Image: Carlton Canary and Michelle Lateste
No one accuses Seattleites of being overdressed unless we’re wrapped in Gore-Tex on a clear blue day or, god forbid, carrying an umbrella through a drizzle. But we can blame most of our fashion faux pas on our region’s befogging weather. When even the sunniest spring forecast could devolve into a deluge, clinging to techwear like a kid with a blanket makes perfect sense. So does donning jean shorts and Birkenstocks the moment temperatures clear 60 degrees.
Disavowing spring fashion anarchy requires a little divination, some creative layering, and a healthy tolerance for error. Thankfully, Seattle’s unpredictability is somewhat predictable. Here are some of our go-to styles for the city’s most common weather patterns.
When It’s Cloudy with a Chance of Anything
Yorgi Solotex jacket, Windthrow, $215
More relaxed than full-on waterproofing, this jacket’s soft, sporty fabric works like a charm on clement days. Its heat-venting half-zip and slight weather resistance deliver during anomalies, too.
Toile vintage triangle headscarf (not pictured), Prism, $30
Never hitch a good hair day to a Seattle weather forecast—or flatten it under a hat. Trend-forward headscarves tame windswept bangs and buy time to find a coffee shop for refuge in a downpour.
Image: Carlton Canary
When “Overcast” Means “Bright Gray”
Flower P&R hat, Pipe & Row, $40
Opt for a cheery, bloom-topped baseball cap when the weather’s gloomy enough to skip the sunnies—but nice enough to regret it.
Elisa Johnson Jane sunglasses, Millie, $145
For a city whose eyes are out of practice, lightly tinted glasses let a little sunlight in and help encourage circadian normalcy after months of dark, gray, dark.
When It’s Sunny…Too Sunny
Kapseli Piirto Unikko jacket, Pirkko, $395
’Tis no longer the season for jackets that look like sleeping bags. But Seattle can count on at least six more weeks of lightweight, padded outerwear, and the floral quilting feels decidedly spring.
Hoktown vest, Pipe & Row, $250
The bluest skies you’ve ever seen can be deceptively chilly without their usual cloud cover. This recycled-fabric vest offers an alternative layer of insulative fluff.
Image: Carlton Canary
When It’s. Still. Raining.
Mini manual Unikko umbrella, Pirkko, $85
Transplants hear tell of endless rain. For some, endless gorpcore proves less tolerable. No need for technical layers when days get milder and a pocket umbrella shines.
Weekend shoes, Vessi, $145
Sneakers from Vancouver-based Vessi are completely, gloriously, step-in-that-puddle-and-stay-there waterproof—and the brand recently set up its first US shop in Bellevue Square.
Published in the Weird Wild Wonderful Weather, Explained issue of Seattle Met.
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