Florida rain is not romantic. It’s not the kind of rain that pours down from the heavens like a Notebook makeout scene. Florida rain smells like reclaimed water.
I step out into torrential down pouring, Ryan Gosling is not waiting for me- chemistry is. Late to class, the hem of my yoga pants is sopping and so are my chem notes. As part of a Florida university, you would expect the student body of UT to be prepared for rain, like our northern compatriots are prepared for snow with their fuzzy hats and puffy coats. Yet, when the rainy season rolls around, I find us to be miserable, hunched over in dripping sweat shirts and sloshing about in sliders.
Despite living in the sunshine state, it rains- quite frequently, come spring time. It’s time to invest in a raincoat.
The raincoat originates from UK circa the early 1800s as Scotsman Charles Macintosh invented the first waterproof fabric using the byproduct of petroleum distillation, coal-tar naphtha. Naphtha was dissolved with rubber to create a waterproofing solution to be applied to coats, boots, etc. From this Scottish inventor comes the “Mackintosh” or Mac (the spelling changed over the years), the common colloquialism for raincoats in Great Britain today.
The Brits were not the first to dislike getting wet- Amazonian Indians of the 13th century coated their feet and capes in rubber to repel water. Amid the 18th century, substantial advances in waterproofing fabrics were made using rubber. However, rubber raincoat wearers ran into some issues with varying temperatures: when the weather was hot, the fabric became “supple and tacky,” while in colder weather it became inflexible and hard. Macintosh’s advances brought us the wearable raincoat that we use today.
Today, the best raincoats are made of tightly woven fabric, be it vinyl or polyester. To get a raincoat of the highest quality, look to Burberry. Thomas Burberry created the all-weather trench coat for WWI soldiers. Under the designs of Christopher Bailey, the Burberry Trench has become an international style staple, but has not compromised its utilitarian roots as an impeccable raincoat.
If Burberry isn’t calculated into your monthly budget (if only it was), look to an outdoor outfitters like L.L. Bean. The price range will vary depending on how adamant you are about staying dry, ranging from $50 to $150. L.L. Bean raincoats are limited in design with a few bright colors to choose from, like the white coat pictured. However, the quality is unquestionable. Look for the raincoats that specify “moisture wicking” or “breathable” to avoid sweating in the rain, an ironic and unfortunate occasion. Since L.L. Bean is a northern company, you’d have to order online; presently, shipping is free.
If you’re not so Bear Grills, look to Urbanoutfitters.com. They offer a clear vinyl raincoat with an adorable cherry lining. The jacket snaps up the front in case you need to rip your coat off quickly, for whatever reason (Superman). The only problem with purely vinyl coats is that they get sticky when it’s muggy outside, and there aren’t many times when Florida isn’t muggy. Urban also offers other more utilitarian raincoats in more flattering and dynamic designs than L.L. Bean, for roughly the same cost at an expense of quality. Their ponchos in neon colors are cute, but you must be tall/a hipster to pull them off- or risk looking like a neon grocery bag.
A raincoat is only half the matter- sopping sneakers are annoying for those who wear them and even more so for those who have to hear your constant squeaking. God bless Target for always offering cheaply made things for even cheaper prices- the pair of pink boots pictured were $25 and have lasted three years. The inside is covered in a shoddy fuzzy fabric that sheds on my socks. Although some of the rubber lining is falling off, there’s nothing super glue can’t fix. The floral raincoat along with the pink leopard- print rain boots are also from le Target. Classic and simple in design, rain boots work with either shorts or skinny jeans or a dress, depending upon the temperature. Unlike Ugg boots, rain boots and shorts are acceptable in summer months, and look particularly flippant in cheery colors. Conversely, in the fall and winter months, wear the same boots over top tights or knee high socks in more muted colors.
Although everyone always seems to lose/steal them, umbrellas are also key to staying dry during April showers. Umbrellas never need to match your outfit so finding the most obnoxious umbrella is encouraged. The black floral umbrella pictured is very Holly Golightly. If you’re a person of class, order a $30 umbrella from the Met of Monet’s “Water Lilies” or Picasso’s “Starry Night.” If you’re like my charming roommate and can speak French, order the umbrella from Pinkergreen that reads “Merde Il Pleut” (Google translate it).
Whether or not global warming is occurring, make sure to stay dry this spring season with a raincoat, rain boots and an umbrella. The only adequate reason to go running in the rain is Ryan Gosling.
Katelyn Edwards can be reached at katelyn.edwards@spartans.ut.edu.
Photos by Victoria Delone. Victoria can be reached at victoria.delone@spartans.ut.edu.