Hasta La Ideas

Four wet-weather accessories for staying dry while looking good

The bright spot in any rain-filled day is actually keeping dry. Below are four accessories we recently put to the test that will keep you from getting soaked without resorting to a yellow slicker, all through the rainy season.

Two-Tone Canvas Tote

Built By Wendy’s Two-Tone Canvas Tote is a roomy universal carryall for guys and girls alike. Made from Sunbrella fabric, the durable bag is stain- and sun-resistant and water wicks right off its surface. Leather corner protectors and a zippered top add details appropriate for toting laptops and other essentials anywhere from a business meeting to the park. An interior zippered pocket and pouch for mobile phones make for a great bag, rain or shine. Pick it up for $158 from Built By Wendy.

Papajo Print Umbrella

Originally designed by Annika Rimala in the 1960s, Marimekko’s Papajo print umbrella still adds a modern twist to any ensemble when Mother Nature makes an umbrella your best accessory. The automatic umbrella sells in black or red colorways from Marimekko stores for $50.

+J Shiny Gathered Parka

The fourth collection Jil Sander designed for Uniqlo includes a
jacket made from a thinner-than-thin nylon that packs down to nothing, and is cut with just enough feminine flair to keep you feeling flirty even when the weather is gnarly. While the brand only vouches that it’s water resistant, rain beaded right off in a recent downpour, and elastic at every edge, as well as a storm-flap covering the front zipper, adds extra protection. The jacket comes in four colors (I went for brilliant blue) and sells online and at Uniqlo stores for $70.

Loeffler Randall Rain Bootie

Loeffler Randall’s waterproof lace-up booties go from day to night without the look of a farmhand, like common Wellie styles. Lined with jersey cotton, the boots are also super comfortable, but Loeffler Randall’s trademark 33mm wedge gives a secret lift. Available in black or army green, the rain booties sell online for $165.

Three inventive bike accessories that double as urban furniture

Spotted at Salone Satellite, the work of the Austrian duo
Undpartner aims to not just design a few bike accessories but to reinvent urban experiences. As Barbara Gollackner and Michael Walder say, “Undpartner is ready to reconquer public space: city residents are being given the opportunity to reconquer room for communication and create a spot for everyday living with wear-it-yourself furniture.”

The Parasite seat can be worn directly on the body, but can also hang wherever there’s a pole, a door or a traffic sign.

Super Francesco gives bike riders the possibility to easily create public seating; with one click it can be removed from the bike and laid on the floor.

Elliot is a small sculptural item that turns a torch or a bike light into an outdoor lampshade and is easily carried along on bags or bikes.

The «vintage bike», has for its peculiarity a frame of 1978, which did not take a wrinkle, but also and above all a special light that al..

A collection of 100% wool hand-tufted rugs designed by interior designer Adrienne Chinn.

An accessories vet reinvents classics in her debut handbag line

Italian-Brazilian accessories designer Paula Cademartori toys with tradition in her signature line of handbags, which bridge classic construction with modern silhouettes and unusual combinations of leather, suede, deerskin and the like.

Cademartori first studied Industrial Design at the Lutheran University of Brazil, then relocated to Italy where she studied fashion management at Milan’s revered business school Bocconi University. Cademartori continued her education at Istituto Marangoni, where she received her Masters in Accessories Design before becoming a junior designer at Versace.

Not surprisingly, Cademartori’s talents were first recognized for a shoe she designed for the Vogue Talents Corner, a project she was selected to participate in during September 2009 and landed her on Italian Vogue’s list of 140 Emerging Designers.

Devoted to ageless elegance, each bag features incredibly precise detailing, durable fine leather and custom-crafted metal hardware. The style names recall princesses and archetypal women like fashion editor and idol Anna Dello Russo, who was one of her first fans.

In addition to her seasonal collections, Cademartori also has Aristocracy, a made-to-order line featuring high quality crocodile leather and beautiful detailing.