AusMum

My 16 year old daughter is attending school in Lancashire, UK, during November to December. She needs a coat suitable for the weather and climate. We were wondering about a down jacket or a waterproof jacket or parka type of jacket. In my mind, ideally it would be a waterproof down coat or waterproof insulated coat. My daughter wants it to be a fashion coat rather than "outdoorsy". I think it should at least cover half her bottom for warmth reasons. She found a Burberry jacket but at A$1,000 is out of our price range. Are we correct in our thinking regarding the type of coat needed in Lancashire at that time of year? Where would you recommend we purchase such a coat? We would need a retailer with an online shop. The range in Uk and Europe looks far better than what is available in Australia where we live. Appreciate advice.

bilboburgler

There are loads of Barbour clones available in all good cheap shops in t'North should be able to get a waxed jacket for budget £60. If you google "waxed Jacket" you will find many photos below this price.

PatrickLondon

I hesitate to get in the middle of a mother/daughter "You'll catch your death in that" argument, but wouldn't it make sense for her to buy it here when she sees what the weather is like? Layers and an outer rainproof will probably keep her alive until she can get local advice about the best value for money (or indeed local options for cheap, short-term clothing, assuming she won't need it back home).

Does the school have any advice or (more important) uniform requirements that might be relevant?

AusMum

Thanks for the replies. She will be dependant upon a host family when she arrives and so I do not know how keen or easy it will be for them to go to shops, especially for a girl with particular taste in fashion. Probably best to go prepared. I will take a look at the waxed jackets. Jacket will be useful here in southern part of Australia for our winter. Agreed, local range and price in UK much better. No uniform restriction. Sounds like she is best to get a waterproof or at least a water resistant jacket by the fact that neither of you have said "not necessary".

bilboburgler

It rains a fair bit in Lancashire ("fair bit" translates as lots)

AusMum

Thanks for the translation!

chartley

My observation would be that teenagers in Britain do not feel the cold and shrug off any rain. Few of the children going to school in January will feel it necessary to wear a top coat, and young women out on the lash on a Saturday night around Christmas will do so in the shortest of skirts and the skimpiest of tops.

You don't want to be too much of a helicopter parent and dress your daughter in something supremely sensible but quite unfashionable. I think it would be best for her to choose something when she has arrived in Britain.

thursdaysd

I went to university in Lancaster back when mini skirts were in fashion.... It rained a lot in September-October but then dried up a bit. It was certainly cold, but I survived in boots (fashion, not hiking!) and a mini skirt with a jacket. It would certainly make more sense for her to shop when she arrives, where will she be? Is there bus service?

sofarsogood

Yup, better for her to wait to see what her mates will be wearing, and will be more likely a few quid at Primak rather than Burberry. Though make her promise never to buy Jack Wills or Hollister….

flanneruk

Lancashire is a great deal warmer - especially in winter - than effete English southerners like to pretend, at least when measured on a thermometer. It's also very, very, very likely that your daughter's peers will mock her for choosing an inappropriate brand - and I don't know anywhere in Lancashire where waxed jackets are regarded as anything other than the sort of pretentious nonsense effete southerners wear when pretending to be in 't country. I can't imagine Burberry will engender anything other than sneers.

Your daughter needs to understand what the weather feels like: the crucial thing about Lancashire is that on a typically wet day it feels, even if you were born there, a lot colder than the thermometer says, but you deal with this by keeping dry all over, rather than with a down coat. In my extensive experience of the 1,000 ways of getting chilblains and similar winter agonies in Lancs, keeping feet dry (we walked a lot) matters as much as wrapping up the body.

And as sofarsogood says: think Primark, or George at Asda, before poncey brands. Her peers might, though, have some local quirk for warm clothes: my fashion-obsessed Liverpool nieces swear by Milletts and Cotswold Outdoor for winter.

At least they did this year.

Improviser

Another vote for buy when she's there and can see what's 'in' and 'not in' with her peers.

I love the comment "and I don't know anywhere in Lancashire where waxed jackets are regarded as anything other than the sort of pretentious nonsense effete southerners wear when pretending to be in 't country." Thanks for the chuckle flanneruk.

One alternative that might be a thought would be a typical Australian jacket for cold and wet weather. What does she wear for that kind of weather at home?

Standing out from the crowd in her 'Aussie gear' might have some cachet. ;-)

PatrickLondon

>>She will be dependant upon a host family when she arrives and so I do not know how keen or easy it will be for them to go to shops, especially for a girl with particular taste in fashion.<<

Could be worth trying to contact them in advance to ask them for advice; but then, I'm naive enough to imagine it shouldn't take more than a couple of hours to find something suitable.

janisj

>>She will be dependant upon a host family when she arrives and so I do not know how keen or easy it will be for them to go to shops, especially for a girl with particular taste in fashion<<

That sounds like they are in some remote mountain village and only get out to civilization once in a while. <i>Hardly</i> likely. Lancashire is a big county w/ several cities. And it is near Manchester and Liverpool - cities w/ massive shopping opportunities.

She will do much MUCH better if she waits til she is in country -

Heimdall

Frankly, waxed jackets are overrated, but if she really wants one she can buy a Drizabone in Australia. Most young girls are more concerned with fashion than with weather protection. Unless you live in the far north you will have some cool weather where you live. Let her bring something warm from home, then do some shopping when she gets to Lancashire.

Dickie_Gr

Unless she intends to go sheep shearing she will look ridiculous in a Barber. They were fashionable here about 10 years ago. Then came padded jackets which are now only worn by chavs and WAGs.

Anything by Boden, a Henri Lloyd or Crew Clothing is mass market fashionable. Jack Wills is girly but becoming dated.

Primark clothes usually identify you as claiming benefits and will in all probability not last more than 3 weeks.

She could borrow my wife's Henri Lloyd as we will be in Perth WA on holiday at the same time!!!!