A chic raincoat, waterproof boots & the best packable splash suit

Good-looking ways to rainproof yourself - and the kids

Considering the weather forecast for the coming week, I thought rainwear was a good topic for today. And having just spent two weeks in the wet West Country (god love a British holiday!) waterproofing is at the forefront of my mind.

Below are the very best ideas I have for effective, easy and good-looking ways to keep you and the kids dry.

The nice raincoat

This is never an easy thing to find. For a properly waterproof coat, it's worth looking at rainwear brands, rather than high street waterproofs, as you know you're going to get something that keeps you all the way dry, even in the worst weather. Scandi rainwear brands tend to do the chicest styles and Rains is less spendy than Stutterheim and Ilse Jacobsen.

I think it's wise to go for a coat without any padding or insulating - essentially just a waterproof shell. This way, you’re not going to get too hot on milder wet days, but can easily slip a Uniqlo down vest underneath for warmth when it's cold. The belted A-line long jacket (£119) has a trench-like silhouette which will work with your jeans and boots, but can also look a bit smarter for date night or if you're going into work. The below-knee length is going to keep your legs dry, too.

For a more utilitarian vibe, go for the fishtale parker (£115).

The trench and cap combo

When it's a sunshine and showers sort of day, a trench and cap always looks great. You can pay what you want for a trench coat; if I had a Burberry budget, I would, but the high street does ace options. For my money, COS can be relied on for thoughtfully designed styles that look the right amount of fashiony, in nice fabrics that wear well. If I didn’t already have last winter’s COS trench, I’d be buying this (£225).

Obviously any cap - but if you're in the market for a new one, a felt or wool style feels pleasantly wintery. This from Other Stories’ (£37) is that perfect, goes with everything mid-grey.

The detachable hood

If you already have a coat you love but it doesn't have a hood, a detachable one is an idea. I’ve mentioned L’Hood before but the brand is genius, especially as its Ritza hoods (£49.99) roll up into a strip that can be snapped around the handle of your buggy or bag strap, so you don't even need to think about it.

The stylish rain boots

Another repeat mention (if it ain't broke) I’ve now been wearing my Tretorn rain boots (£100) every wet day for the best part of a year and they continue to be very comfortable and keep my socks dry. Muddy splashes come off beautifully with a wet wipe, too.

The packable waterproof pants

I have been reliably informed that if you do the nursery run by bike, waterproof pants are essential. You can spend a lot on a marginally stylish pair (such as these) but ultimately, waterproof pants aren't going to win you any style awards. So perhaps wiser to go cheap and simple on a pair that can pack up into nothing and keep in your bag, like this under-£20 Mountain Warehouse pair.

As for the kids…

A packaway splash suit

I bought Kidly’s splash suit (£27) when my son was nine months and were on holiday in Wales where - you guessed it - it rained all week. I’m not exaggerating when I say it’s one of the most useful kid things I've got. I like that it doesn't have any fleece lining or padding, so fits over whatever coat or snow suit you’ve already got. Or if it's not so cold, you can just stick it over a jumper. AND it packs into a teensy little square that you can keep in the buggy next to the rain hood.

A toilet-proof two-piece

When kids are out of nappies, a jacket and trousers is easier for them to get in and out of when going to the loo. This Muddy Puddle’s set (£60) is giving mini motorway maintenance worker - all the easier to spot them across the playground!

Boots that easily pull on

Last winter I bought a pair of Crocs wellies for my son - a terrible decision as they are incredibly hard to take off and on. Save yourself the stress and get a pair that slip on with ease. I’d also recommend not getting boots with a shearling lining as they take ages to dry and start to smell.

This same pair of JoJo’s (£19) have done both my kids and still have plenty of wear left in them. (The rain suit is a borrowed Mountain Warehouse one, similar here)

I’ve also been highly recommended the super cute Bobbi boots from Merry People (£39.95). More sizes are being stocked on the website soon.

For when they won't keep their hood up

While not strictly waterproof, Dilling’s merino balaclava (£24.99) does a good job at keeping heads dry and stops water going down the back of necks. And they can't pull it off.

For slightly older kids, holding their own umbrella might be novel enough to keep them dry enough. My son has this fishy one from Djeco (£8.99) and finds looking out of the portholes hilarious.

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A few more things…

I've had one of those weeks where juggling work and the kids has felt particularly hard and frustrating. Not for the first time, I've been thinking about how to find a balance between fulfilling work ambitions and being the present mother I want to be. Is it even possible? And to what personal sacrifice?

Marisa Bates’ latest instalment of Writing About Women addresses this so thoughtfully and reading it made me feel less mad and alone. The below passage particularly stuck with me:

Middle-class white women deliberating over juggling creativity with childcare isn’t new. It’s certainly not the end of the world. I have recently seen someone’s world end, and every word of this newsletter disintegrates in its wake. But all the more reason to remember that life is for the living. All the more reason to ask, again and again, is this the right life? My son is the right-est, most true, most meaningful thing I’ve ever done. But even he can’t eclipse the feeling that has been inside me for a very long time. And that feeling is the belief this world is big, and I want my words to be keys to doors that open to places I could never have imagined. Childcare feels like forever losing the fucking keys.

I also enjoyed Sophie Hines’ discussion on the work/baby dilemma in her latest post of The Takeout.

Finally, I wanted to share Victoria Moss’ brilliant feature on the thinification of fashion - something that is never not an issue, but was particularly - and depressingly - obvious during the recent fashion week shows. I read her post while on the beach in Cornwall, surrounded by various sized and shaped swimwear-clad bodies braving a dip in the freezing Atlantic. In this setting of glorious normality, the images of only one, incredibly thin body type on the catwalk felt all the more like insanity. And it was such a valuable reminder of what is actually aspirational (splish splash!).

That's all for now. You're doing great, Frankie x