Teddy bear coat + rubber chelsea rain boots

On the heels of my Seattle travel diary, today’s post is on a few water-resistant pieces (with the exception of my teddy coat). I’ve had these rubber chelsea boots for years now (see them also styled here and here for travels) – they’re great when it’s raining but can also pass as regular, sleek booties when it’s not! Mine have held up well over time with almost no signs of wear, except the insoles needed to be re-glued down (easy fix). The almond toe area run a bit on the narrow side, and I recommend wearing them the first few times with tall socks that hit above the boot shaft to mitigate any rubbing.

Here’s a quick review on a few jackets, including some reader recommendations for wet weather!

Water resistant vs. waterproof

First, a note on the difference between jackets listed as water-resistant vs. waterproof. “Water-resistant” is a lighter level of rain protection and should keep you dry in a drizzle for a short period of time. “Waterproof” jackets should be able to withstand heavy rain, and is a feature usually found in outdoors-y brands like North Face, LL Bean, Arc’teryx, Marmot (which focus more on technical fabrics), versus fashion brands.

1. Sam Edelman Puffer Coat (sold out; similar for 2020)

This was quite the popular try-on in my Instagram stories! The teal green looks better in person than online IMO, and the jacket also comes in black, navy, ivory, and burgundy. This one is listed as water-resistant, machine washable, and features a very soft and cozy lining inside the hood and the upper back. The overall jacket feels light and soft like a cloud and is warm (however probably not for the coldest winter climates). I’m trying on XS regular and it has plenty of room to layer underneath. The sleeves are a little long, but the ribbed knit sleeve cuffs help with the fit and to keep water out of your sleeves.

2. COLE HAAN PACKABLE RAINCOAT

On sale. I saw a stylish petite lady donning a simple but elegant raincoat, and it turned out to be this one in “taupe.” This is listed as water-resistant and is the thinnest and lightest out of the jackets here, and includes a small pouch for packing it up. An XXS regular fit pretty slim on me but the sleeves were too long, however they do offer petites sizing online in a few colors.

3. NORTH FACE Ancha PARKA (sold out; see other North Face)

On sale. I wouldn’t call this a traditional parka, as it’s thinner and not puffy, but felt insulated given the thickness due to North Face’s fabric technology. This one is listed as waterPROOF so should fare better than the rest here in truly wet conditions. The hood is removable and the bodice was actually flattering on a petite frame, but the sleeves were pretty long and would need shortening.