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Upgrade Your Rain Gear Game With These Swedish Buys
Let’s talk about this week’s forecast: rain, thunderstorms, rain, thunderstorms, rain… and more rain. We kid you not, for the next week, all we see here on the East Coast are angry gray clouds in our weather app (photo to the right to prove it).
They say April showers bring May flowers, but it seems as if we are still in shower mode. Aside from plants getting some watery love, the only silver lining is that it prompted us to reevaluate our wet-weather wardrobe. And boy, does it need an upgrade, preferably a Swedish upgrade.
Being extremely thrifty (read: cheapskate), if it rained, we typically adopt one of two methods for dealing: the “wait-in-the-car-until-it-calms-down” method or the “run-really-fast-and-dry-off-later” philosophy.
It’s time to stop dodging drops and showing up places looking like a wet rat. It’s time to put our big-girl pants (err, raincoat) on.
Here are some of our favorite finds for Swedish gear to keep us dry.
Stutterheim
It would be wrong not to have these rain gear champions at the top of the list. When you think of a classic rubber raincoat, this is what comes to mind. The brand, founded by Alexander Stutterheim in Stockholm in 2010, sells raincoats, shoes and accessories, and ships to the United States. While they are not cheap, the luxury coats are high quality and something you buy once and own forever. According to the website, “Our raincoats have undergone severe testing in horrible conditions both at sea and in the city.” They’ve convinced us.
Tretorn
We’ve written about Tretorn in the past because we love its sneakers. But did you know it makes rubber rain boots, as well?
Fjällräven
There is no brand that makes us want to head out the door and embark on an adventure more than Fjällräven does. Truly, the one-stop shop for outdoor activities, it has everything you need, from raincoats to tents to backpacks. Word to the wise, the brand’s rain gear is fully waterproof, which you will see reflected in the price.
H&M
If you’re looking for a raincoat that’s both fashionable and cheap(!), then H&M is your best bet. It has styles that are for the practical, as well as for folks who dare to be a little different (and in this case, very 80s).
