Fashionable and Functional Rain Gear for Women

One of the things we love most about Chicago is that it has four distinct seasons, each with its own vibe...and wardrobe. With temperatures steadily climbing, we've swapped out our sweaters and winter coats for their more colorful and lightweight counterparts, which includes, for better or worse, items for the inevitable April showers. If you're on the hunt for some new fashionable and functional rain gear for women, look no further.

In assembling this list of good rain gear for women, we thought foremost about what makes a good spring raincoat. Definitely a hood with a wide brim, to keep your hair more-or-less dry and the rain out of your eyes. Also protected pockets for keeping your devices safe. And bonus points for sealed or welded seams so you are kept dry even in a crazy downpour. Here are four of our picks:

Cleverhood Rain Cape $249
The nice thing about a cape is its versatility: you can throw it over anything and you're pretty well protected, and its length helps protect your legs from rain while biking. The Cleverhood is packed full of great features, and, while we have included this cape in our list of rain gear for women, it's totally unisex.

Hub & Bespoke Women's Riding Coat $300
This raincoat may have been designed for riding a bike in the rain, but its functional features and cute style make it a great option for any active lifestyle. We love the flattering A-line cut and pleated skirt that allows for unrestricted leg movement.

Nau Poncho Via $275
The latest from Nau is an irresistible rain coat / poncho hybrid. With sealed seams and reflective details and an uber practical kangaroo pocket, this is a great addition to any list of rain gear for women.

Heisel Rain Coat $425
Okay, this one's pretty pricey but we're suckers for clever solutions to age-old problems. One way to get around leaky seams is to not have any seams whatsoever. This coat features incredibly lightweight material held together with military grade...duct tape! Read more about Heisel's high tech rain gear for women on their website.

Rain Boots and Footwear

After protecting your torso, your legs and feet are the next thing to think about when you're shopping for cute and practical rain gear for women. If you're on the hunt for some new boots this spring, check out these great finds:

Jeffrey Campbell Stormy Rain Boot $55
Of all the boots on this list of rain gear for women, these are so stylish and comfy that you'll probably reach for them even when it's not raining. With stretch paneling on the sides, these booties pull on easily without looking as chunky as a typical rubber boot.

Hunter Original Short Wellington Dazzle Boots $225
Well, it's hard to not include Hunter when you're putting together a list of rain gear for women. If you only know them for their classic rain boots, it is time to take another look. They've expanded their selection to include lots of great colors and different profiles.

Tretorn Plask Mid $100
If you're looking for something a little dressier, these booties are inspired by Tretorn's 1930s high heeled galoshes and add a touch of sophistication to sloppy rainy days with a 2.5 wedge heel and a fitted ankle cut.

Georgia In Dublin Leggits €45
Finally cute overshoes! These galoshes-type-foot-coverings slip over your favorite shoes or boots to keep you dry. The reflective details make these Leggits not only great rain gear for women, but also add a little visibility.

Pants and Bottoms

Functional rain pants are easy to come by, but fashionable ones? That's a much harder task. Unless you're biking in a serious downpour, or outside in particularly slanty rain, a long-ish rain coat and high boots paired with water-resistant pants should suffice. Here are some of our favorite rainy weather pants in our list of rain gear for women:

H&M Rain Pants $25
The gathered hem on these rain pants earn them some extra style points. Since they're unlined, these are perfect for pulling over tights on a rainy day.

Nau Device Pant $145
Performance meets style in these quick-drying pants. Featuring fabric with 2-way stretch and a DWR (durable water repellent) finish for all-weather wear, plus an articulated knee for ease of movement. Yes, these would be excellent pants for biking to work.

Levi's Commuter Skinny Jeans $88
A relative newcomer to the scene, these jeans were designed for women living a cycling-based lifestyle. While packed full of great features (read our recent product review), we're adding them to this list of rain gear for women because the jeans have Levi's water resistant Ecropel finish to keep you dry if caught in the rain.

Georgia in Dublin Rainwrap €55
A particularly creative alternative to waterproof pants, the Rainwrap is easy to take on and off without having to pull anything over your shoes. You'll probably find plenty of other uses for this wrap, too, as the charming video below illustrates. You know from our versatile bike bags and crossbody bags, we LOVE products that can do double duty!

So, what did we miss? Share your favorite rain gear for women in the comments below.

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