Rainy day lessons learned

So, ladies, what have we learned this week in order that we stay dry, stylish and comfortable in the wet weather? 

1. How to avoid hat hair, by carrying dry shampoo with us, utilising the bathroom hand drier or being wise with our choice of hairdo.
2. That wearing appropriate footwear is key. For the ultimate in stylish practicality, choose a glam welly. But at the very least, avoid ballet pumps (the sole is too thin and they're too open, meaning they'll soak up all moisture and leave the underside of your foot wet, or, should you stumble blindly into a puddle, your entire foot will be submerged and sopping for the rest of the day). Also forget about wearing open toes, suede, Uggs (the soles have zero grip and you'll slide around like Todd Carty on Dancing On Ice) and pale leather, which will soak up the rain and discolour.
3. That a pretty brolly can cheer up a grey day, but a hardwearing brolly that will stay strong in harsh weather is a bad-hair-phobe's best friend. Also, we learned to observe brolly etiquette on the street and public transport, and that it's important to allow one's brolly to dry out fully, so as not to smell like a wet dog.
4. How to protect a leather handbag from getting ruined in the rain and how best to rescue it should it accidentally be subject to a downpour.

Valuable seasonal lessons indeed. And might I also throw in another couple of tips, while I think of them - forget about wearing what my friend refers to as 'festival jeans' in rainy weather. This is the pair that's slightly too long on the leg and drags on the ground slightly, leaving a casually frayed hem at the back where they scuff on the ground. These jeans will soak up rainwater on your way to work, all the way up to your knees if you're unlucky. Then you have to become a contortionist in the loos as you try to hoist your leg up towards the hand drier. Skinny jeans tucked into long boots or ankle-length pairs are far more suitable for rain wearage.

Ooh, and one last thought - you might want to choose carefully where you shop when the heavens open. Buy anything from a store that uses recyclable paper bags (yes, Primark, that includes you), and that bag will instantly disintegrate when wet, so you'll be left shoving your £3 shoes and uber-haul of accessories (you know there's no way you'll be leaving with just the one cocktail ring when they're only £1) into your already-groaning-at-the-seams handbag.

Stay dry out there.

Picture: Worldwidehippies.com