It’s a Twister!
In more unlikely news, a tornado has been forecast to hit the UK — in fact, between 5am and 3pm tomorrow, 24 January, there is even a “tornado-style risk” in the capital, itself — which means? Storm Eowyn (“ay-oh-win”) looks to be quite the trouble maker.
Storm Eowyn (PA Graphics)
Of course, yellow wind warnings have the potential to cause plenty of damage, and not least to your umbrella. As Northern England and Scotland both face gusts of up to 80-90 mph, it’s worth wind-proofing your outfit. But how to chic in wild weather — even Wizard of Oz style tornadoes?
Five ways to stay chic in windy storms:
Sturdy, solid ankle boots
(Arc’teryx)
You don’t want to get bogged down with Wellington boots while the wind is slapping you. Though often gales will come with sideways rain, a sturdy pair of waterproof walking boots will offer more support and nimbleness. The best tough boots (that you can also wear to the pub) come from gorpcore-approved brands that make actually fantastic outerwear, as opposed to fashion brands dipping their toe into the hiking trend.
That means Arc’teryx (Kopec Mid GTX Boot Men’s, £180, arcteryx.com), North Face (Glenclyffe Urban Boots, £125, thenorthface.co.uk) and Salamon (Crosstrak Powder Waterproof, £200, salomon.com) are all fantastic bets.
Cocoon-coats
(Byredo)
As umbrellas are completely off the cards given your likelihood to be dragged, Mary Poppins style, into an oncoming Lime bike — a huge, warm, entirely waterproof apocalypse-style coat is your best to keep the hideous weather away from your skin. There are some serious coats out there for those looking. Rains’ coats (pictured lead image) move up through a five level toughness scale, from T1 “Breeze” offering “light protection for everyday comfort” right through to T5 “Extreme” which has “winterproof protection from harsh cold and wind.
The pinnacle of Rain’s thermal range, equipped with cutting edge textile technology, so you can conquer the most unforgiving elements with confidence.” Their £105 cape — “a modern take on the classic rain poncho” — is also great fun for gentle showers. Elsewhere, you have coat brands from Icelandic favourite 66°North to both Napapijri and Berghaus, who have both made recent comebacks. Or, go the whole hog, and invest in Byredo’s mad and wonderful blanket coat, £1,350, byredo.com.
Smart, waterproof trousers
(Finisterre)
Don’t fear waterproof trousers. While they conjure images of fishermen and farmers, these two occupations are currently quite en vogue in the current fashion scene — just go for pairs that look more waterproof tracksuit bottoms than river wading equipment. Adidas, then, is a sensible place to start. They make Terrex Multi RAIN.RDY 2-Layer Rain Tracksuit Bottoms, £90, adidas.co.uk, and suggest slipping them over your trousers when grey clouds gather.
“RAIN.RDY technology uses advanced waterproofing to channel water away from your body so you and your gear stay dry. From hikes to bike rides to cross-country ski days, keep these pants in your backpack so you’re always prepared,” they say. Similar items come from Finisterre (Men’s Rainbird Waterproof Trousers, £125, finisterre.com) and, again, Arc’teryx (Incendo Pant Men’s, £120, arcteryx.com).
Gorpcore-appropriate bags
(Stubble & Co.)
The worst outcome of finding yourself in a storm you can’t go under, over, or around is simply bracing, and power walking through. This happens, though, and the most important thing is keeping your belongings safe: from notebooks to laptops, the security of your bag is essential.
Anyone who has spent time in the city knows that all the bankers have swapped out their briefcases for roll-top waterproof, smart rucksacks from Stubble & Co. (The Roll Top 20L, £120, stubbleandco.com) and Rains (Rolltop Rucksack, £105, uk.rains.com). These, as the hedge-funders can attest, are great in Broadgate but also fare on the Norfolk Broads.
Trapper hats
Napapijri (Napapijri)
These aviator-style Ushanka hats are not only a favourite of the street style set (every cool fashion type in Milan has one) but also one of the best styles for billowing winds, with tight under chin fastening and ear flaps all aiding general cosiness. The best come from London’s vintage shops (see our guide here), or on Depop/Vinted/Vestiare.
There are plenty of new designs thanks to their current popularity, too: M&S have a snug version (Padded Trapper Hat with Thermowarmth, £30, marksandspencer.com) which has been given the company’s “Ultra Warmth rating” because it is “lined with faux fur for extra warmth and features substantial ear flaps, plus an adjustable chin strap to hold it in place.” Elsewhere Decathlon have one (Trapper Hat Decathlon x Starcow Black, £24.99, decathlon.co.uk) and Columbia Sportswear’s is a cool, no fuss option (Sherpa Trapper, £30, columbiasportswear.co.uk).