The Rain Season

So you have to know, if you've never been to Belgium, that for the most part of the year here we live under the rain. 

It's what I call the rain seasons, which give their best in end of winter/early spring and autumn making you feel constantly a bit wet even if you have good jacket and umbrella and make you forget every attempt of looking nice and pulled together. And now it seems that it's getting started (even though I'm sure we'll have some more freezing/snowy surprises before the end of winter...) 

But! 

But since I declared war to Belgian winter I also started to search ways to defeat the ugliness of my outfits in the very rainy periods. 

I still didn't given way to Hunter boots (you have to be a cute girl and have nice thin legs if you don't want to look like a 55 year old father going for his sunday afternoon fishing in the lake with friends... You already understood what I wanted to say about how I look with them, I guess) but I have my favorite rain piece that I consider really really cool.

And it's no strange super cool and hyper technic designer plastic cape, or a pair of chic gum booties (even though I loved the Vivienne Westwood Melissa booties for a while).

It's nothing more (or less) than a transparent plastic umbrella. Oh yes, and I payed 8 euros for the thing I consider the most beautiful rain accessory ever.

In Japan you see it everywhere, they buy it in the combini and minimarkets for a couple of euros when it starts to rain and they trash it when it stops (!) and it's amazing to see those rivers of people in Shibuya or Shinjuku streets ALL with the same transparent umbrella. Really everybody use it there, it's even in the movie poster of Lost in Translation!

So not only it reminds me of Japan, but when it rains and it's really windy you can put all your head and shoulders underneath: you're completely shielded, your umbrella doesn't act as a sail and you still can see where you're going! Genius!

And then it's super beautiful, just that, mere aesthetic observation. 

It has got the fascination of the things your were using as a kid (don't tell me you never had a pink or yellow or whatevercolor plastic umbrella as a kid, I don't believe you!) and the grace that only objects made by pure shapes and colors can have.

I would use it even without the rain so much I like it... but then I would feel like calling for water and I would feel guilty, so never mind.

(and I am so afraid to ruin it that I almost never go to work with it! I use another one! I am crazy guys...)

And I got another ace in my sleeve:

Rolled boyfriend jeans. Oh yes I love them. And they don't get wet because they stay over my ankle.

And the white gym shoes I bought for 25 euros in a vintage shop? Gotta show you! 

Yes it's sporty, but it's a cool sporty believe me. 

And finally I am getting rid of skinny jeans and All Stars for a while!!

So here it is Al in combat mood with her plastic umbrella + rolled jeans + vintage white gym shoes. 

Here I come Belgian rain, wait for me!!

Al