The British weather is unpredictable and unstoppable and is out to exasperate you. Don't let it.
We’re a hardy, steadfast nation because of our weather. Its sheer unpredictably; the fleeting, teasing breaks of sunshine, sharp showers and teeth-gritting winds can have us clinging to our breakfast bowls, wondering ‘What should I wear to work today?’ Cagoule or string vest? Cotton shirt or hale-proof shield?
Howies has the answer in its Airman Wool Wadded Ventile Jacket. Ventile. Sounds vaguely like a cross between ‘vent’ and ‘versatile’, doesn’t it? Well, yes, it is indeed both those things.
Ventile was invented in the 1940s, originally for pilots’ flying suits, because of its durability. Howies say Ventile, like merino wool, is naturally technical, made with 100% cotton so tightly woven it doesn’t need chemical finishes, plus it’s breathable (the venting part of it, get it?) as well as water-resistant and windproof.
We like this jacket's simple, understated design and nifty little pleasers like the internal headphone aperture and velcro adjustable cuffs, which come in handy if you're cycling in the rain. It's a tad pricy, but Howies assure us these jackets are built to last 10, 15, even 20 years. Plus it’s wadded with Bradford wool, so you’ll feel as snug as a bug in a duvet. Get one and get up them hills come rain or shine then, boyo, or to work or wherever you’re going, I don’t know.
Airman Wool Wadded Ventile Jacket, £329