Three Fashion Wardrobe Alterations for Windy, Humid Commutes

The cold season can creep up rather suddenly. Combine cold wind gusts with incessant rain and flesh-dampening humidity and, well, now your commute is an ugly, dreary mess. How does one stay dry when the weather wets and you must still venture outside?

Impermeable Jumper

Practical clothing is not always attractive, but that is not the case for the active Aran sweater wearer. Named for the Aran Islands of temperate and windy Ireland, contemporary garment-makers expanded on the innate capacity for lamb's wool to remain watertight in all temperatures. Protective lanolin secretions inherently set within the animal's follicles establish themselves in the fur and extend the hair's usefulness long after shearing. Once the fiber makers transform the coat from raw material to a braided, oilskin thread, and then work it into a garment, the worked plaits and cables retain the slickness and thickness of wool. Historically, knitters manufactured the eggshell-colored material through tension and track, weaving with their hands. Automatic looms are responsible forthwith for crafting the neat, crocheted texture and patterning, but the worsted sweater has not lost its stylishness. Looking for a warm and dry costume for a special outdoor event? Be sure to top off the look with a pullover of Irish heritage.

Water-resistant Mask

Living in humid conditions or working in hot kitchens can make conventional cloth mask-wearing virtually unbearable. When the humidity, sweat, and normal mouth bacteria mélange dangerously on uncoated cotton fabric, the result is a recipe for mask-related skin conditions, colloquially known as "maskne" or “mask acne”. The treatment protocols for such irritation of the epidermis? A topical over-the-counter and a suggestion avoid masking, safely, for a little while. For those that still must interact within the work office and beyond, this is not always an option. Food-, industrial-, and medical-grade silicone is an example of a proven defense against the pooling of liquids. Silicone’s non-porous nature allows the material to collect on the surface but prohibits anything from permeating inside. This also makes products easy to sanitize. With the variety of solutions that silicone-derived goods provide, among them are the endless color-blocking and matching possibilities for an outdoor event or a holiday party outfit. Moreover, a tiny air filter renders a multilayered, synthetic organic interweaving constructed to detract particles, small and large. One can stay safe and adorable!

Ski Bibs

What was new once and then old, oftentimes becomes new again, and the garish and wistful ski suit is no different. This time around, though, new methods and devices are present to conveniently and efficiently coat the sporty tracksuits with an impenetrable substance. Once it dries over cotton, polyester, or a blend of the two, the fabricators can put it on a form to stylize it into a modernized overall. Along with an explosion of graphic designs for snowboard pant prints, ski bibs also work dually as protection and comfort. The drying and warming advantages come in handy during stormy weather.

Rain Boots

Aboriginal Americans utilized the essence of a flora found in their environment. One plant in particular that they foraged is called the rubber tree, and the viscous matter within its trunk could be tapped and gathered. While still malleable, this gummy sap could apply to shoe soles like a sealant. Once dried, it fully adheres to insulate the foot from water and wind exposure in the show and tundras. Today we identify with this natural substrate as latex. Trending versions of rubberized footwear come in diverse stylings to accentuate the many curves of the leg in addition to delivering environmental advantage:

• knee-high rubbers
• waxed ankle wellies
• duck and hunting boots
• weatherproof clogs
• insulated gardening shoes

Creating a chic look in the wet and windy seasons with the vast innovations in water- and wind-resistant materials infers that we no longer have the same wardrobe concerns as our forebears. Putting together a joy-inducing collection of sustainable outerwear for year-round design is now as simple as watching the seasons change.