Yesterday, I had plans to take outfit photos for my usual Monday post. But, all-day rain and helping a good friend move put a damper on my good intentions. I thought about how rainy days are a lot less gloomy when you have the right accessories. Bright colors and patterns don’t just look better, they’re more fun to carry and wear. One of my best pieces of advice is to invest in a good pair of rainboots. I can’t tell you how many pairs of the cheapo version I had. They looked cute for a while, but never made it long. The same goes for an umbrella. Make sure you pick one that can literally weather the storm. You don’t want to be that person fighting their pesky umbrella in the middle of the sidewalk! Here are some of my rainy day essentials:

Blue Raincoat: Macys, Boat Shoes: Sperry via DSW, Black & White Umbrella: Kate Spade Saturday, Dotted Bubble Umbrella: Totes via Macys, Orange Rain Jacket: Target, Nylon Tote: Calvin Klein via Macys, Rainboots: Hunter via Bloomingdale’s (worth the investment!)