Best Rain Jackets Are Not Rain Jackets

Rain jackets. You might call them weatherproof jackets or cagoules. How do you see them? Would you just search for anything waterproof? Yes those visually unattractive Polyester jackets – they may be handy to have, but couldn’t we live without them? Do we really need rain jackets?

I met this horrible man last week – one of our suppliers who was arrogant and horrible to my work associate. But he was fantastically well-dressed. My associate refused to speak to him anymore and, I had to walk him back to the reception as I noticed his lovely tweed blazer and a nice pair of shoes.

He picked up his coat… a cagoule, rather. A blue anorak, hooded cagoule. Yes outside was pouring with rain, the man had an umbrella but sure, he needed something else to protect his gorgeous tweed jacket.

So is it OK to wear something cheap, tacky and awful in order to protect your expensive clothes from the rain? Is it because you only wear it while travelling? Like those women commuting with comfy trainers then change to high-heels once they get to the office perhaps? Perhaps a rain jacket is treated like a shower cap because;

1. You wear it to protect your clothes/hair
2. Because you need to travel in the rain / wash the rest of your body
3. It doesn’t matter you look hideous because they’re all strangers/no one else is around you.

I don’t know what’s good or bad sometimes. Napkin tucked into your collar while eating. Or wearing a bib in a restaurant… is a hideous thing. I know you want to protect your clothing, you need to. In fact it’s traditional. A lot of posh restaurants forbid gentlemen customers from taking off their suit jacket while dining, and they provide a bib apron to wear over the suit. But point #2 above doesn’t apply here. They wear a bib like babies not because they need to consume food, they’re there in order to enjoy the fine dining experience.

Would you be happy to be Facebooked with a bib on, looking like you’re about to spew on it? What do you think of diapers?

Cagoules / Kagools

In Britain we call a lightweight waterproof jacket (like the image above) a cagoule, alternatively spelt kagoule, cagoul or kagool. And we also call it an anorak, or can call it a windbreaker like Americans do.

Cagoules were made fun of by Jennifer Saunders’ Absolutely Fabulous a couple of times in 1990s too, referred to as something only geeks would wear and fashionistas feel ashamed of.

Patsy: Jacks had her second husband made into a small cagoule when he died! Jackie: Don’t be ridiculous, a cagoule? It was a small waisted evening jacket with Chanel buttons.

Edwina: There’s SOMETHING in a blue cagoule hovering outside!

And it has always been the case – cagoules have been seen as king of un-stylishness, worn by trainspotters. Although the words such as geeks and anoraks were originally used in a bit more derogatory manner, the terms have changed over the years and are now used to describe experts in specific niche. He’s a beer-making anorak, or wood pigeon anorak.

Chic-Geek

There’s a relatively new, glorified fashion term “chic-geek” too. While I admire the idea of it, and cagoules can be a part of it, I think only the young could really look fabulously chic with it. (“Otherwise you’d freak out” – sorry)

That horrible man last week – I would have seen him as a chic-geek had he worn his blue cagoule underneath the tweed jacket, not over it.

What I really don’t understand is that cagoules are available in about 200 different colours such as in Crimson or Azure or Sunset… And they’re like £5 each so you could potentially start collecting them and become an “anorak anorak”. Would you? Would you buy an “Azure” because you already had one in blue but you’d like one that’s lighter blue?

Do you buy bright blue or red because you intend to wear it for walking and you need to be clearly visible in bad weather? Or in case you were trapped under a cliff, the rescuers could find you easy? Well, ski jackets tend to be in those crazy bright blue or red. Would it be the reason, and if not, what would it be?

I personally think cagoules are hopelessly tatty and tasteless. Never have I considered in my life…..

Best Rain Jackets Are Not Rain Jackets

I went on slagging cagoules off for too long, I think because of the horrible man in a tweed jacket last week, forgetting my own brightest yellow “tat” one could ever find…

Diesel J-Red Puff Bomber Jacket (Black)

Bomber jackets work as a great alternative to rain jackets. This one is 100% polyamide-nylon featuring zip and stud fastening, along with 2 zipped pockets from Diesel.

100% Polyester, full zip front and zip-up slash side pockets.

Tommy Hilfiger Bobby Jacket, Surf The Web

Another one from Tommy Hilfiger is 100% Polyamide, featuring a defined collar and ribbed cuffs and machine washable, this is my favourite, great for leisure use.

Well Mac (Mackintosh) coats are raincoats, but I had to show it because a lot of “Mac coats” are great but often made of 100% cotton therefore not waterproof. This one is 82% polyester and 18% polyamide, very good make and you feel the thickness, great to wear over a suit in this weather. Dry clean only.

And of course a waterproof parka is a good option, and this one from Enfield has a Grey Duck Down filling to keep you warm. 82% Polyester, 18% Cotton with 100% Nylon fitting.

There are great non-rain jackets that you can wear as a rain jacket, and you don’t have to look like a disposable lighter. I hope you like the selections – don’t hesitate to leave your comments!