It’s that excellent time of year again. When it starts getting cold and you’re just a little bit excited because you secretly prefer winter clothes to summer clothes. You can start wearing jumpers, jeans and boots and not decide as you’ve left your house and made it half way down the road that actually, yes, it’s getting a bit hot, and have to dash home to change.

However, with this time of year and your winter wardrobe comes another important factor: rain. Rain is my arch-nemesis. Sure, I like the sound of rain when I got to bed and it’s good for the planet etc etc…..but it definitely causes havoc to my clothes, hair and mascara.

Anyone with an ounce of common sense will have already sussed these tips I’m going to give you in regards to dressing for the rainy days that are here and the ones that will inevitably be coming soon. For those people who have to learn a lesson the hard way, like myself, here’s what I have gathered so far…

• Always carry an umbrella if it looks like downpour…. don’t just brush off the dark clouds and extra gusts of wind, reassuring yourself it won’t rain while you’re out. Because it will. And it may even be tsunami-style conditions. An umbrella is a basic precaution, but those small, cheapy fabric ones will not cut it. I suggest investing in a clear plastic one or a large fabric one, so your chances of being swept away in the gales or getting soaked in the rain are pretty slim.

• It’s a good idea to get a coat with a decent hood….maybe not the most attractive look but definitely the most practical, and warm. It might also keep your freshly-done hair intact! And sorry girls, the little hoods attached to leather jackets or that really warm coat with the miniature hood will not survive. And neither will you. I speak from drowned-rat experience.

• Coloured/light jeans will not make it through the storm….without getting stained and/or ruined. I am a collector of skinny jeans in a rainbow of colours, but the only ones of mine that have proven themselves English-weather proof are my black, navy, dark grey and burgundy pairs. So if, like me, you favour a variety of colours, I suggest investing in a pair from those shades, as the damage was minimal. And if, like me, you are extremely accident-prone then 100 percent invest in a dark pair of jeans.

• Plimsolls will never be a good idea….this may seem like a no-brainer but sometimes you get the urge to wear your *insert brand of choice* plimsolls. They are likes sponges for rain. Only wear a pair if they have a solid heel on them.

• Your hair/ make-up may live to see another day…. but don’t count on it. On rainy days, keep your hair and make-up minimal and effortless, to avoid panda-eye syndrome and the frizz head. This may seem unbearable for some, but it really is the wisest thing to do if you want to maintain some dignity.

You have been warned…