variety of women who can give you inspiration. Pop over to their blogs to see their version of outfits with rainy season clothes. We don’t all post at the same time.
Bo ~ Bo’s Bodacious Blog
Blog / Instagram /Pinterest / Bloglovin’
Joanne ~ My Slice of Life
Blog
Jodie ~ Jodie’s Touch of Style
Blog | Instagram | Facebook |
Marsha~ Marsha in the Middle
Blog /Instagram
Mireille ~ Chez Mireille Fashion Travel Mom
Blog | Instagram | Pinterest | Facebook |
Rosemary ~ Distinctly Southern Style
Blog / Instagram / Pinterest / Facebook
Robin ~ Hello I am 50ish
Blog / Instagram / Pinterest / Facebook
My Goal
Thank you for visiting my space on the internet. I like to showcase how it’s never too late to look great for women of any age, size, or working with any budget.
I feel I’m here to help move beyond the fashion rules of yesterday and evolve. Style and clothes are made to give you joy. Not cause us stress because we are worried about what others think.
My hope is that you get ideas and inspiration from Charlotte, Lesley, and myself. It’s not about copying what we wear, but about using what you already have and updating items along the way.
Most of all it’s getting us to think differently and dare I say, have fun?
Don’t Miss a Thing
I hope you have enjoyed what you’ve read here, and I look forward to you signing up to be part of my email family.
I also appreciate any shares so others can benefit from our fashions and fun.
Another way to support my blog – it’s the idea of giving someone a tip for good service or information without having to buy a product.
You can receive an email each time I post. My emails are a place where I share more personal happenings along with special offers.
Why should you sign up for the emails below? I include some personal tidbits in these emails along with other happenings, sales, information, and links. So I hope you join me on this journey.
Welcome to Jodie’s Touch of Style. I’m here to prove that it’s never too late to look great. Clothing and style are meant to showcase your inner personality. So let’s have fun and try new things.
It’s not just about me on this blog, but also my mother and friend. We get to showcase not only different decades of life but also different body shapes and unique personal styles.
Find out more about all of us here. And make sure to join the email list where I include so much more.
