The weather is throwing everything at us at the moment - from a day of sun to torrential rain the next. Temperatures haven't turned truly scorching just yet though, which means your best defence is something waterproof in case of showers. That's British weather for you.

And no, this doesn't need to mean a washout for your wardrobe because when life gives you lemons, why not follow that old adage and make the sartorial equivalent of lemonade (which is, in this case, the new and improved raincoat)?

Raincoats are not known for their style prowess. In fact, one may evoke distant memories of school trips to historic sites, an anorak worn over your uniform as you stand in the rain half-listening to a story about Oliver Cromwell. I'm not bitter (promise!) but what I do regret is the limited array of waterproof coats that were on offer during my childhood. Now, however, I'm making up for lost time.

A waterproof no longer means drab. Or boring. Instead, brands have actually started to marry function with form, resulting in a whole new breed of excellent rain-resistant cover-ups. (For a visual reference on how to style them, look to the stylish women of Paris. Sai De Silva, for example, wore her logoed mac to Dior. Doesn't the combination of her raincoat + Mary-Jane flats + white socks = something quite exquisite?)

Whatever you're wearing with your raincoat, you can rest assured that it's about as far from that pac-a-mac as humanly possible. Style forecast: cheerier than expected.

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