These Rainy-Day Chic Outfits Were The Hero Of New York Fashion Week
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Overview
There’s nothing worst then the torment of a rainy day ruining your plans. One thing I’ve learned from this season of New York Fashion Week is to never let a few drops of water stop you from serving up a photo-worthy look. Fellow show goers seem to be on the same page, too. A few simple styling tricks combined with functional accessories can make dressing to impress a cinch, even during a flood watch.
I like to coordinate my umbrella with my outfit. It, after all, becomes part of the look if you’re carrying it around. If you’re doing a bit of walking, which is kind of a non-negotiable in NYC, the right footwear matters. Ahead, you’ll see a combination of cute, timeless rain boots mixed with glamorous yet surprisingly practical shoes that can handle a wet sidewalk without sacrificing the entire outfit.
But the biggest takeaway from NYFW street style? Dressing for bad weather doesn’t mean every single thing you wear needs to be waterproof. Instead, it’s about choosing where to be practical. A rain boot can make a frilly lace dress work in a downpour. A hood can eliminate the need for an umbrella altogether. And sometimes a closed-toe shoe, cropped hem pants, and a really good parasol are enough to get the job done.
Ahead, I’m breaking down five rainy-day outfits worth stealing from the streets of New York Fashion Week — including my own.
This might be my favorite rainy-day styling equation because the contrast is so good. Instead of letting practical green rain boots dictate the rest of the outfit, they’re paired with a delicate white lace dress and cropped trench cape.
It works because nothing is pretending to be something it isn’t. The boots are unapologetically functional. The dress is unapologetically pretty. And the trench bridges the two, giving the look enough structure that the combination feels intentional rather than like someone changed shoes at the last minute.
It’s also the easiest formula here to recreate: Take the outfit you actually wanted to wear, then swap your precious footwear for a great rain boot.
The styling trick: Don’t build your entire outfit around your rain boots. Sometimes the coolest way to wear them is with something completely unexpected.
If there was ever an argument for making the hood part of the outfit, this is it.
Instead of treating rain protection as something to throw on at the last minute, this look builds it directly into the styling. The black hood creates a dramatic frame around the face while allowing those vivid green trousers to remain the focal point. Even better, their cropped, slightly flared silhouette avoids the cardinal rainy-day sin of fabric sweeping across a wet sidewalk.
And while metallic heeled sandals certainly aren’t the first shoes I’d recommend for trekking across Manhattan in a storm, I appreciate a Queen who commits. Fashion Week does occasionally require accepting that practicality has its limits.
The styling trick: A hood or headscarf can function as both rain protection and an accessory, especially when the rest of the outfit is doing something fun.
Details
This is exactly the kind of high-low styling I want to see during Fashion Week. A sporty, oversized track jacket is inherently practical for unpredictable weather (even if it is Saint Laurent), but pairing it with black capri leggings makes the whole thing feel intentional rather than purely functional.
The woven black shoulder bag adds another texture element without competing with the jacket, while the cropped leggings solve the wet-hem problem entirely. It’s also proof that you don’t necessarily need a classic trench to dress for drizzle. A lightweight technical layer can be just as useful (and, in my humble opinion, considerably more interesting).
The styling trick: Let your outerwear handle the weather, then use an unexpected texture underneath to make the outfit feel styled.
Rainy weather has a way of convincing you that the only reasonable outfit involves pants. This look makes a strong argument for ignoring that instinct.
A distressed brown leather bomber gives a colorful button-down and red plaid mini skirt just enough protection without hiding the entire look beneath a traditional raincoat. The chunky clogs are also a smart move: the substantial sole creates some distance between your feet and the sidewalk while playing into the slightly undone, downtown feel of the look.
What really works is the balance. The skirt and bright layers feel playful, while the leather jacket and grounded footwear keep everything from veering into school-uniform territory.
The styling trick: If you’re wearing a mini in the rain, counterbalance the exposed leg with a substantial jacket and sturdy shoe.
I unintentionally put one of my favorite rainy-day rules to the test during NYFW: when puddles are inevitable, keep your hem off the ground. I paired black pleated culottes with a fluid funnel-neck blouse and brown heeled loafers, which gave me all the polish of a trouser-and-heel combination without having to worry about several inches of soaked fabric dragging behind me.
Accessories did most of the heavy lifting here. A slim black belt gave the loose silhouettes some definition, while a long tassel necklace, pearl earrings, and a silk scarf kept all those office-inspired separates from feeling too corporate. And yes, I carried a black umbrella. With an outfit this neutral, anything brighter would have felt like an uninvited plus-one.
The styling trick: When rain is in the forecast, trade floor-skimming trousers for a cropped wide-leg silhouette and stick with a substantial closed-toe shoe.
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Source
Originally published at www.refinery29.com.