I am desperate for a stylish rain coat ...

[Karenblixen]

Any ideas, please?

Ideally in black and with a hood (there seem to be lots of coats that are described as rainwear and have no hood - I don't get on with umbrellas and usually have my hands full).

These are nice. Although you don't say what your budget is?

Me too so will watch this thread. Anyone have one from seasalt? Sorry can't link.

I have a Seasalt mac, although you'll find some on here find them frumpy. I embrace my inner frump, and I'm always being asked where I got it from!

www.outdoorlook.co.uk/merrell-womens-miette-insulated-waterproof-parka-jacket-manganese-heather-jwf21472 I thunk this comes in black! I have one and it keeps me really dry.

Think not thunk and . not !, stupid ipad.

Thank you all It's a present from DM and I am supposed to pick something nice. I will now take a look at all your suggestions while cooking dinner!

I am not sure about Seasalt, I like to look at their pretty clothes, but that style just does not suit me - it makes me look like I am wearing dressing up. If I could afford it, I would buy everything from Me and Em - but anyway, they don't do rain coats .

The Protected Species one is nice, may be a bit too sporty and pricey.

they do a lovely trench coat as well, which I'm thinking of buying to wear to work. They are a bit pricey though.

The trench coat looks great - how are their sizes, have you bought anything from them before, trixy?

I wore my Seasalt mac for the first time this weekend - I got one of the patterned ones. I absolutely love it & it kept me nice and dry.

I wore my patterned Seasalt mac for the first time last Friday

Ilse Jacobsen I have my eye on this make

I think a classic Mac is more stylish than a parka.

I have an Aigle one I love! Serious quality

That Protected Species mac is the answer to all of my stylish raincoat questions. Marking place to find our on sizing - as a 12-14 I'm concerned!

Yes and how sweaty and polyestery will it be?!

My Seasalt raincoat is the best thing I've ever bought. I've not found one better.

I have two seasalt raincoats. They are superb.

Funny you should say that you feel like you are dressing up in their clothes OP - I often feel like I am wearing 'my mums clothes' when I wear smart clothes, suits etc - and I just look silly. I look proper in my seasalt clothes though (mind you there are lines They do that I wouldn't wear). I think that's because I am constitutionally and temperamentally unable to go any more upscale than smartish casual. I suspect the truly smart find seasalt too unstructured and scruffy.

I haven't bought from protected species, it was my friend who was raving about how lovely the coats were. I think the fabric is proper breathable waterproof fabric. I shall ask about sizing.

I have an Aigle trench too Fiscal, but I've lost weight and now it's too big, so I need to replace it.

Oh no, I admire Seasalt clothes and I think they are very pretty, but they don't go with my colouring. I honestly look in these colours and patterns as though I am wearing a nightgown. On someone else they look lovely and smart. I can only wear a few colours, such as black , navy, grey, pink and some reds, blues and purples.

I would love to be able to wear one of these flowery dresses from Seasalt.

Having said that, they have black and dark navy raincoats, I like the one with the thick pink quilting, it's not quite what I want, but the quilting looks very cosy (it's cold outside).

I have seen Ilse Jacobsen coats in a shop the other day, but their coats look very fitted. I think I read a review that people struggled with them on bicycles, for examples, as they did not have enough freedom of movement. I saw a lady wearing one too and she looked a bit stuck and rigid. I find them a bit too severe looking. Especially these black shiny ones and the red shiny one with matching hat to my mind has a Cebeebies feel to it. I seem to be looking at everyone's rain coats now.

The last raincoat I bought was from Joules in 2007 and it's only fit for gardening now.

In Seasalt, if you are between 10 and 12, which size would you buy?

I'd say Seasalt come up small.

Seasalt look awful on me.

Like a 12 yr old, or a 70 yr old is how I look in them!

40s can be a difficult age to dress.

I just saw that the difference in width between 10 and 12 is 10cm! That's a lot. I was looking at the Kellifray Mac.

Thank you, frankie.

I have a flowery Lands End trench coat which I wear with a rain hat (same umbrella issues). It doesn't have a horrid elasticated waist and I get a lot of compliments on it. I find the hat so much easier than trying to keep a hood up/see out of it.

Depends what you are buying I suspect. I'm a 6-8, their dresses are quite roomy (that's the cut though, usually) but their Ts and blouses fit like a dream, as do their macs and fleeces (the soft fleeces are the most wondrous things - I suspect they look mummy/frumpy/whatever but they are so WARM! And fluffy! My 10 year old wears an adult one as a sort of furry coat.)

I agree with you about flowery stuff - I don't usually go for it - but occasionally they have some more bloomsbury-ish prints which are lovely. And plenty of plain or stripy stuff which is fine for me too. Last year I bought a spring dress which was navy and had a print of cats in a different shade of blue. I love that dress. Sadly it's not warm enough to wear it yet. Even with a long sleeved T underneath.