The case for accessories that enjoy a soaking

The rainy day accessories worth owning, from a sturdy umbrella and a wipe-clean bag to hats, scarves and jewellery that cope.

By jelli.world, the bag brand. Our styling advice, with sources linked in the text and jelli.world products offered for sale.

On New Oxford Street, between the phone shops and the sandwich chains, there is a shopfront that looks as though the Victorians left it behind on purpose. James Smith & Sons has been selling umbrellas since 1830, and the interior still keeps its original fittings. Step inside on a wet afternoon and you'll find the whole philosophy of dressing for rain in one room: a handful of objects, made properly, that turn the weather into an occasion.

That is the standard to hold everything else to. The rainy day accessories worth owning are made from things that don't mind water: a jelly or coated nylon bag, a sturdy umbrella, a waxed or wool hat, a wool scarf, simple solid-metal jewellery. And because a coat covers most of an outfit in the rain, those few pieces do nearly all the styling. Suede, raffia, straw, untreated leather and anything with glued-on embellishment can wait for a dry day.

The umbrella, chosen like a coat

A good umbrella is the most underrated object in a British wardrobe. You use it most days from October to March, yet it's tempting to grab the cheapest one at the station kiosk and leave it on a bus by Friday. Buy one properly instead. For walking, a stick umbrella with a real handle and a canopy wide enough for two; for commuting, a compact that fits in the bag. Either way, look for flexible ribs that bend instead of snapping and a vented or double canopy that lets gusts through instead of flipping. Then give it a sleeve, so it never drips into the inside of your bag.

Colour is allowed here. Black is the city's uniform, and a bottle green, oxblood or deep navy canopy looks more considered without shouting.

The boot that conquered the country

Wellingtons began as a fashionable gentleman's boot. The Duke of Wellington had his St James's shoemaker, Hoby, modify the Hessian boot into something plainer and closer to the leg, in soft calfskin, and it remained the leading men's style through the 1840s. Rubber arrived later. The North British Rubber Company, the business that became Hunter, began operating in Edinburgh in 1856 and went on to make more than a million pairs of boots for the flooded trenches of the First World War.

The lesson of that history is to choose a rubber boot the way you would a riding boot. A slim, tall shaft in black or dark green, close to the calf, looks sharp with a midi skirt or tucked trousers. A wide, sloppy shaft looks like the garden. For city days, an ankle-height rubber Chelsea is often the more useful shape.

The bag, which takes the worst of it

The bag suffers most in wet weather, because it can't go under the coat. It hangs out in the rain all day. Choose a material that doesn't drink water. A jelly bag is the easiest answer, since the PVC-style material is wipe-clean and shrugs off rain; coated nylon is the other good option. Check the closure too, because a bag that keeps its own surface dry can still let drops in through an open top.

The bag is also the best place for colour. Rain makes outfits darker and streets duller, and a bright, glossy bag against a navy coat is the one thing in the picture that catches the light. jelli.world makes its jelly bags in exactly that spirit.

Shape matters too. In a downpour you'll want a hand free for the umbrella, so a shoulder bag or a crossbody beats a top handle. Wear it over the coat rather than under it, where it hangs clean against the cloth and doesn't drag the coat's line out of shape. And keep the gloss to the bag: with a jelly bag, a matte coat and matte boots look sharper than patent anything.

Hats, scarves and gloves

A bucket hat in waxed or coated cotton keeps rain off the face and, crucially, off your glasses. A ribbed wool beanie under a hood is warmer than either alone, and stops the hood blowing back. Wool scarves stay warm when damp and dry fairly fast; a chunky knit in a strong colour also gives the face something to sit against. Silk scarves are best knotted inside the collar on wet days, where they survive.

Leather gloves treated for water resistance will handle light rain. In a downpour choose something synthetic, and always dry leather gloves flat at room temperature, never on a radiator.

Jewellery and hair

Rain doesn't trouble solid gold, stainless steel or silver. Plated costume pieces tarnish faster when repeatedly damp, and glued stones can loosen, so wet weeks are for the robust pieces. As for hair, a claw clip or a low bun survives humidity with some dignity. The forty-minute blow-dry does not.

Rainy day accessories at a glance

Before you leave the house

Start with the bag, because it takes the most punishment. If you'd like one that enjoys the weather, have a look at jelli.world.

Common questions

What accessories should I avoid in the rain?

Suede, raffia, straw, untreated leather and anything with glued embellishments. They mark, warp or come apart when wet.

What umbrella is best for windy rain?

One with a vented or double canopy and flexible ribs, which lets gusts pass through instead of turning the umbrella inside out.

Are jelly bags good in the rain?

Very. The material doesn't absorb water, so rain stays on the surface and wipes off. Use an inner pouch if the bag has an open top.

Last reviewed: 15 October 2026