A raincoat doesn't have to be plastic to keep you fresh and safe from water. Made with the right fabrics, your raincoat can be just as fashionable as your other garments. Just consider your favorite lightweight unlined coat or jacket, look for a pattern and take it from there. There are so many patterns that will make a great coat or jacket to wear during rainy weather, water-repellant and cute!

Raincoat fabrics ensure protection against rain, wind, cold, dust, dirt and atmosphere with high humidity. Waterproof outerwear is made from a variety of materials — wool, cotton, silk, premium fibers and fabrics with rubber. Water-repellent treatment makes natural fabrics durable, flexible and easy to clean without affecting their properties. Soft and smooth, they allow the skin to breathe, while keeping you safe from rough weather.

Credit: https://tissura.com/articles/raincoat-fabrics

Simplicity 8554 - Cotton Twill Fabric - bias covered seams

Fabrics:

You can make a raincoat from some of your favorite fabrics like silk, linen, cotton and lightweight denim. If treated to repel water, fabrics are sold as "laminated", processed on the outer side to be water-repellant - think outdoor table cloths. Not really what you want to wear on your body when hanging out on a Spring evening, but you get the point.

Water-resistant: able to resist the penetration of water to some degree but not entirely.

Water-repellent: not easily penetrated by water, especially as a result of being treated for such a purpose with a surface coating.

Waterproof: impervious to water.

So when selecting a raincoat fabric consider what fiber you want - cotton, linen, silk - then consider how you want your fabric to behave during inclement weather. You can easily find water-repellant fabric in most fabric stores....my favorite is in the cotton family, like a shiny polyester twill, or canvas or anything from from Liberty Cottons. For your first time using these fabrics, try to not to exceed fabrics more than 10 oz - may give your machine a fit. Check these stores for options:

Mood Fabrics (Raincoat)

Tissura (Exclusive Fine Fabrics)

Fabric.com (Water Repellant Fabrics)