Rain, rain, go away

Rain, rain go away, come again another day. If only! It really does seem to be quite unrelenting at the moment here in the South East of England. I’m very glad indeed that I managed to get some discounted Doc Martin boots at the beginning of the winter (or should I say “rainy”) season. Puddles seem to be a permanent fixture on the school run now. Oh yes, and the mud, if you are unfortunate enough to be side-lined on to the grass when it all gets a bit congested. Any doubts about getting fairly flamboyant boots ((see my “Feeling blue” blog) seem totally irrelevant now as I appreciate having warm, dry feet above all else at the moment. As for keeping the rest of me dry, I’m still undecided as to what works best. The least said about umbrellas, the better. I think I’m more or less decided that I’ll only persevere with an umbrella if I’m dressed up to the nines and exiting a taxi with a short walk to my destination i.e. a rare occasion indeed! lol
Fashion or practicality was the dilemma I had when choosing a raincoat a few months ago. I stood there in the shop, soaking wet from yet another downpour and I think I was swayed by the thought of looking über fashionable for once. Perhaps I thought that wearing a white raincoat would somehow brighten up a dull day. In my mind I’d imagined wearing a stylish, colourful but above all practical raincoat. The reality was though that the choice in the shops was either practical and dull or fashionable and useless. As I got colder and colder and more fed up, I was swayed by the lure of fashion. Unfortunately I’ve not really worn the coat since as it’s not very warm and not long enough to keep my legs dry. In my youth I would have customised the coat and turned it into a very flamboyant but practical coat without thinking twice. I think that my challenge will now be to make do and mend but in a more understated way. Watch this space!

The Scandinavian in me is thinking that there’s a gap in the market for stylish but completely practical clothing in the UK. There’s no doubt that over the last three or four years there’s been a significant change in the climate. Whether this is temporary or long-term remains to be seen, but in the meantime I’d like to see more choice in footwear, coats and hats too. The last time I wore a rain hat was probably when I was a carefree youngster. Back then, rain was just another thing to have fun with. I always associated it with having hot chocolate and warm baths afterwards at the end of a day’s play. As an adult though, it can get quite wearing. Perhaps I’ll even consider wearing a rain hat. Oh dear! I never thought it would come to this! Right, surely Stockholm Fashion Week produced some cool head-gear by some cool Scandi. Keep an open mind gal! Rain hat does not necessarily mean plastic bag lookalike over blue rinse hair! And anyway, what’s wrong with that come to think of it? Needs must! Time to make do, improvise and change with the times.

Hoping you’re warm and dry, wherever you are,
Katrine