Usually the beautiful architecture, landscaping and weather in Charlottesville inspire students to be as well groomed as the University's Grounds. But when the sun decides to hide in a frumpy gray sweat suit, students often long to snuggle up their PJ's instead of brandishing their Fendi facade.
I know when I'm faced with a wet, wintry cold front, I stay in my pajamas, pull my hair up in a bun, poke my eye with the mascara wand and suck my stomach in for a moment. But even with this feeble attempt at grooming, I still look and feel like a genuine slob.
Completing my disheveled chic is the only waterproof coat I own. It is a large, bright, squeaky, plastic, puffy, purple rain slicker for which I would never admit to having paid good money. I put it on, step out in my haute couture, and begin splashing to class.
Those around me who are dressed trendier look unhappy. My Barney coat is warmer and dryer than the North Face, Patagonia, L.L. Bean and Columbia jackets all around me.
But on these mornings, I find myself confronted with a greater challenge. What do you wear on a rainy day? To unearth this secret, I went undercover to discover the deeply held convictions about the dos and don'ts of rainy day fashion.
"I wear the most comfortable thing ever because I hate the rain," first-year College student Stephanie Smith said of her rainy day apparel. "Nice clothes? No, I have bummin,' bummin' clothes."
But not everyone sports the tapered blue sweat pants with "Virginia" emblazoned up the side in iron-on letters. Others do try to remain fashionably conscious.
"Do you know what's really cute? Those clear plastic jackets that fall down to the knee, but I don't know if I could pull it off," first-year College student Lydia Chiu said. "It would be cool if you started a trend: red galoshes."
"They're impossible to find. I look for them every year," Chiu's friend Mary Brigid jokes. Brigid, a first-year College student, models her rubber-ducky yellow rain overall and jacket set.
Rain gear rule No. 1: It's all about attitude.
Rule No. 2: Shoes always make or break an outfit. And in the rain, shoes also can break a neck. Sneakers are appealing to speeders who move in and out of the rain quickly. However, even the fleetest feet rapidly are saturated through to the sock.
"I refuse to wear sneakers in the rain because they get all soggy," third-year College student Kevin Wildrick said. "You've got to wear leather shoes in the rain."
As the red Virginia clay turns to the muddy badge of courage, waterproof boots are ideal, but any pair of boots that are not damaged too badly by slop will work great. The triumph of stomping through muck and standing ankle-deep in puddles, while encased in the armor of rain boots overrules the unstylish look of thigh-high fishing gear.
During a storm a few weeks ago, many sorority rushees rose above the whole mess with high heels and platforms, which allowed them to travel above sea level. Second-year College student Tanaz Shanrzad also uses this technique.
"I always wear high heels so that the bottom of my pants can't get wet," Shanrzad said of her rain apparel.
But when those high heels are open-toed vessels, a few unfortunate girls face their doom.
"I wear flip flops - I hate getting my shoes wet," said Smith, who does not mind getting her toes wet.
For others who care about their shoes, be warned that spike heels stick into the soft terrain.
The struggle to walk is not over once indoors, however, as the peril of slippage continues, if not increases, when wet feet meet waxed floors. Plastic, wooden and even rubber soles turn into skates on Neo-classicist marble.
First-year Engineering student Joe Mutschelknans has programmed the perfect outfit.
"I have duck shoes, a trench coat and an umbrella," Mutschelknans said. "Practicality comes first in the rain." He has learned rain rule No. 3: function over fashion.
Pants were a big functional problem. Jeans and khakis were a popular choice because they are comfy, but most were wet all the way up to the calf from soaking up puddles. Light-colored versions of these garments became transparent. Wool pants would keep a person warm, but leave her soggy and smelling like a damp sheep.
The best pants to wear are Gortex pants, or alternatively, warm-up pants. Anything that swishes when walking works fine. Synthetic pants do not sponge water like cotton or other natural fibers, are often waterproof or very water resistant, block the wind and retain heat produced by the body. In addition, they also look snazzy and sporty.
Pragmatic chic, however, is valuable only to a certain degree. While defense mechanisms such as polar fleece tops, baseball caps and University umbrellas are en vogue this rainstorm season, the more avant-garde articles, including ponchos, capes, vinyl headdresses and the combination umbrella-hat were cutting edge. The more ostentatious the cuts and color, the better.
"A girl had an umbrella that looked like a bee," Wildrick said. "It had the eyes and everything, and it had two big antennas coming off the top. It was the most interesting rain device I've seen."
The trendsetters realized that the best plan was to wear items that one would be too wimpy to wear in broad daylight or things that one would not mind ruining and never wearing again.
"It's all about the sweat pants," first-year College student Amy Carter said. "I wear gross clothes so they don't get messed up and I don't wear makeup."
The rain blurs the public eye to be less critical, and decreases individual concern about conformity by increasing the importance of comfort.
Some people have surrendered to soaking, like first-year College student Isaac Leamer.
"Usually I wear a fleece and just get wet, I guess," Leamer said.
His brother Michael interrupted, "I go naked. Usually I just go dancing in the rain, except for when it's too cold. This is not the right time of year to enjoy the rain."
What makes the rain fun in any season is it invites you to indulge capriciously and childishly in the moment, regardless of the ridiculous appearance of the action. Thus, the fourth and final rule of foul weather gear is to wear what makes you happy, as a gloomy forecast is brightened by carefree play.
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