The good old days

[Rainworshipper]

I, too, don't understand why noone wears appropriate rainwear when the weather is foul enough. There was a time when a wet day meant I knew I'd have a chance to wear a cagoule outdoors but also had a really good chance of seeing others wearing them. Then it became uncool and/or unfashionable. Yes, we still have GoreTex, Karrimor or Trespass but you can't beat a good old Peter Storm or Regatt!

I suppose it comes down to changing fashion. The Gore-tex anoraks must keep the rain out, but for me they don't have the same appeal as shiny nylon or pvc. As you say, you can't beat Peter storm.

[rainwear-experience]

Last winter TKMaxx had a big range of plastic rainwear

I've managed to buy a few nice items from TK Maxx over the years, I wonder if he's a member of the forum?

[rainwear-experience]

I, too, don't understand why noone wears appropriate rainwear when the weather is foul enough. There was a time when a wet day meant I knew I'd have a chance to wear a cagoule outdoors but also had a really good chance of seeing others wearing them. Then it became uncool and/or unfashionable. Yes, we still have GoreTex, Karrimor or Trespass but you can't beat a good old Peter Storm or Regatt!

Some people DO wear appropriate rainwear it just happens that they DONT wear the type of rainwear you happen to like

I agree fashion has something to do with it but its more down to changes in technology, people who wear rainwear for the appropriate reason (to stay dry) prefer items that do just that rather than end up being boiled in their own sweat

[irishcagoule]

I, too, don't understand why noone wears appropriate rainwear when the weather is foul enough. There was a time when a wet day meant I knew I'd have a chance to wear a cagoule outdoors but also had a really good chance of seeing others wearing them. Then it became uncool and/or unfashionable. Yes, we still have GoreTex, Karrimor or Trespass but you can't beat a good old Peter Storm or Regatt!

I suppose it comes down to changing fashion. The Gore-tex anoraks must keep the rain out, but for me they don't have the same appeal as shiny nylon or pvc. As you say, you can't beat Peter storm.

The original Peter Storm brings back memories, while at school, there was a camping shop nearby, during lunchtime I would venture down to try on the various smocks/cagoules and jackets,It was great to smell the Peter Strom and try on the gear in the changing room.

[Ilovecagoules]

I accept that but for my own (admittedly) self-indulgent reasons, I wish this wasn't the case!

I, too, don't understand why noone wears appropriate rainwear when the weather is foul enough. There was a time when a wet day meant I knew I'd have a chance to wear a cagoule outdoors but also had a really good chance of seeing others wearing them. Then it became uncool and/or unfashionable. Yes, we still have GoreTex, Karrimor or Trespass but you can't beat a good old Peter Storm or Regatt!

Some people DO wear appropriate rainwear it just happens that they DONT wear the type of rainwear you happen to like

I agree fashion has something to do with it but its more down to changes in technology, people who wear rainwear for the appropriate reason (to stay dry) prefer items that do just that rather than end up being boiled in their own sweat

[rainwear-experience]

There's nothing wrong with a little self-indulgence and I'm sure a lot of people, myself included, would like to turn the clocks back to a time when our favourite rainwear was common place

[Jjai]

Sadly, All thats left in the UK is the rare and overpriced e-bay find, quite rarely there are still some Yacht chandlers which have the older PVC sailing oilskins you can buy still. I have recently bought a very nice long Blue traditional shiny PVC hooded raincoat from Farmerrain in Sweden, they have a good website and it is not too expensive.
I used to love the Famous Army stores in the UK that sold ex Navy and British Rail pvc mackintoshes, you could smell their heady odour from halfway through the store displayed on circuler rails in all sorts of sizes. Above would be the shelves where countless thick pvc leggings were folded beside the Yellow plastic construction workers wet weather gear.
My favourite store was Ros & Sons in Plymouth. They had extensive stocks of ex Royal navy foul weather gear, thick glossy stiff mackintoshes with the new unused stitched Sou'westers tied to the pockets. If you tried to lift one out from the tightly packed rail it would make a loud squeaking noise, but never attracted any attention. There was one middle aged dark haired woman who worked there who would insist with helping you on with the raincoat, button it all up, pull the collar up properly, having you step into the trousers and buttoning the Souwester on you. Then she would leave you for ten minutes while she served another customer, come back and do it all again until you found the right size.
On one occasion it was raining extremely hard - even by Plymouth standards when I visited at the end of the day, she as usual assisted me finding a long pvc mac and Souwester. I was taking it off to leave when she asked why I would not leave it on when the rain was so hard, so I kept it on and she shut the shop and we left together with me walking her to her bus stop quite a distance away, she herself had a lovely shiny Green Rukka trenchcoat and Hat. It was a day I won't ever forget.
The only remaining shop I can think of in Britiain would be Weathervain with handmade rubber rainwear, but online only, no wonderful shop to visit anymore.