Spring rain gear turns trendy

NEW YORK -- Fashionistas and rain have never been friends.

The stylish set tolerates an occasional shower since it's an excuse to trot out a trench coat, but rain mostly has been an excuse to stay inside. After all, soaked leather loafers aren't very appealing, and galoshes are probably the one pair of shoes not inside a fashion junkie's closet.

But there is a chance that a better relationship will blossom this spring, thanks to high-tech fabrics and fabric treatments.

Many of London Fog's coats are weatherproof or waterproof, says the company's director of merchandising, Frederick Hackett, but he'd rather just call them "coats."

"If you looked at the garment, it looks like a 'coat,' not like a 'raincoat,"' he says.

The desire for unnoticed assimilation into a wardrobe is somewhat of an oddity in a world that strives for brand recognition. But, notes Timberland's Rob Koenen, global director of men's casual footwear, no one wants to stand out in a crowd because they're wearing a yellow slicker and plastic shoes to work.

Timberland put out it's first waterproof leather boot in 1973, according to Koenen, and has expanded its weather-friendly leather line to include casual and work casual shoes.

There shouldn't be a need for a rainy-day shopping bag carrying dry shoes to change into when you get to your desk. "We want our customer to be able to wear these shoes anywhere, anytime," he says.

This is possible, Koenen explains, because the leather is "impregnated" with silicon during the tanning process and the shoes' seams are sealed from the inside. Treating the leather while it's still in its hide form is more effective than coating finished leather because the protective layer won't be washed or worn off and the leather retains its "breathability," he says.

The treatment doesn't affect the aesthetic possibilities: the finish can be altered to accommodate different looks. Most often, "dressy" leather has a polished finish; "work-casual" leather is an oiled nubuck.

Rain is no reason to give up super-soft cashmere, says designer Ron Leal, who uses a water-resistant version from Loro Piana for a coat, skirt, handbags and shoes in his pamela/roland Sterling line.

The fabric's exterior boasts the luxurious feel one expects from cashmere but it has been bonded with a synthetic film dubbed "Wind Stop" that often is used in ski gear, Leal explains.

The fabric is so supple, according to Leal, that it drapes well, allowing it to be used in the most fashionable silhouettes.

London Fog's trademarked WBS Comfortzone fabric is waterproof, breathable and contains stretch, hence the "WBS." It is intended to hold its shape even when wet, and it's put into a feminine-yet-fitted style for women that's appropriate for office and evening. The feminine, fitted coat hits just below the knee, covering most skirts.

"It's been validated as a fashion piece," says Hackett.

London Fog also has a fabric it calls Weathercloth, a blend of polyester to help keep its shape, cotton to give it a natural hand and nylon to keep it wrinkle resistant, he explains. It's used in a classic A-line women's coat that almost reaches the knee.

For men, Weathercloth is put in a shorter "urban" trench coat and a casual hooded jacket.

The hood is on the men's jacket, as many women would shy away from anything that would mess with their hair without taking the proper precautions.

Anytime a woman is going to wear a hat, she should pull her hair back tightly so it looks sleek -- before and after the hat comes off, advises Coco Santiago, education coordinator at the New York salon Bumble and Bumble. Add a styling product, if necessary, to get the hair smooth and keep it that way.

If there is some forewarning of rain, a precautionary hairstyle coupled with an umbrella also should keep a woman's overall look intact. Santiago recommends using cream-based hair products instead of holding sprays, which she says will become sticky when wet and cake up in the hair.

For a woman with long, straight hair, Santiago suggests wearing the hair pulled back in a parted knot, again using styling lotion to slick back the top. "Easy is always the best way to go when it's raining," she says.

Short hair also generally survives wet and humid weather. Santiago says tuck a small container of styling product in your makeup case to use as a quick fix during the day to keep "frizzes" at bay.

Her advice for women with curly hair but who like to blow-dry it straight: Don't bother.

Use some leave-in conditioner to tame the curly locks and "grin and bear it," Santiago says.