I’m a strange breed who loves the beach and the rain in equal measure. Truth be told, the only time I look for the sun is when I’m by the coast. Otherwise, I’m always complaining about the heat or the glare or the humidity—anything that appears to be the downside to glorious tanning weather.

Weird, I know—especially since I don’t really get to do anything when it’s raining out. When I was a kid, I was the sickly sort, so I never allowed to frolic in the drizzle like many of my friends were. I have no memories of cavorting in a sudden storm or splashing around in puddles. In fact, the moment the clouds turned a particular shade of gray, I was baited back into my house with a bowl of instant noodles. And willingly I went!

It’s the same story now. My portable umbrella has worn a groove into my purse—it’s stationed there for eternity. And on the rare occasion that I don’t have it, my friends or family cluster around me with theirs like a protective phalanx. “We don’t want you getting sick!” they’ll say. (I’m not kidding—when a few rogue raindrops manage to make it to my back or bare head, I’m down with a cold the next day.)

So it’s a truly odd thing that I love the rain—but there it is. And every time the skies open up their bottomless wells, I make myself a cup of joe, curl up on the couch with my dog, and listen to Nina Simone. And if I need to venture out for whatever reason, I rejoice in the fact that my wet weather gear finally gets to see the light of day.

That is, if I've gotten all the gear I need.

But that’s not always the case. Right now, for instance, the rain-friendly section of my closet is in dire need of an overhaul. There are five specific things that I fancy, and I’ll bet a lot of you are in search of them, too. Find out what they are below, and clue me in if you know where I can find them!

Note: If I didn’t love fashion, I admit that this shopping list would be much less detailed—and much sooner completed. But what can I do?

(Photo from Gossip Girl courtesy of The CW. All fashion sets created by Stephanie Castillo via Polyvore.)