How to rain proof your summer wardrobe
OnCe again we have one of those frustratingly changeable summers with sunshine one minute and a deluge of rain the next.
Thankfully, there are some ingenious ways to rainproof your wardrobe so that you can wear sandals or carry a straw basket without getting soggy in a sudden downpour.
BONE DRY TOES
Tiger Feet, £2.99, funkyleisure.co.uk SAnDAlS are all well and good when it’s sunny, but when it starts raining you might as well be walking on cardboard.
Instead of sloshing around, pop a pair of disposable covers over your shoes. A step up from the overshoes doctors and car mechanics wear, Tiger Feet are guaranteed to make you feel glam, mud or no mud. one size fits all.
TRUE BLUE BONNET
Gift Republic Rock A Bonnet, £4.01, amazon.co.uk IF YoU thought rain hats were only for the blue rinse brigade, think again. This vintagestyle bonnet is gloriously kitsch. It’s fun, eye-catching and ever so practical.
You get two in the pack: one plain, one covered with hearts. Your grandma would approve.
RAINCOAT FOR YOUR HANDBAG
The Handbag Raincoat, £19.50, shopbop.com MADe of water-repellent clear polyurethane, you simply Velcro this ‘coat’ over your handbag and use the handle as normal.
when the rain stops, whip off the cover and pop it in its carrying pouch. The handbag raincoat comes in three sizes: mini, medium and large, so there is one to fit everything from a clutch to a tote.
WORLD’S TINIEST BROLLY
Knirps 811 X1 ultra thin folding umbrella, £32.44, amazon.co.uk THIS telescopic umbrella claims to be the tiniest in the world, so and will fit into the most minuscule of summer bags.
It measures just 7in and weighs about the same as a small paperback, but it still manages to keep off the rain, opening up to a generous 37in span.
It has its own smart carry case and there’s a choice of three colours: black, navy and, my favourite, hot red.
ALL WRAPPED UP
Rainwrap, £44.99, cyclechic.co.uk. CAReFRee summer cycling is no fun if you are caught in a downpour. Protect your legs as you walk or cycle with this waterproof wrap-around skirt. Designed by a mother-and-daughter team, the skirt is great for protecting summer frocks from rain and is long enough to shield trousers.
You simply wrap it around your waist like an apron with the reflective strap at the back.
when the sun comes out, whip off the wrap and you can use it as a waterproof picnic mat. Choose from black or red.
PONCHO FIT FOR A PRINCESS
Rain poncho, £3, flyingtiger.com wATeRPRooF ponchos proved de rigueur at the Queen’s birthday party. This sunny-coloured cover-up could tempt you.
Produced by the clever design company Flying Tiger, it’s cheap and so cheerful that it should brighten up even the stormiest day.
PET PARASOL
Transparent dog umbrella, £19.99 petspyjamas.com IF YoU’Re sick of your dog racing into the house after a rainy walk and shaking his wet coat all over your soft furnishings, this umbrella (pictured above) could be the answer.
It’s attached to a short lead that you simply clip on to your dog’s collar.
The brolly then shields your dog while you stroll along holding the handle.
or at least that’s the idea. The second I approached with the unfurled brolly, my soppy cockapoo Milo started cowering in terror. But if you have a braver dog, this could do the trick.
REPEL THE RAINDROPS
Water Repellent: Storm Proofer, £3.50 for 75ml, stormcare.co.uk AVoID a drenching by making your clothes water-repellent.
This clever liquid from specialist company Storm waterproofing is suitable for all washable fabrics. You just pour it into the fabric conditioner compartment of your washing machine and wash as normal.
After drying indoors or outside on a clothes line (if you can avoid the showers), leave in a warm room for 12 hours for the product to take full effect.
For non-washable clothes — such as leather jackets — spray with Jacket Proofer (£7.50 for 250ml) and watch the raindrops slide right off.
WATERPROOF YOUR PHONE
Overboard waterproof large phone case, £14.50, qvcuk.com IF, lIKe me, you’ve been caught in the rain with your phone in your pocket and got home to discover it as dead as a dodo, you’ll love this handy waterproof jacket. It works like a tablet cover — just pop it over your phone and, hey presto, your phone is waterproof.
It’s also submersible up to 19ft and — should it land in water — will float. The transparent front means you can browse, chat or snap away in the rain. Comes in black only.