Dress Tips for Men on Rainy Days
It’s inevitable: one day you’ll be dressing up in front of your closet, and then the clouds outside suddenly turn gray and the weather becomes foul. As much as you want to look good outside, you probably don’t want to get your more stylish pieces soiled by the rain and the city flotsam. How do you get to the office dry and debonair?
Come Out, Outerwear
Whenever it rains, your outerwear is a must not only as a fashion piece but a practical necessity. No matter how much you hate that trench or despise your old coat, it’s time to don it – at least all the way to the office lobby. Even when you have an umbrella or a car to take to work, there’s still a good chance of your outfit sans outerwear getting ruined by the deluge.
If you happen to live in one of those places that get rain regularly – think England and those east coast states near the Atlantic – then you absolutely should have at least one good coat in your wardrobe. A simple black, navy or khaki trench coat or peacoat are best because they’re very versatile and aren’t season-reliant. The ones with water repellent treatments are pricier, but they’re way better than wearing some cheap PVC raincoat.
Although it would still be a good idea, you don’t necessarily have to plan your entire look around your outerwear. If you can’t find anything to match an olive green military jacket, don’t fret about it. Just wear it to work and then take it off as soon as convenient. You’ll just take longer to dress up if you insist on having everything match, even though your jacket comes off as soon as you step into the office.
Boots are Best
Leather shoes are most probably part of your daily work uniform, but even the priciest, most waterproofed leather shoes are defenseless against torrential rain. As soon as the raindrops start falling on your head, it’s time to rethink your shoe strategy.
Wearing boots – yes, even the PVC variety – is usually a good idea for those really rainy days. There are countless boots out there with a slip-in style, so you wear them just to keep your precious leather shoes protected while you’re in transit. If you’re not a boots person, you can just pop them off when you get to the office and then continue as usual.
But just because you’re wearing boots doesn’t mean that you should let your leather shoes go without any protection. Get the habit of regularly applying waterproof treatment and leather conditioner on your leather shoes to help protect against water damage and the other ails of leather. Remember, though, that those chemicals can only go so far; you still shouldn’t make your leathers go through a flood or some really heavy rains.
Stick to Classics
The last (but not least) thing you should remember is to stick to your classic pieces when the weather outside turns foul. First of all, classic pieces like that plain white shirt or solid black tie are also the most versatile. Even if you’re matching your outfit with the most random jacket you find, chances are still good that nothing on you will clash.
At the same time, your classic pieces are also the easiest to replace. Because every store from Old Navy to Michael Kors carries designs like that, it’s not very hard to replace them should they get ruined in the rain. Avant garde pieces, meanwhile, are usually one of a kind and will cost a lot of time and money to replace in your wardrobe.
The secret to soggy weather style isn’t necessarily what will look best, but what will look safest. Even if another guy from the office looks like he came straight off the runway in his clothes, you’ll still be having the last laugh when the worst of the rain pours down.
Related Readings:
Proper Casual Friday Attire
Etiquette for Business Dinners
Your Cheap Neckties Team