Q: With the recent heavy showers and flooding, I’m looking for something stylish to wear in the rain. Do you know where I might find some trendy Mac’s or funky waterproofs?
A. Don't let the rain turn you into a soggy fashion disaster.
Beat the clouds and showers with a gorgeous trenchcoat that will keep you dry and make you feel good despite the gloomy skies.
Raincoats have never generated many fashion headlines. But this winter, with the exceptionally wet weather, things are certainly changing. Macs, belted trench coats, Burberry checks and waterproof PVCs are all vying for space on the shop rails as the raincoat makes a fashion revival.
Gone is the crumbled overcoat worn by the likes of grubby TV detective Columbo - and in its place are the sleek, sexy lines that helped Hollywood legends such as Lauren Bacall and Marlene Dietrich smoulder on celluloid. So this winter it's time for the trenchcoats to be dusted down again and worn proudly as a style statement.
While classic colours do dominate High Street stores, Jane Norman and Topshop have introduced colour to the rainwear rails, but it really is hard to beat the stone coloured, belted Mac that is the classic trenchcoat.
The likes of Littlewoods, Tesco, Phase Eight, Marks and Spencer and Pennys are stocking versions of the classic trenchcoat - in stone coloured tones to light cream shades. And if you really want to stand out on a dreary day in Dublin, there are vibrant purples and pale pinks to be found if you shop around.
With accessories, you have to be careful. Woolly hats and berets are for the OAPs. If you want your raincoat to stand out in the crowd, team it with a sexy felt fedora. High heeled boots are also the perfect accessory for the fashion follower who wants to wear a raincoat.
Trousers too look good with raincoats, or if you'd rather wear a skirt, it should be long and straight or very short with the buttons of the coat undone. The torrential rain we normally experience, of course, can't be ignored.
While many of these coats look great as far as fashion goes, if you don't want to get wet in your stylish rainwear...invest in a brolly.
