When the Weather is Bad, You Can Still Look Good

As most locals can anecdotally attest, last September was the wettest fall month New York City has seen in more than 150 years, raining 14 out of the 30 days, according to Spectrum News, amounting to three times the amount of precipitation typically seen in the month.

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All told, it rained 115 days in NYC in 2023 per U.S. Climate Data. With all that gloom as a backdrop, Kristen Fox argues it’s time to make rainwear chic.

“One of my slogans is ‘ fashion meets function ’ because there was nothing on the market that was both,” Fox, founder of her eponymous rainwear label, told Sourcing Journal. “I was like, I have got to change that for all women.”

The fashion industry professional has spent the past 20-plus years at Centric Brands , serving as the vice president of sales with a focus on apparel and beauty. Before that, Fox was a visual merchandiser for Saks Fifth Avenue and even owned and operated a luxury boutique on the Upper East Side for a few years.

While she never worked directly in design, Fox said she has always had a “passion for fashion” and an “eye for style.” And when she struggled to look chic while remaining dry during her visits to Ireland, she took matters into her own hands.

“I was getting remarried a few years back and he’s from Dublin , so I was going home to meet his family and I was like, oh my God, first impression, right. So I’m packing and my friends tell me it rains every day there so make sure to bring a really nice raincoat. But there’s nothing. I went on a hunt and looked at every department store, boutiques, specialty stores, and literally everything was either utilitarian or Burberry for $1,500. There was nothing in between. So I thought, once I get to Dublin, I’ll get a raincoat there. And again, there was nothing. I was like, that’s it, this is what I’m doing,” Fox explained. “When I came back, I started researching every raincoat and there was nothing that had the right hood, was waterproof, was fashionable. I thought I have to change this for all women because it’s such a drag to not feel fashionable . It’s a real struggle for women.”

And it’s true: attempting to style a garment evocative of a killer clown is no easy feat. Rainy weather, in general, can negatively impact one’s mental health, per research by the American Psychological Association . Add having to wear an unflattering jacket on top of an already bad mood, and what should’ve been a fun night out is now dampened by more than the sky’s dark clouds.

Fox began working on Kristen Fox Rainwear three years ago, but it really came to life last year when she ordered—and sold—800 jackets. Currently, Kristen Fox Rainwear offers two styles: the Riley and the Raegan, named after Fox’s daughters.

“The coats are totally their personalities,” Fox said of how her daughters influenced each look. “Raegan is more classic and traditional while Riley is bold.”

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The Riley is designed to fit true to size for a more tailored look. It is available in sizes XS (for sizes zero through two) to XL (for sizes 16 through 18). The coat features a zip front closure and side pockets.

The Raegan was designed “generously” for ease of layering. The sizing differs slightly from the Riley, with the XS/S accommodating sizes zero through four and the XL/XXL accommodating sizes 16 through 20. The coat features a snap front closure, side pockets and a back vent.

Both raincoats feature a detachable zip hood, a hood visor extension, an adjustable bungee cord with a metal toggle at the hood opening, a self-belt and signature stripe lining. The 100 percent polyurethane jackets have a 100 percent poly lining and are available in black, white and red.

“That’s another thing—the whole hands-free world now—everyone’s wearing AirPods, right, so my hood is deep,” Fox said. “The hood has a lid on it, so it’s extra deep and it’s expandable for everyone and it zips on and off so you can wear it rain or shine .”

Now, Fox is working on a few more styles based on customer reviews requesting shorter looks and even clear options for wearers to showcase their outfits.

The timing could be perfect with National Rain Day on July 29 just around the corner.

“My vision really was that it’s a real struggle for women to look fashionable and feel confident and sexy in the rain—the rain really does change your mood, especially when you’re trying to get dressed up and go out—I just really want to solve that problem for women everywhere,” Fox said. “That’s why my slogan is ‘making rainy days glamorous,’ because I hope to make every woman’s rainy day better.”

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