The first rainproof overcoat was sold in a Glasgow shop on October 12, 1823, according to The Guardian. It was made from a material Charles Macintosh, a Glasgow scientist, had patented that same year by sandwiching softened rubber between two pieces of textile. It replaced heavy, unpleasant-smelling oiled cotton, and I think about that every time I pull a light jacket off a hook. We have had two hundred years to get this right, and we still buy the wrong coat for the weather.

 

So here is my honest point of view on rain jackets for women. The word on the label matters more than the photo. Outdoor gear experts use waterproof for a jacket that can keep out driving rain, and water resistant for one that handles only light rain for a short time. If the name of a piece says waterproof or rain, I treat it as a rain jacket. If it does not, I treat it as a nice coat that might cope with a shower.

 

This first group is the everyday rain jackets, mostly short and hooded, and they are the ones I would wear on a commute or a walk to dinner. Varley's Etta Short Rain Jacket and The North Face Daybreak Hooded Rain Jacket are the easy, everyday shapes. Cole Haan's Travel Packable Rain Jacket is the one that folds away, which matters because a coat in your bag is a coat you actually have when the sky opens. Rains is well represented: the Curve Hooded Belted Waterproof Jacket, the A Line Waterproof Jacket and the Hooded A-Line Rain Jacket all have the roomy, slightly boxy cut that sits over a sweater. Rains' classic Rain Jacket and Damson Madder's Liu Raincoat, in pink and in an elderberry check, are the easy short options, and TWP's yellow Rain Check Jacket is the one for a grey day.

 

Barbour brings the Winter Beadnell Waterproof Jacket and the Rotsea Waterproof Jacket, and Hobbs London has the Felicia Hooded Waterproof Jacket, which is the tidier, more tailored option. Canada Goose has the Horizon Rain Jacket and the Tofino Rain Jacket, Moose Knuckles the Laurier Rain Jacket, and Mackage the Keryn Rainwear Jacket, for days when you want something with a bit more weight.

 

My fitting-room test: raise both arms like you are hailing a taxi. If the sleeves ride up past your wrist bone and the hem lifts above your hip, the rain will find you.

Short jackets are fine until the rain is real, and then I want length. A long raincoat covers the thighs of whatever you are wearing, and a parka adds a hood that stays put. The usual layering advice says the outer shell is the layer that shields you from wind and rain, and I like to remember that this layer can go over a blazer as easily as a fleece.

 

Seasalt Cornwall has the biggest presence in this group, and I like that its pieces are named for what they do. The Janelle Waterproof Raincoat, the Sea Lights Waterproof Trench Coat and the waterproof parka coat all say waterproof in the name, so you know what you are getting. The Cloudburst Raincoat and the Packable Waterproof Raincoat round it out, and the packable one is the pick if you travel and hate carrying a bulky coat. Rains has the Long Jacket and the Suva Hardshell Long Jacket, Varley a Midi Rain Jacket in brown, and WARDROBE.NYC a Translucent Raincoat if you want the minimal look.

 

The North Face Antora Rain Parka appears here twice in different colors, and it is the sporty choice, the one for a long walk with a dog or a wet stadium. Save The Duck has the April Raincoat and the Jackie Raincoat, which feel more like a city coat you could wear to the office. Barbour's Antonella Belted Raincoat is the belted, slightly dressier one, and it looks good with tailored trousers and boots.

 

Cole Haan gives us two more: the Insulated Twill Rain Coat, which suggests a colder day, and the Zip Front Trench Rain Coat, which brings the trench shape into a proper rain coat. That mix of trench and rain is a good compromise if you want the look of one and the job of the other.

 

My test here is the sit-down. Put the coat on, sit on a chair, and check that it does not pull across your lap or lift behind you. If you cannot sit comfortably in it, you will not wear it on the train.

A trench is the classic shape for drizzle, and I mean that precisely. A classic trench has a storm flap, a belt and a double-breasted front, and it handles a gray, damp day well. But I would not call a trench a raincoat unless its name says so. EMME, Max Mara and Saint Laurent all say water repellent in the name, and the Vuori City Rain Hooded Trench Coat has rain right there in the title. For the rest, think of them as the right shape for a light shower and a damp walk.

 

Vuori's City Rain Hooded Trench Coat is my pick for the commute because it adds a hood to the classic outline. Hobbs London has the biggest range here: the Livia Trench Coat, the Petites Livia Trench Coat, the Ariana Trench Coat and the Vivienne Trench Coat. The Petites version is cut for a shorter frame, which is a thoughtful detail, and I would try the regular and the petite lengths side by side to see where the hem lands on your leg.

 

Burberry has two of the most recognizable trenches: the Long Castleford Trench Coat and the Short Chelsea Heritage Trench Coat. The long one is the one for a belted, over-the-knee look, and the short one is lighter and works with a dress or jeans. Cole Haan's Double Breasted Trench Coat is the classic that looks right with anything.

 

At the dressier end, Max Mara and Saint Laurent make the water-repellent trenches I would save for a drizzle on a dinner night. The leather, suede and denim trenches from Alaia, Michael Kors, Sanderlak and Dries Van Noten are about the shape rather than the weather, so I would wear them on a dry, gray day. If you want something closer to a true shell, Lii's Hooded Shell Anorak Jacket, GWYN's The Carry-On Rain Coat and Roucha's Janssen Rain Coat sit at the end of this group, and the last small group gathers nylon and tech-fabric jackets from Prada, Moncler, Toteme and others.

 

For something with a different mood, AQUA has a Crop Trench Coat, Rails has the Jett Short Trenchcoat Jacket, and Avec Les Filles has the Drapey Mid Length Trench Jacket. These three are all a little shorter or softer, and I would wear them with wide-leg trousers or a slip skirt.

 

What I would skip: a pale trench on a day of heavy rain when you will be standing at a bus stop, and any trench you have not belted at least once in the fitting room. If real downpours are on the forecast, choose something from the last two groups. Keep the trench for the drizzle.

Here is how I choose. I look at the name first, then the length, then the hood. If I will be out in real rain, I pick a piece that says waterproof or rain. If it is a short jacket, I make sure the sleeves cover my wrist bone. If it is a trench, I accept that it is for a drizzle.

 

There is one more check I like. Outdoor gear guides say a true rain jacket has to be fully seam taped to be fully waterproof, and that tape only in the hood and shoulders is common on water-resistant jackets. So I look at the inside of the seams when I can, and I read the care label.

 

Care is simple. Most rainwear has a durable water repellent finish, which makes rain bead up and roll off. To refresh it, wash away dirt and oils, then put the jacket in the dryer on low or medium heat for 20 minutes, after you have checked the care label. And always carry the layer you need, because you can peel one off but you cannot put on one you left at home. If you want to keep browsing, I also put together Fall Jackets Women Actually Reach For and Fringe Dress.