After a very unusual warm/dry spell in early April we've been stuck in a more typical cold/damp phase for a couple of weeks, with daytime highs around 10 - 13°C and not much in the way of sun. I'm wearing my long waxed cotton anorak a lot, because it layers well over just about anything and does a decent job keeping rain out. It's snap front, not zip front, so for real downpours I reach for one of my Gore-Tex jackets instead (boring, I know!). But sometimes I grab them for not-so-rainy days just because they're lighter weight and more packable. The waxed cotton is heavy and too bulky to stuff into a bag if I get too warm to wear it. I'm not a fan of walking around with a coat draped over my arm -- I need my hands free!

I'd love to find a lightweight, more packable outer layer that blocks wind and light rain (and looks really cool ). I could go trench, but I think I'm leaning toward an anorak style. I'm liking fishtail hems, volume, length, big hoods... Top of the list right now is Everlane and Athleta (see Finds below), especially the pale "seaglass" colour from Everlane, but I feel a bit predictable shopping the same brands over and over. I also love that LL Bean has re-released their "Mountain Classic" anorak; I had one just like this as a kid and it would be a fun nostalgic thing to add one back into the mix, but it doesn't quite have the volume/length I'm hoping for. Anyone have their eye on some great windbreakers? I'd love some more inspiration!