Soggy but Stylish - The Wren Shops Raincoats

So this just about sums up my city at the moment. It is seriously wet here. Roads closed around the city centre because of flooding, bridges unpassable. Mighty Mother Nature wreaks her vengeance yet again. Now, you could do the very British thing and wallow in our sodden misery, complain about the Environment Agency's complete incompetence, gripe
about the endlessly depressing British weather system and wish yourselves away to another, brighter, happier hemisphere. Or you could do the altogether more rewarding thing and take this opportunity to go raincoat shopping!

The biggest challenge in the midst of this overhead onslaught (apart from sourcing sandbags, obviously) is how to stay dry whilst not completely forgoing ideas of fashion. Of course, I could pop down to Millets and grab myself a cagoule in any number of wacky prints but I won't. I just can't. Instead I have been trawling the internet and bring you my pick of the most stylish ways to keep sogginess at bay this spring.

The Wren Shops - Raincoat Edit

ASOS have a great selection of coats and jackets with wildly varying price-tags. My top three are:

Parka London Odetta Pink Mac - £225 Asos

Esprit Parka with detachable lining - £41.50 (was £139) Asos

Paul by Paul Smith Floral Mac - £330 Asos

The pink mac is gorgeous and it is still very much a big colour for Spring-Summer, the khaki parka is a perennial and taps into the global traveller trend pretty well too. And the Paul Smith mac is just stunning - modern floral prints are huge for SS14 and this coat would brighten up any dreary afternoon. Glorious.


Trusty old ZARA comes out pretty well too. I found three classics online. You can't go wrong with a khaki parka or a navy trench coat. Zara's coats are always well made and cut beautifully. They look so much more expensive than their High Street price tags. I particularly like the navy short trench - supremely elegant.

Parka with Detachable Lining - £79.99 Zara

Parka with Wraparound Collar - £69.99 Zara

Short Hooded Trench Coat - £59.99 Zara

If you're after something with pattern, with a less hefty price tag than the Paul Smith mac, then these two little beauties are lovely. More blooms from Topshop in next seasons blue giving this parka a SS14 update. In my eyes animal print never dies and this raincoat from Atterley Road is a sale bargain too. Glamour in the gloom!

Floral Printed Tencel Parka Jacket - £75 Topshop

Soaked In Luxury Rainfalls Jacket - £29 (was £69) Atterley Road

See - it is possible to stay stylish AND dry! There's so much choice out there. Let's just hope the postman can get here!