Rain from the side, the wind pushing you backward, frozen canals in one week and 14 degrees, and sunshine in the next. If you have ever been to the Netherlands you might have experienced at least one of these weather conditions (or even all of them at the same time). Locals know that this is nothing unusual. Being a Dutch citizen means accepting all kinds of rain, wind, and even a bit of snow now and then.

They grow up biking in the rain. It is almost like at some point they don’t even notice it anymore. 

Not to be spiteful, but it can be very entertaining to watch people bike under unpleasant weather conditions. They are either trying to fight the harsh winds that are unfortunately blowing in the wrong direction or the rain that feels like it comes straight out of a spray bottle, making it extra hard for them to arrive at their destination as fast as possible. 

There are a couple of behavioral patterns one might notice during their observation. In most cases, people look down and face the asphalt beneath them to avoid the rain from blocking their sight. On top of that many bikers wear hoods that cover approximately 60% of their faces which makes it hard for them to see anyways. These are probably sacrifices that are being made to save the freshly blowdried hair or protect a precious cashmere hat that warms the ears but is not to be confronted with water. 

It is one thing to bike in the rain but another to arrive without looking like you just took a quick shower without taking your clothes off before you left home.

So after showing up in an unwanted all-wet-everything look a couple of times most of the people start equipping themselves with the right set of clothing for the moody weather. Coats that are rainproof, big enough to put over the whole bike, have a hood (obviously to cover up the 60% of the face that was mentioned earlier), and that is also combinable with various outfits. Some even go for rain pants, which is debatable since there is no elegant way of taking them off after arriving at the destination. One of the key factors to a successful ride is the shoes one decides to wear. The pedals of a bike can become very slippery which can result in needing many attempts to get the bike started after stopping at a red light. So, the shoes need a grip, a good profile, they should be waterproof, warm and of course (Dutch people are very vain) stylish.

Dr. Martens with their trademark yellow stitch offers the perfect protective and at the same time classic and cool solution. The original shoe brand that produced its first pair in the 1960s nowadays works with three different techniques to provide perfect urban protection: water-resistant DryWair, insulating WarmWair, and slip-resistant WinterGrip. There’s is not much more needed to tackle the outside world in style on a bad-weather day. The simple silhouette allows wearers to customize and experiment; whilst on a utilitarian level, their famous durability and comfort make them ideal footwear for the world of gigs and street fashion. On an emotional level, they are a flag of attitude and empowerment.

So next time, to avoid having to wear rubber boots or dealing with soaking wet socks, remember that Dr. Martens boots are a fashionable, durable, and long-lasting solution for your future-dry-feet. 

Check out more models on the Dr. Martens website.