Rain Gear (Seattle, Tacoma: live in, areas, winter)

[70Ford]

I use an umbrella. I whip it out pretty much anywhere. It's multifunctional.

Whip it out as I leave Starbucks....to watch the horrified stares of the locals walking in.

I even take it on nature walks...and listen to the whispers of "Interloper!" and "Tourist!"

Many times, I simply use it to walk my kids to the car, protecting them from the elements as the neighbors make small clucking noises, "Look at him coddling those children! They'll never learn to enjoy the mist as we do." They make those strange noises....."SNIFF!""SNIFF!" as they breathe it in. "You'll LEARN to LOVE the MIZZLE!!!INTERLOPER!!!!" as they rush toward me, with bats and nunchaku raised high. "YEOWGH!!!RUN KIDS!!!! Daddy will save you!!!"

I raise my umbrella. "BACK! GET BACK! MIST-LOVERS!", as I swing wildly.
Down goes one old codger in his Eddie Bauer jacket. "HA! HA!" I yell, as the widening arc of my umbrella clears a path.

Strangers begin to gather, lattes in hand. From every corner of every parking lot, I see my Doom. "I will NEVER SUBMIT!" as the throng rushes over me, pulsing and chanting "Mizzle...mizzle...mizzle."

The night is silent. My kids creep from the car. "Dad, are you Ok?", they ask.
"Just fine, kids.", say I....as I pull my back up umbrella out of the trunk.

"I'm doing....just fine."

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http://www.city-data.com/forum/seatt...le-coat-2.html

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Actually, these days...I wear a (pseudo) suede jacket. My name is not Allforcats.

But, it is interesting...how much we are alike.

The times you need an umbrella, I can count on one hand. The times you just need a light jacket so you don't get so wet....ermm.. like 7~8 months out of the year.
I have a very nice, heavy wool London Fog coat. I'm still waiting for a good day to wear it. I've never seen anyone here wearing anything remotely like that.

http://www.tallyhouniforms.com/topcoat.htm

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[seattlerain]

As a native of Seattle I say go ahead and buy an umbrella and don't worry about what other people think, even I own an umbrella, however I honestly could not tell you when the last time I used it was...

After living here for a while, you may find that most of the time an umbrella is more of a nuisance, and your umbrella may end up in the deepest, darkest recesses of your closet!

[jenlion]

I bought three different umbrellas for my husband before we moved here as a funny christmas present. One very useful fold-up-tiny one, one bright green one, one bright blue one. Joked that the umbrellas would at least be cheerful in all the drizzle. And my husband really doesn't like getting rained on.

Well, those three umbrellas have been sitting in the closet since we moved here. Just like seattlerain said. It so rarely rains hard enough for the umbrella to do any good -- like others said, it's the mist/drizzle ("mizzle") that's most frequent. When it ACTUALLY rains, I'm surprised and unprepared. (Fortunatley, I could care less if I get rained on; that helps!).

Everyone is right that the right jacket is key. And shoes. Good warm and dry shoes and jacket, and you'll be set. I think if you have a hood on that right jacket, you can flip it up to keep your hair dry when you want to, so you don't have to worry about having an umbrella - that won't help in just mizzle -- handy all the time. Just keep it in the car for if it happens to rain harder sometime.

Tell your daughter how pretty she is with just a dusting of rain drops sitting on her hair. It can be very sweet, sort of ethereal in a way. Maybe that will help. :-)

[jenlion]

Originally Posted by 70Ford

Actually, these days...I wear a (pseudo) suede jacket. My name is not Allforcats.

But, it is interesting how much we are alike.

Oh, man, I had TOTALLY been wondering about that!! Guess I was wrong all this time!!! Sometimes, it's really easy to mix you two up.

[allforcats]

Originally Posted by jenlion

Oh, man, I had TOTALLY been wondering about that!! Guess I was wrong all this time!!! Sometimes, it's really easy to mix you two up.

How do I clean off all this Pepsi I just spit-taked all over my keyboard????
Jenlion, don't do that to me again!!!


P.S. Ford and I are secretly twins, but rarely tell anyone...

[CityGirl72]

A few words of advice from a person also from a dry hot climate.

Your hair will change. Whatever you are doing to it now - you will need to convert to a new style or lifestyle. The majority of women do nothing to their hair. I stopped doing mine - I used to flat iron it too - but it's just frizzy and brittle now. If I iron it - the mist will make it frizz

I've had to adjust how I shampoo and condition it too - the whole chemistry is different.

So don't be surprised

Oh nd my skin changed too, the first 6 months my skin broke out like CRAAAZY - then after a couple years I've realized I need to super condition it - because with the lack of sun my skin is need of vitamin supplements badly

[Pittgal]

I use an umbrella all the time. I don't care what people think. I just cannot bring myself to wear those rain jackets or rain shoes that everyone out here has. I personally think they look too grungy and sloppy. To each his own, you'll do what works best for you and thats all that matters!

[toughguy]

So what do you wear when its 20 degrees and snowing in Pittsburgh?

[Pittgal]

Originally Posted by toughguy

So what do you wear when its 20 degrees and snowing in Pittsburgh?

What does Pittsburgh have to do with Seattle? What are you trying to start with me? The thread talks about rain gear out here.

[toughguy]

You stated that rain gear is somehow grungy or sloppy looking...I am trying to figure out that head scratcher. Is cold weather gear also grungy?