Rainy Days Will Make You Smile

Photo courtesy of Annie Laurie's Antiques

Hello Cape Girardeau, Missouri and beyond,

Rainy days can bring cheerful cover with vintage rain gear. Vintage rain gear? Yes, you can discover umbrellas, boots, and great raincoats for every taste and personality.

The gloomy days melt away with a fun floral or graphics above your head. If you have doubts, walk through Annie Laurie's Antiques and look at the ceiling. These umbrellas are her private collection for display and may not be for sale, but I smile every time I see them.

The waterproof umbrella appeared around 1700 with the first patent in 1786. Wooden shafts and bone ribs have given away to steel.

The vintage umbrella choices are unbelievable and, oh, so fun with bright colors, graphics, faux jewels and three-dimensional decorations. In the '40s, they were sturdier than today's models with faux jewels, Lucite, metal, or wooden handles. Asian inspired umbrellas were also very popular in the '40s. Get ready for frills when you look at a '50s splendor.

European makers started adding an inside layer to hide the umbrella ribs in the '60s. There were stained glass look also because of the popular Tiffany lamps. How about a '60s bracelet umbrella? The bangle handle instead of the straight handle or shepherds hook keep it close and convenient.

The prices on all these beauties can be $10 to $300, displayed side by side.

When I think of vintage raincoats, I'm torn between the slick yellow '50s-'60s and the power London Fog with a zip-out liner of the '80s with your briefcase swinging with your professional upbeat walk. We can do it, yes, we can -- and we did!

Women have been wearing raincoats since early 1900's. You can match your raincoat to a rain hat too. Women matching their hat to their raincoat was popular as early as the '30s as well as matching your raincoat to your umbrella. We can see this in early magazine ads and catalogs. Maybe you would prefer a vintage rain jacket with a hood or a long cape coat raincoat, plaid of course.

You may be surprised but there are '50s rain wear for your furry baby too. You could match your child and pets coat to your coat in the '50s!

A good vintage find would be a great pair of rain boots or galoshes. These can also be coordinated to your raincoat and hat.

Gloomy rainy days are no match for fun, bright vintage rainwear. Find yours today and be "Singing in the Rain".

Have fun. Be classic, be you, wear vintage.