---
title: Five Raincoats Worth Owning This November, From the Mackintosh to the Waxed Jacket
description: From the mac over your suit to waxed cotton and a packable shell, the five men's raincoats worth owning this November and the shoes to wear with them.
author: Dr Marina Nani (Editor-in-Chief)
date: 2026-11-02T22:20:11.637Z
updated: 2026-11-02T22:20:47.878Z
canonical: https://www.richmanmagazine.com/article/mens-raincoats-november
image: https://cdn.nanimediahouse.com/unsplash-ahe-h9ekx48.webp
categories: Lifestyle
content_type: Guide
region: United Kingdom
publication: Rich Man Magazine
schema_type: Article
---

November is the month British rain stops arriving in showers and settles in for the season. One coat cannot handle all of it. A mac that looks right over a navy suit is wrong on a muddy footpath, and a technical shell built for a downpour looks out of place at a client lunch. These are the five coats worth owning, what each does best and the shoes that get you there dry.

## The Mackintosh Over Your Suit

The original raincoat is still the one to wear to the office. In 1823 the Glasgow chemist Charles Macintosh patented a waterproof cloth made by pressing dissolved rubber between two sheets of cotton. Mackintosh still makes its coats from bonded cotton based on that process, finished at its factory in Cumbernauld, Scotland.

Choose a single-breasted mac that reaches the knee, so it covers the hem of your suit jacket completely. Try it on with your jacket underneath: the shoulders should sit flat and the sleeves should cover your shirt cuffs. Navy, stone and black work with every suit you own. If you have moved to [the new office cut](https://www.richmanmagazine.com/article/mens-suits-autumn-2026-office-tailoring) this autumn, a slightly roomier mac sits better over the fuller jacket.

## The Trench Coat for Weekends and Travel

Thomas Burberry's gabardine made the trench possible. The cotton fibres are waterproofed before weaving, which keeps the cloth light. The double-breasted front, epaulettes and belt still come from the coats officers wore in the First World War.

A cotton gabardine trench handles steady rain on a commute, but hours of driving rain will soak through, and most trenches have no hood. Wear one over knitwear and flannel trousers at the weekend, or over a suit when the forecast says showers rather than storms.

## The Waxed Jacket for the Country

John Barbour, a Scot from Galloway, opened his business in the port of South Shields in 1894 to supply oilcloth to the town's sailors and dock workers. The company's traditional waxed cotton jackets are still made there.

Waxed cotton handles wind and light to moderate rain and lets your body heat escape as you walk. It is weather-resistant rather than fully waterproof. Rewax yours at the end of each winter so the cotton keeps shedding water. Barbour repairs and rewaxes jackets at its South Shields factory if yours has seen too many seasons.

## The Leather Raincoat for Evenings in Town

Leather raincoats are one of the most searched men's coat styles in Britain this autumn. A leather coat only works in the rain when the leather has been treated to repel water. Untreated leather darkens, stains and stiffens once it soaks through.

Choose a mid-length cut in black or dark brown and keep it for evenings when you move between taxi, restaurant and theatre. Treat it with a leather protector before the season starts and again after any heavy soaking.

## The Packable Shell for Proper Downpours

When the rain turns heavy and sideways, a technical shell with a waterproof membrane and taped seams beats every coat above. Patagonia, Arc'teryx and Helly Hansen are the names British searchers are looking up most right now, and lightweight raincoats are rising fastest of all.

Choose black or navy with a hood you can tighten around your face, and keep the shell folded in your bag for days when the forecast changes. Wash it with a technical cleaner and reproof it when water stops beading on the surface.

## Shoes for Wet Pavements

Leather soles slide on wet stone and soak up water. For the office, choose leather shoes or boots with rubber soles. Studded Dainite rubber is the traditional choice on British-made shoes. Spray suede with a protector before its first outing, or keep it for dry days.

For the weekend, look for a waterproof membrane such as Gore-Tex, as not every approach shoe or trainer is waterproof. Dry wet leather shoes at room temperature with cedar shoe trees inside, never against a radiator, and give them [a proper place in the hallway](https://www.richmanmagazine.com/article/winter-hallway-organisation) to dry overnight.

## Which Coat for Which Day

- Office with a suit: the mac
- Weekend in town: the trench
- Country walk: waxed cotton
- Evening out: treated leather
- Heavy rain: the packable shell