Desperately need a raincoat - YouLookFab Forum

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Desperately need a raincoat

medusa

Veteran

I mailed back the Boden raincoat today, and now I feel like the weather is taking revenge on me. I want to cry. It snowed several inches this morning. Then it turned to freezing rain and everything got icy. Then it turned to rain, which just pooled on everything - on my walk home from work I spent most of the time on icy, puddle-covered sidewalks. I was walking through ice water! Then on some street corners there are 4 foot high mounds of snow that I had to kick steps in (a climbing thing) to clamber over. Then on other street corners there are ankle-deep, 10-foot wide puddles because the water can't drain through the snow and ice. It took forever. And I was doing all of this is pouring rain. It felt like such an ordeal.

Please, please, please help me out by suggesting a stylish raincoat I can buy before I cry.

Shopping

20 replies

Latest reply was from Mellllls

Claudia

Veteran

Ugh, Medusa, I've been there and done that in NYC when I use to work there, getting sprayed with dirty slush as cars went by, too. Just wanted to let you know I commiserate and feel your pain and misery today.

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

Oh no! The elements are a mare. Hugs!! Medusa, why don't you just wear your puffer coat? It's cold enough too, right?

Beth

Veteran

Oh Medusa:( I have no raincoat ideas, but I wanted to add my support. Those days where everything seems designed against you are just hateful, aren't they?

bella

(website)

Veteran

This was exactly our weather today. I was on the verge of crying when I got home. How frustrating! I was wearing my big puffer, which is waterproof and would have liked to have an umbrella. I don't have a solution to offer only my sympathy.

Maya

Veteran

Count me in the almost in tears club.

Medusa, I cannot fathom going through this kind of weather in just a raincoat. It's freezing. Being cold AND wet is doubly awful. I wore my puffer and can't imagine wearing anything else.

Mellllls

Veteran

I second the puffer, and one with a hood.

medusa

Veteran

I was wearing a puffer with a hood. It got soaked through! Mine is obviously not waterpoof. It was also a bit too hot (I was wearing lots of layers because it's cold in lab.)

Maya

Veteran

Hmm, I have a cheap Zara puffer and it does the job. I wonder if it's a quality issue? I'd suggest a polyester-filled puffer. It's not as warm as a true down puffer and a decent quality one should keep you dry.

I wonder if you could waterproof it the way you waterproof shoes...

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

Oh no! Really? My puffer is completey weatherproof and I carry an umbrella. Sounds like you need a new puffer, Medusa. That would be your best bet with the cold.

Isabel

Veteran

Oh Medusa, I am so sorry for the rough day. In days like today, almost nothing is 100% waterproof. I once read a suggestion that for days like today, the best thing is a wool coat and a Gore-Tex or Gore-Tex like shell over it. There is almost no getting around the umbrella, which is a bear to wrestle with on a commute.

My mom, sister and I all own Travelsmith raincoats and they haven't soaked through, ever...though we have never been in such an intense situation as you.

I also own the llbean drioff and I LOVE it. The material rivals Gore-Tex. This one has a wool lining, mine doesn't so that I can wear it over blazers and jackets ( It is very versatile when I travel in the winter ).

http://www.llbean.com/llb/shop.....38;feat=sr

I would recommend that when you do get a coat, take a shower with it on so that you get an idea right away. In the past, when I bought rain gear for hiking, I would always shower in to make sure that I didn't have to send it back !

Finally, if nothing else works, try a large rain ponch over your coat. ( When I commuted in Boston and the weather was especially nasty, that is what I would do. It kept me very dry, as well as whatever it was that I was carrying.)
Hang in there.

Isabel

Veteran

This is the one that I own to throw over blazers and jackets :

http://www.llbean.com/llb/shop.....#038;dds=y

I own the following for hiking and have had it for several years. I have been caught in a torrential down pour in the Rockies while hiking with this one, for 5 hours, and we got back to the base lodge completely dry.

http://www.llbean.com/llb/shop.....38;feat=sr

At this point, forget cute and go for function. All know that this is not common.

Louise

Veteran

I get warm in my puffer too so I usually take off some layers before commuting. Could you try some wash in waterproofer? We have some for re waterproofing gear coats but i wonder if it would work on an unwaterproof coat? x

medusa

Veteran

Isabel, thanks for the suggestions. I will look at that.

I probably didn't explain this too well, but I really don't want another puff coat. Wearing my puff coat yesterday really contributed to the misery - it got wet, and it was too warm, so I had to take off the hood and unzip it, and then my clothes got wet underneath. The problem wasn't the cold, it was the warm. I really want to find a stylish raincoat. I've been looking for over a year, and nothing I've tried has looked good. I'm considering giving up and just wearing my gore tex climbing coat. So if anyone has suggestions that could save me from that fate, please do tell.

Edited to add: I actually quite like this coat Isabel posted. What do you think?
http://www.llbean.com/llb/shop.....#038;dds=y

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Debora

Veteran

Hi Medusa! Sorry I can't come up with any suggestions for you, but I do like the coat you just linked to. For those of you who have never experienced NYC in the snow, check out the following videos:

http://video.nytimes.com/video.....rmath.html

http://video.nytimes.com/video.....owish.html
Hang in there, M!

MNsara

Veteran

Hey, Debora - that looks like MN winter and spring combined in those videos We don't get those nasty slush puddles until spring, but those definitely call for wellies. The pic of ladies wearing stiletto boots makes me smile!

medusa - I do like the coat you linked. Are you thinking blue? because one comment was favorable about the silver looking much better IRL and that would be lighter (closer to the Boden white).

It looks like you - if that makes sense. it also is a length that you could bike in, if needed, right?

Isis

Veteran

I like the raincoat that Isabel posted! I like the blue color, especially for practical reasons, thinking that white would get dirty.

Were your feet warm and dry? Or do you need rainboots too? I have these and like them! I have the black with the red zipper.

http://www.zappos.com/steve-madden-tsunamii-black

LeahJanes

Oh you poor people!

That weather truly sounds like torture. After a day like that I would pack a truck and run away somewhere blue skied and sunny. I hope you find something to keep you warm and dry.

Louise

Veteran

I was recently lucky enough to stumble across a 'gear' brand raincoat which looks like a trench http://www.regatta.com/product.....?pn=RWW047 x

ETA~ I say Yay on the one isabelle posted (the llbean one) it's very similar to mine x

medusa

Veteran

Debora, those videos you posted are hilarious! Very appropriate.

I liked both the silver and the red colors in the LL Bean coat Isabel posted. I was thinking about going for the silver since that fabric would be very easy to clean, it might be a good excuse to try a light color.

Mellllls

Veteran

that's a pretty raincoat.