the mother of all ladies raincoats!

March 4, 2015 6:27 AM

Looking for a stylish, functional women’s raincoat/jacket that isn’t “formal,” but also isn’t too sporty, and that I can wear with a variety of things including jeans and leggings. Can you recommend something?

I don’t want a trenchcoat or something really sporty looking, and feel like it’s hard to find something in-between that’s also stylish/attractive looking.

Musts:
- have a hood that doesn’t keep falling down, even if I have my hair in a bun or ponytail (which often pulls hoods down)
- doesn’t trap body heat. I walk a lot, and my body warms quickly when active. So some kind of ventilation or “breathability”
- preferably hits mid-thigh, or definitely below my butt
- is good/comfortable for walking in longish distances - like if I’m walking around outdoors doing errands, and not just from the parking lot to a store or something
- I love clothing that balances functionality with form - hidden pockets in helpful places, thumbholes, maybe simple “classic” looking but details that are cleverly awesome
- Doesn’t have some kind of obvious brand name/logo printed hugely somewhere
- would prefer not to spend more than $200, but flexible if something’s especially awesome

Do you have a rain coat/jacket that you love with a kind of lasting love? Please share!

posted by raztaj to Clothing, Beauty, & Fashion (13 answers total)

All of my Nau coats and jackets are amazing. None hits all your points, but clothing which balances function and form is their whole purpose. Their jackets are right at and above your price point--but you can usually wait for a sale without missing out.

I've long been a fan of the brand and although I feel the clothing no longer hits the same high that it once did, the coats and jackets continue to surpass expectation. No external logos, well-designed pockets, low-waste or recycled production practices. The fit tends to favor slim/athletic builds, which I am not by any stretch of the terms, and I do pretty well in their coats.
posted by crush-onastick at 6:36 AM on March 4, 2015 [8 favorites]

I've been totally happy with this Helly Hansen coat (mine is navy). Lots of great functional details, and really waterproof. I also run hot, and it's not been a problem for me, but I also live in a cool, misty climate where rain usually means 60 degrees F or less, so I can't make any promises there.
posted by purpleclover at 6:48 AM on March 4, 2015

Here is a short trench coat from Eddie Bauer that might hit all of your buttons. (It's not formal and traditionally trenchy looking, I promise!)
posted by heathergirl at 6:56 AM on March 4, 2015

i love my penfield jacket. they have other jackets that are specifically "rain jacket", but the standard ones have water-resistant material.
posted by monologish at 7:51 AM on March 4, 2015 [1 favorite]

This rain jacket from REI meets most of your requirements. Mine is gray and I've had it for a few years. The waterproofing is excellent and the hood stays up even when confronted by my poofy curly ponytail. This other REI rain jacket might work too but I have not seen it in person.
posted by esoterrica at 7:52 AM on March 4, 2015 [1 favorite]

I have something similar to this Columbia trench. I wear mine constantly.

Really, I think the answer you want here is a classic camel/black/navy trench with a hood, and if the one I linked doesn't work, try L.L. Bean, London Fog, and Land's End. That will work with basically any level of casual/formal.
posted by bowtiesarecool at 7:56 AM on March 4, 2015

Argh, I missed that you didn't want a trench. I still stand by that - it's like the little black dress of rain coats.
posted by bowtiesarecool at 7:57 AM on March 4, 2015

I also came by to suggest the REI rainjacket esoterrica linked. I wear mine everywhere - to my surprise it become my go-to jacket, so I even bought another one in a different color. It's very comfortable to move around in - I've worn it hiking and snowshoeing! - yet I always feel like I look nice in it, so I've also worn it on business meetings and over dresses.
posted by barchan at 8:05 AM on March 4, 2015

I love my Boden Rainy Day Mac, and I don't walk out onto the street without I get a couple compliments on the print. The only one of your points I think it doesn't hit is the warmth factor, because it's lined.
posted by holborne at 9:33 AM on March 4, 2015 [1 favorite]

I have a Lululemon rain jacket that seems to fit your criteria. It comes from a sport-oriented company but isn't sporty per se. It's classic looking, and you can cinch in the waist to your liking. It's warm but I don't overheat. It has a hood - whether it falls down probably depends on your head size. It's this one.
posted by hepta at 10:23 AM on March 4, 2015

I have the same REI rain jacket that esoterrica and barchan recommended! I love it too. I wear it for biking to work, yet I also I feel like it's nice enough to wear over more formal wear.

It breathes okay, not great. But anything water resistant or waterproof is going to have some lack of breathability, even fancy Gore-Tex and similar tech fabrics.
posted by misskaz at 10:47 AM on March 4, 2015 [1 favorite]

I have the insulated version of the Eddie Bauer coat that heathergirl posted. Worth its weight in gold, and surprisingly dressy looking. It's a perfect length, and has an inner pocket.
As misskaz said, "breathability" is relative in raincoats. Some are like wearing Saran Wrap, others less so, by degrees. The Eddie Bauer coat in non-Saran Wrap-y.
posted by BostonTerrier at 12:36 PM on March 4, 2015

This is the one I have my eye on. The hood is just different enough without being weird.
posted by tizzie at 6:02 PM on March 4, 2015