Light summer coat, hold me back from the floral raincoats!

[Paperbagsaremine]

Like other posters on here I'm trying to be more strategic about what I buy and wear, spending more on good quality clothes which won't look cheap or dated in a year.

(Though I suspect the long padded gilet I bought may date - but I've got a metric shittonne of wear out of it, so I'm still happy!).

I need a long, lightweight coat for rainy spring/summer days. Please stop me from buying the Orla Kiely waterproof macs
https://www.regatta.com/orla-kiely-waterproof-mac-navy-passion-flower/
as they are pretty but would make me look like an oversized three-year-old!

Aside from wanting to be steered towards something suitable for a grown-up woman, the other issue is that I have a classic British pear shape, I'm not overweight but nor am I willowy.
So belted trenches I'm a bit wary of ;)

I do spend a lot of time outside so it has to be genuinely well made and weatherproof.

Sort of thing a head of Finance or Legal might wear for a rainy June walk back to the station or taking her mother's ancient dog out for some exercise?

Get the daisy one and brighten the day of everyone you meet.
Or just get a plain one in a 'sensible' colour like navy or olive green.

"Sort of thing a head of Finance or Legal might wear for a rainy June walk back to the station or taking her mother's ancient dog out for some exercise?"

This is oddly specific and hilarious😄But honestly why would you want a corporate looking raincoat? They all come in shades of grey, navy or olive and are unspeakably boring.

The OrlaK one has a beautiful print. But agree may look juvenile. Maybe go for a shorter length. Something that hits midwaist.

But if you are set on a staid raincoat, go for a bright one like this?
https://www.johnlewis.com/rohan-kendal-womens-waterproof-jacket/p6403052

Protected Species has lovely if pricey raincoats.

I bought this with an offer code, love it

www.seasaltcornwall.com/seafaring-waterproof-coat

I spend a lot of time outside and have a Seasalt Janelle which I absolutely adore, but it usually elicits the F word on MN. Not fuck..The other one.😀
The Janelle is really well made though.

Thanks for the suggestions everyone, I should have made it clear I'm looking for full length. It actually has to keep me and my clothes dry, so knee length at least if not longer.

I'm not ruling out trench styles if there are cuts which don't make me look like a potato sack with a string tried around the middle!

Get one that is at least mid-thigh in length and one that has a two way zip.
If you are getting a coat with a hood, try it on before you buy. You won't wear an ill-fitting hood.

A barbour might fit the bill.

I have a thin Parka London summer one that always elicits admiration - had it for five years now I’ve just realised!

i think the right trench can be great for pears, if they have a bit of shoulderiness around them. Zara have some great ones.

I dislike jaunty raincoats with a passion, which is my issue to deal with but you did ask (well kind of)!

Like a previous poster has said, Protected Species do a range of coats / jackets that come with a 2 year waterproof guarantee. A few years ago I bought their [[https://www.protected-species.com/product/waterproof-mac/ at half price ago when they had a deal with Mumsnet. I'm not sure if they still do it ( I mean the half price offer - they still do the mac). It's cut quite straight so I'm not sure if it would work for you? I'm still pretty happy with it - my main issue is that I wish I'd tried going up a size as, although it's a good fit, it doesn't leave much room for multi layers underneath. Recently I've also been wistfully eyeing up their newer longer length one but I can't afford it at the moment so that's that.

I also recently tried on a men's Uniqlo blocktech raincoat It may not be waterproof enough for your needs but, if I was looking for something at the moment and on a limited budget, this is probably what I'd choose. But the men's version, not the women's which was a different shape that I didn't like. (I'm typically a size 10 and the men's XS worked.)

I have one like the Rohan one above, I bought mine last year and it's a dark pinky/purply colour this year is blue ( not navy) or caramel
Mine is above my knee at the front and knee length at the back. I'm 5'7" so it would be longer if you're shorter than me. It has a hidden waist tie inside.

https://www.weirdfish.co.uk/p/women/coats-jackets/i/sanne-recycled-waterproof-longline-jacket-blue-mirage-19156

Seasalt raincoats are excellent. Windproof, waterproof and long lasting.
https://www.seasaltcornwall.com/waterproof-jackets-raincoats/lightweight-coat
Not the most stylish though.

Seasalt all the way !

My Didrikson raincoat is my best ever raincoat. It’s plain and won’t date, really waterproof, brilliant hood with massive peak so your face doesn’t get wet. Lots of deep, well positioned and secret pockets.

Sounds like you're unsure- don't buy the floral! I used to have a printed floral Lands End mac which I thought I'd love. It was just too much though and never looked right with a bag etc.
I had to charity shop it in the end

This one is long (and lightweight, apparently):
Spring Beech Waterproof Coat - Tried & Tested on Cornish Cliffs - Seasalt Cornwall

I don’t see why a trench wouldn’t work, but I am happy to admit that I don’t know much about flattering different body shapes, maybe you could experiment in the way you could tie it.

Look at Scandi brands. Didriksons as mentioned. Rains. Ilse Jacobsen. They tend to be understated and stylish as well as practical. Very head of Finance on a rainy June walk

Agree , absolutely brilliant coat , they've a sale on - have bagged one for half price , they do it in tall also. 😀

I have a Seasalt Janelle. I don't particularly like it but there are a few days every winter when it's great. But it's padded and has a fleecy lining - hardly a light summer coat surely, unless they do a seasonal version?

As an actual head of Finance 😂 I have two earlier season versions of this Uniqlo raincoat, one navy and one red, depending on the occasion and outfit underneath.

https://www.uniqlo.com/uk/en/product/blocktech-coat-445005.html

You are absolutely right. I think I meant to add a line saying "look at similar lighter coats from Seasalt" but didn't. They are all pretty well made with lots of pockets.

I also had a Uniqlo blocktech coat in the past, and found it pretty waterproof, but dull colour choice. And I have a John Lewis trench, but I gave it away because it had no hood and I always forget to carry a brolly.

I got this one from Uniqlo. I got it because it was so cheap and the weather forecast was terrible for my holiday. I was thinking oh, it's so boring, it's black, it's not my thing, but I wore it every day and it looked great with everything. It's a long-term buy for sure.
https://www.uniqlo.com/uk/en/product/blocktech-relaxed-half-coat-452969.html

Barbour obv. Will never go out of fashion!

Waterproof and great value:

https://www.uk.rains.com/collections/jackets-women/products/long-jacket-female?variant=40477849452627