PSA: Moving to Seattle made me realize I wasn't actually prepared for rain

I moved to Seattle 3 months ago from Phoenix thinking I had rain gear covered with a basic jacket and umbrella. But after walking 6 blocks downtown in a real drizzle last week, I was soaked through my shoes and jeans in under 15 minutes. Has anyone else from a dry climate had to completely rethink their wardrobe after moving somewhere wetter?

2 comments

2 Comments

ellis.faith1mo ago

My first winter in Portland I blew through three umbrellas in two months before someone told me the wind makes them useless here anyway. I finally broke down and bought waterproof hiking boots and a long rain coat that actually covers my butt, and it changed everything. It's funny how we think "rain gear" just means one thing, but every city has its own version of wet that your stuff from back home ain't built for. My friend from Miami moved to Denver and learned snow is nothing like humidity, same kind of rude awakening.

milarodriguez1mo ago

Oh yeah, the Pacific Northwest rain is a whole different beast. I moved to Seattle from the Midwest and thought my regular rain jacket would be fine, but that constant drizzle just seeps through everything after a while. Switched to a waxed canvas jacket and it's been a game changer for me, plus it breathes better than some of the plastic-y stuff. Also learned the hard way that any shoe without decent grip is basically a death wish on those wet sidewalks. Took me a solid year to figure out what actually works out here.