let’s face it the weather is unpredictable. one minute in michigan it’s sunny and 70 and the next it’s pouring rain and 30 degrees. neither climate (90 or 20) ever keeps me from checking out a good flea market. the secret to a happy rainy flea market shopping experience is the right gear. having the right “equipment” to keep you try and warm makes all the difference. if you are cold and uncomfortable you’ll book it out of there and not really shop. sometimes i find the best deals when it’s raining because it makes a lot of shoppers stay home. sunday morning was one of those freezing rain flea market shops. i felt for a while like i had the entire market to myself which is awesome (trust me though, would have preferred 70 and sunny). luckily though i was equipped and ready to go and while i didn’t find a ton (not a lot of people set up) i still found a trunk of good stuff making it worth going.
rubber boots – i prefer my short hunter boots. sometimes when i’m wearing the knee high versions for a long period of time my ankles and back start to hurt. i prefer the ankle or calf height boots. the rubber keeps all moisture off my feet and keeps them dry and happy. not to mention puddles are fun and it’s nice not to have to worry about watching your step.
warm socks – if it’s cold… don’t wear rubber boots without socks. your feet will be dry but they will be absolutely frozen. i once worked a show with no socks and ended up cutting a chunk of my scarf off to wrap around my feet to keep them warm. i usually throw on a pair of thin wool socks.
layer your clothes – i usually wear a t shirt, sweatshirt and if it’s really cold my vest. that way if the rain lets up and the sun comes out i can strip down the layers and i’m not over heating. i like my vest rather than a coat because it’s easier to carry stuff and it’s not as heavy.
umbrella – because. it keeps the rain off of you. i like my collapsable small umbrella because when it stops raining i can fold it up and put it in my tote bags and it doesn’t get in my way.
plastic bags – i always bring my canvas shopping tote but if it’s raining i throw in a few plastic bags to protect what i’m buying from the rain or when it’s done raining to put my wet umbrella in. they just come in handy.
i hope we don’t have to use these tactics the rest of the summer.fingers crossed for warm sunny fleas!
