Vintage Raincoats

I promised Suzanne a look at some vintage raincoats this week. When I showed you those Traina-Norell silk swing coats last week, Suzanne wondered if one could wear silk in the rain. Here are some coats from the same time period, 1949, that are made specifically for rainy days. Note they all have the same swingy fullness, sometimes belted, sometimes not. Some of them come with hoods, sometimes removeable, sometimes not.

Stormplay's rayon sharkskin coat with water repellant finish and fun polka dot lining. Sold for $25.00 (about $230.00 in today's dollar).

At left: Pale tweed with taffeta trim and lining by Knox, sold for $39.95 (about $367.00 in today's dollar).
At right: Rainshedder rayon faille coat with pleated back and detachable hood. sold for $29.95 (about $275.00 in today's dollar).

Harris herringbone check raincoat made from Dan River Stormwear fabric that is treated with Zelan for permanent water repellancy. Sold for $25.00 (about $230.00 in today's dollar).

Weatherbee showerproofed rayon twill comes with a detachable hood and belt. Sold for $22.00 (about $201.00 in today's dollar).

Finally, I couldn't resist these from 1954. Judy Lane rain or shine coats in corduroy, tweed, or rayon faille, all treated with Cravenette to shed showers. Love those deep cuffs and matching pixie hats! These coats sold from $11.00 - $18.00 (about $90.00 - $146.00 in today's dollar)

One last note - I'm always struck when calculating the cost of what an item sold for into today's dollar, how much of one's budget an item of clothing cost back in the day. If a woman were spending this much on a raincoat in 1949, it would be expected to last for years and years of wear. Compare that to today's clothing that costs so much less, but lasts for a season or two before it falls apart. It's no wonder vintage clothing is so popular today. A coat made in 1949, like those above, is more than likely still serviceable and stylish today - if you can find it!