It’s the rainy season now in Grenoble and after having to fight insects and hair getting stuck on my lip gloss (eeks, I know), wet socks and cold winds, I thought I’d share some tips on how to look camera-ready at all times even when the weather makes heading outdoors a bummer.
It's raining, so what do you do?
1) Fight the Wind
Usually when it rains, there’s also quite a bit of wind, which makes it worse because then your umbrella can be rendered useless (unless you are like this lady). Fight the wind in all sense! Tie your hair up loosely at the back or make a fish tail braid to one side if you’ve long hair.
If you’d like to wear a skirt, make sure it’s knee-length and bodycon. Going any longer will result in a wet bottom hemline (*splish splash* when you’re walking) and any shorter will make for a hard time trying to keep it down. If your skirt is flared, the sides can get wet when the wind blows and they get out of your umbrella’s “protection zone.”
2) Use an Umbrella
When it’s sunny, you get the hats and shades out. So, when it’s rainy, you get the umbrella out. Keeping rain water away and making sure you’re dry means you don’t fall sick and the time and effort you spent on your hair isn’t wasted. Have you noticed how frizzy your hair becomes when it gets in contact with the rain? Rain water is also bad for the scalp because environmental pollutants are found in it and when we absorb the water, we take in those pollutants too.
3) Smack on that Lip Gloss
Just because the weather is dull and gloomy doesn’t mean you have to look the same! When everything else is grey and sombre, put on some lip gloss to brighten things up! Now that you’ve got the umbrella over your head and your hair tied proper, you don’t have to worry about things getting stuck on your kissy kissy. Personally, I feel that applying lip gloss on a rainy day really puts me in a much happier mood.
4) Waterproof Your Makeup
When Plan A fails, we usually head for Plan B. Here, Plan A failing means maybe your umbrella gets stolen while you’re in the cafe or it upturns when the wind is too strong. Then, Plan B means using waterproof makeup. If there arises a scenario where you have to get in the rain even for a little while, chances are you’re going to get some water on your face. While you can’t waterproof your hair or clothes, you can definitely use that special mascara or eye liner that won’t come off with water. Nobody wants to look like Sadako after all. I also recommend using an eyeshadow primer so the colours on your lids don’t run.
5) Slip on Proper Footwear
When it rains, the last thing you need is wet feet that won’t get dry. Ditch your Havaianas, Birkenstocks, as well as other non-waterproof shoes. Heels are fine, really. Any girl can rock a pair of pumps when it rains, so long as it’s not made of cloth or leather. Platforms are great because your feet are actually higher above the ground so they don’t get wet as easily as if, say, you were wearing loafers. I like wearing heels when it rains because the back of my shoes don’t flip ground water back up onto my calves or jeans.
The best option, though, is boots! This is the perfect time to wear those thigh-highs because not only do they protect your feet, they also protect your knees from the cold winds. C’est parfait!
Image credits: Bcatthreads.com
