Everyone needs a good raincoat for bad weather but many also like to have different styles of raincoats for fashion. When you consider buying your next raincoat there should be three things that should be taking into account. The first is what material you are looking for, the second is the style and length, and the third is zippers versus buttons.

Knowing what you are looking at and what you want goes a long way in determining what type of raincoat you will buy. Here is a further breakdown of the considerations from above:

1.    Material: Raincoats can be made of all rubber, all fabric, all synthetic, and a blend of any of the previous. The material you will want depends on what you intend on using the raincoat for. If you are going for pure functionality then an all rubber raincoat will keep the rain off of you much better than an all fabric raincoat but it isn’t something you would want to wear out or to the office. If you want a raincoat that will suite almost any occasion go with a blended material coat. While it won’t be waterproof, it will be water resistant and will also avoid having you look like a duck when you walk into your destination. Also keep in mind that some materials breathe better than others. If you are wearing a heavier material out when it is not raining and the sun is beating down on you then you will absolutely get wet, only it won’t be from the rain but rather your own sweat. If you are choosing a raincoat for show only, go with lighter materials.

2.    Style and length: When you choose the length of a raincoat you really only have to ask yourself how dry do you want be. If you buy a full length raincoat such as a trench coat, then your entire body will obviously keep dryer. If you go with a rain jacket then your upper body is likely to stay dry, but your legs may get damp. As for style you can really choose anything to your liking here. With raincoats you can go trench, poncho, button down, cuff, or even slicker. The best way to determine what you will want is to try them all on and make your decision from there.

3.    Zippers versus buttons: This does go with the fashion but also serves to the functionality of the coat as well. If you want to stay nice and warm on a really chilly and rainy winter day, then you will probably want to go with a zipper up raincoat as the zipper will help to keep more of your body heat trapped inside the coat than a button down coat will. Conversely, if you are stuck in the middle of a hot and humid summer shower a button down will serve for more breathability than that of the zipper up.

If you really like the look of raincoats and want to have one handy at all times then perhaps you should consider buying two different types. One for the times it is raining cats and dogs and the other for the times you simply want the coat to make a fashion statement.