The rain jacket I finally feel good wearing out the door.

On the Allaira — waterproof without looking utilitarian, with a hood that actually fits, a zip that closes first try, and a cheerful yellow that turns a grey day around.

I am 63 years old, and I had spent the better part of three autumns avoiding rainy days. Not because I minded the rain — I minded what I had to put on to go out in it. The one waterproof coat I owned was stiff, shapeless, and made me look like I was headed for a fishing trawler, not the grocery store. So most damp mornings I simply stayed in and waited for it to clear.

It wore on me more than I let on. I had started to feel a little invisible in my own clothes.

Then a woman in my church group here in Mount Pleasant kept turning up looking comfortable and quietly put-together at the same time. I finally asked her. She laughed and told me to read the Clarke family's letter first, so I am going to let their words carry it, because they say it better than I could.

1The drizzle rolls right off — and it keeps moving.

We made the Allaira with a waterproof shell that sheds rain from the first drop — not after it soaks through. The seams are sealed, the zip is rain-resistant, and the hood closes tight enough to keep the back of your neck dry. You do not have to run for cover. You just keep walking.

2For six months of the year, this is what people see.

From October through March, a coat is not an accessory — it is the whole outfit. The Allaira is cut in a sunshine yellow that stands out without shouting, and the drawstring waist keeps it from looking like a bin bag. Women stop her in the parking lot. They ask where it's from. A practical rain jacket should not do that — but this one does.

3Closes first time, every time — even with gloves on.

We gave the Allaira a large, chunky silver zip pull you can grip in the cold without looking down or peeling off a glove. It lines up cleanly at the hem and slides to the collar in one motion. A drawstring toggle at the waist adjusts just as easily. No fumbling at the door in the rain.

4Long enough that bending over isn't a problem.

We cut the Allaira to mid-thigh — long enough to cover the lower back when she bends for the trunk of the car or reaches into a low cabinet, short enough to get in and out of a seat without bunching. That cold gap at the small of the back is one of the most-named frustrations we hear from our customers. The Allaira closes it.

5A hood that fits over a hat — and stays there.

The hood on the Allaira is roomy enough to go over a knit hat and deep enough to stay on in a wind. The striped navy-and-cream lining frames the face rather than falling across it. Drawstring toggles let her tighten it without stopping. It is the kind of hood that makes you want to put it up — not one you end up pushing back down after half a minute.

6Right for the grocery run and for a walk into town.

We designed the Allaira to move between the ordinary moments of the day without asking her to change. The yellow is cheerful enough to feel intentional at a Saturday lunch, and the cut is relaxed enough that she does not feel overdressed pushing a cart. One coat, all day, whatever the weather decides to do.

The Allaira, against the rain jackets you've been buying.

	The usual rain jacket	The Allaira
Rain	Soaks through at the seams	Waterproof shell, sealed seams
Zip	Stiff, hard to catch in the cold	Large pull, closes clean first try
Length	Rides up, cold gap at the back	Mid-thigh, covers when you bend
Hood	Too small, falls over the eyes	Roomy, fits over a hat, stays put
Look	Utilitarian, shapeless	Drawstring waist, cheerful yellow

Why they're clearing it now

They priced the Allaira at $178.00 when it launched, and it sold at that price all season. But for America's 250th, the Clarke family wanted to give something back — so every coat is going out at well below half of what it was.

I ordered mine that evening. It arrived a few days later in a kraft-paper parcel — folded neatly in cream tissue with the family's card on top — and I have reached for it on every grey morning since without a second thought.

I do not usually write things like this. But I spent three autumns choosing to stay indoors rather than put on a coat that made me feel like I'd given up on how I looked — and one cheerful yellow jacket quietly put an end to that. If a rainy morning has been stopping you too, I hope you find your size before it clears.

— Sandra Thompson · Mount Pleasant, SC

See the Allaira — $79.95 →

This is a personal account from a Clarke Family customer. Sandra was not paid to write it. · The Clarke Family · Family Fashion · 24/7 Customer Service · Free UPS shipping · Easy 30-Day Returns.