On the heels of my Seattle travel diary, today's post in partnership with Nordstrom is all about water-resistant pieces (with the exception of my teddy coat). I've worn these rubber chelsea boots for a few weeks straight now (see them also styled here and here for travels) - they're great when it's raining but can also pass as regular, sleek booties when it's not! Mine have held up well over the years with almost no signs of wear, except the insoles needed to be re-glued down (an easy fix). The toe area run a bit on the narrow side, and I recommend wearing them the first few times with tall socks that hit above the boot shaft to mitigate any rubbing. For another stylish rain boot with a platform lug sole, check out these from Jeffrey Cambell!

After sharing a kids teddy coat that didn't work out for me (all the sizes I tried pulled at the armholes), I came across this beautiful grownup option in a redwood brown color and "pile" texture. XS regular is an oversized fit on me, and I have the sleeves folded under until I can take this to a Nordstrom or Nordstrom Rack location for shortening - btw, this alteration is free for full priced outerwear with straightforward sleeves (i.e. no zippers)!

Here's a quick review on a few jackets, including some reader recommendations for wet weather!

Water resistant vs. waterproof

First, a note on the difference between jackets listed as water-resistant vs. waterproof. "Water-resistant" is a lighter level of rain protection and should keep you dry in a drizzle for a short period of time. "Waterproof" jackets should be able to withstand heavy rain, and is a feature usually found in outdoors-y brands like North Face, LL Bean, Arc'teryx, Marmot (which focus more on technical fabrics), versus fashion brands.

This was quite the popular try-on in my Instagram stories! The teal green looks better in person than online IMO, and the jacket also comes in black, navy, ivory, and burgundy. This one is listed as water-resistant, machine washable, and features a very soft and cozy lining inside the hood and the upper back. The overall jacket feels light and soft like a cloud and is warm (however probably not for the coldest winter climates). I'm trying on XS regular and it has plenty of room to layer underneath. The sleeves are a little long, but the ribbed knit sleeve cuffs help with the fit and to keep water out of your sleeves.

Out of the bunch, this water-resistant raincoat is closest to my style, and is extra versatile thanks to a detachable hood and quilted liner. It's thicker and weightier than the average trench coat and the outer has a slick finish, which feels like it would be more water resistant than try-ons #1 and #3 here. I thought this was a great jacket so was surprised to read some of the reviews. Several complained about it being too heavy, which I thought was a big positive coming from a cold climate! I'm trying on XS regular which is roomy on me, but XS petite is available online (I wish they offered 1 size smaller too). Remove the hood and you have a more sharp, Burberry-esque trench for everyday wear.

Bonus: there is a tiny hidden strap to secure the belt to the jacket. One of the common questions I get is how to replace a lost belt on a favorite jacket (sad!) and I have no idea other than to try a leather belt for a different look, or possibly hem a strip off the bottom of the jacket if it's on the long side.


On sale. I saw a stylish petite lady donning a simple but elegant raincoat, and it turned out to be this one in "taupe." This is listed as water-resistant and is the thinnest and lightest out of the jackets here, and includes a small pouch for packing it up. An XXS regular fit pretty slim on me but the sleeves were too long, however they do offer petites sizing online in a few colors.

On sale. I wouldn't call this a traditional parka, as it's thinner and not puffy, but felt insulated given the thickness due to North Face's fabric technology. This one is listed as waterPROOF so should fare better than the rest here in truly wet conditions. The hood is removable and the bodice was actually flattering on a petite frame, but the sleeves were pretty long and would need shortening.

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