Here comes the rain again (oh, goody)

Welcome April showers with a chic approach to weatherproof dressing. Fashion Editor Stephanie Smith selects practically stylish cover-ups (bargains alert), plus Yorkshire Fashion Diary digest.
By The Newsroom
Published 5th Apr 2018, 14:47 BST
Updated 5th Apr 2018, 15:51 BST

This article contains affiliate links. We may earn a small commission on items purchased through this article, but that does not affect our editorial judgement.

Barbour Leeward jacket in green, £199, at Barbour.Barbour Leeward jacket in green, £199, at Barbour.
Barbour Leeward jacket in green, £199, at Barbour.

The forecast is for seriously stylish outerwear this April, so finding lightweight, covetable weatherproof pieces is a must.

There’s a definite street-sports influence with much of the rain-proof, water-proof and shower-proof outerwear for this season. Look out for hoods, plastic-coated nylon, drawstring detail, push-spring toggles, and so forth. It’s a look that works well for our essential transition into warmer temperatures, when the urge to venture into the great outdoors deepens, yet wet and windy weather conditions make it seem daunting. But we should never allow rain to prevent us from stepping outside, not least for our health and well-being, and with great-looking, functional, weather-proof clothing, we don’t have to.

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See-through outerwear – coats, ponchos, anoraks – is very much a thing, in clear or coloured transparent fabrics, keying in with this spring/summer’s keenness for all shiny textures.

Perforated trench coat, £395, Refined collection at Hunterboots.com.Perforated trench coat, £395, Refined collection at Hunterboots.com.
Perforated trench coat, £395, Refined collection at Hunterboots.com.

Zara has a lovely opaque, misty white, hooded, hip-length mac in now at £29.99, with pared-back lines that will ensure longevity. It’s also worth looking at Primark and the supermarkets for cheaper options.

ASOS has a fantastic selection available right now, at a range of price points and in an array of colours and degrees of transparency – worth checking out as soon as possible.

Bear in mind that clear and semi-transparent coats will also come in handy come festival season and are being worn indoors as well as out. I went to a warehouse party a few days ago and saw people wearing clear macs over eye-poppingly bright outfits – practical and a clever way to have it all, stylistically speaking, showing off outerwear, partywear and even your underwear, if you like, all at the same time.

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Traditional British outerwear brands, such as Barbour and Hunters, refuse to be beaten when it comes to style-conscious weather protection. Hunters has an impressive range of waterproofs, from rubberised roomy jackets to its Original Festival Raincoat, £145, in a variety of shades (the yellow is lovely). The brand has added to its Refined collection some wonderful new silhouettes in rubberised coats in shades of soft pink and powder blue – feminine and contemporary.

Bargain alert: Women's Original Refined Trench Coat, Was £345, Now £173, at Hunterboots.com.Bargain alert: Women's Original Refined Trench Coat, Was £345, Now £173, at Hunterboots.com.
Bargain alert: Women's Original Refined Trench Coat, Was £345, Now £173, at Hunterboots.com.

It’s time to get out there.

There’s more fashion and beauty advice and hot picks at https://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/lifestyle/fashion and https://www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/lifestyle/fashion

YORKSHIRE FASHION LISTINGS

April 16-22. York Fashion Week See www.yorkfashionweek.co.uk for full programme. Includes April 16 – Antonia Houston Couture, with Meiji and Knot and Bloom, at Bettys. Tickets £26.95 from Bettys on 01904 659142.

Red check coat, £25, from a selection at Primark.Red check coat, £25, from a selection at Primark.
Red check coat, £25, from a selection at Primark.

April 20. The Fashion Society of the University of York fashion show; Unmentionables – a brief history of underwear with York Castle Museum’s Dr Faye Prior.

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April 21-22. York Festival of Vintage, York Racecourse. Celebrate the style and music of the 1930s-1960s with displays, shows and live music. See www.festivalofvintage.co.uk.

April 25. Launch of Celestial, the SS/18 collection from Leeds ethical fashion designer Bo Carter, with Laurelle Woman and Zlata Alekhno, at Printworks Kitchen & Bar, Leeds City College, see www.eventbrite.co.uk for free tickets.

April 28-May 6. The Fashion Space at Leeds International Festival. Catwalks will appear on Briggate from April 28. Programme highlights include free runway shows from High Street retailers on Saturdays, April 28 and May 5, from independents on Sunday, April 29, and from fashion course graduates on Sunday, May 6. Go to www.leedsinternationalfestival.com for details and tickets.

Showerproof frill-hem trench coat, £65, at JD Williams.Showerproof frill-hem trench coat, £65, at JD Williams.
Showerproof frill-hem trench coat, £65, at JD Williams.

May 17. Leeds Fashion Ball, dine, model and network at Leeds Dock. See www.fbfashionball.show.

* For full fashion and beauty listings across Yorkshire, visit: https://www.facebook.com/YorkshireFashion/