I am a long-time advocate of the rainmate.  My friends will testify that I’ve been known to stalk rainmate rockin’ old ladies on buses.  ”Um.  Excuse me? Where did you buy that rainmate?”  They never answer.

I can’t say I like the rain much.  But you know what I like even less?  Umbrellas.  Well, it’s not so much that I don’t like umbrellas.  Actually, I find myself quite excited by umbrellas a lot of the time – pretty ones, vintage ones, multi-coloured ones, see-through ones… I guess what I mean is that I hate other people’s umbrellas.  I hate them nudge, nudge, nudging me on the shoulder blades, I hate them poking the backs of my knees (small child with umbrella), I hate them getting their weird little metal end bits stuck in my hair, I hate them stabbing my eyes and I hate them dribbling rain water down the back of my collar.  I rather enjoy carrying an umbrella – but only on streets where NO ONE ELSE IS.  As a (generally) considerate pavement user, I try not to allow any of the above umbrella annoyances/injuries to occur.  However, to avoid eye poking/collar dribbling/face brushing/those metal bits embedding themselves in other people, a whole lot of fast foot work and far too much arm up/arm down action is required.  It’s hard work.

Hence – my interest in the rainmate (and my love of the plastic raincoat – but we’ll maybe revisit that another time).  While those umbrella toting chumps phaff around turning wonky prongs back the proper way while the wind blows a gale around them (up their skirts for added comedy effect) and jamming their finger in the little button mechanism, I’ll be scooting through crowds quick style without a soggy care in the world.

["Hm..."  *taps chin*  "If only I had a rainmate... A really. Special.  Rainmate..." *harumphs*]

Well, whaddaya know?

My friend Sarah owns a shop called La La Land. The gal got a knack for unearthing some super cool fashion action.  As a ‘bye bye Glasgow’/'hello London’ gift, Sarah sent me a surprise Bubble Betty rainmate in the mail!  a) I love receiving real mail and b) I love surprise presents and c) I love rainmates.  All.  Boxes.  Ticked.

If you live in Glasgow, you ought to take a trip to La La Land. The shop is on Cresswell Lane (just off Byres Road and downstairs from where my shop, The Maisonette, used to be).  Sarah particularly loves when people pass comment on her choice of shop music so if I were you, I’d definitely make a point of asking if she’d maybe turn off NWA and pop on some Ronan Keating instead? If you don’t live in Glasgow, then you must look at the La La Land website immediately.  Right now, I’m lusting after the new Jennie Loof collection.  Go see.  It’s right here.

I’m off out to jump in some puddles with DRY HAIR!