It's that time of year again filled with drizzly wet days that make you feel like you've been deprived of sunlight for months. Do you recall a popular rhyme from your childhood? April showers bring May flowers? Well, flowers aren't the only thing inspired by April this spring; cute rain gear will keep you stylish, and more importantly, dry.

If you're anything like me, maintaining control of your hair in the rain is nearly impossible in such damp, humid weather. Unfortunately, I can't help you with your frizzy mane, I'm still figuring that one out myself. But aside from the hair issue, here are a few waterproof items to help you survive spring showers.

Thinking back to your earlier years, the one article that you couldn't jump in a puddle without was a pair of shiny rain boots. Likewise, you shouldn't jump out of the house without a pair of stylish wellies to keep you looking fashionably dry. The classic equestrian rain boot brand Hunter, has merged into the funky rain boot market and it couldn't be more popular. Hunter offers their classic boot in a variety of colours from gold and silver metallics to lilac and fuchsia, priced at $110. These fashion forward colours have transformed this necessity into a desirable accessory suitable to wear rain or shine.

Several designers this season are offering raincoats in bright, bold colors including Marc by Marc Jacobs, Tory Burch and Cynthia Steffe. The sky is the limit when it comes to cuts and styles ranging from pea coats to trench coats, swing coats and even ponchos. Montreal based designer label Soia & Kyo (www.soiakyo.com) offer a selection of chic slickers made with a non-traditional 100 per cent cotton and water resistant shell. Their jacket assortment offers classic trenches, funky trenches and plaid trenches featuring over sized double breasted buttons, waist cinching belts and asymmetric collars. Whichever style suits you best, you'll be guaranteed to stay toasty and protected from the rain.

A solid umbrella is a must have functional accessory for the rainy days ahead. Nothing can make a rainy day worse than carrying an umbrella that has been inverted and practically carried away by the wind. In order to avoid such a catastrophe, it's wise to cough up a little extra money and invest in a sturdy umbrella that can withstand stormy days.

Cheeky Umbrella (www.cheekyumbrella.com), designed in the notoriously rainy city of Vancouver, provides much more than just coverage. On the outside they each feature a funky design, while on the inside they have humorous saying such as its raining, its pouring, other umbrellas are boring and when does it start raining men? On the technical side, each umbrella has a strong, lightweight frame, fiberglass, wind resistant ribs, durable, quick-drying pongee fabric, a slip resistant hook handle and complete with a chic silver pushbutton for automatic opening. Each umbrella comes with a lifetime warranty for a grand total of $44, which is probably half the price most people spend on dollar store replacements throughout their life.

If there is a silver lining to these dreary April showers it's all the cute rain gear this season has in store. The next time your hair frizzes out of control, just keep thinking May flowers.