Pakamac

Oooh Frank, you are SO pessimistic! Have you ever purchased from "Plastique Unique", before Sue and Alan retired to Spain? And have you ever seen Sue's Gallery pictures? Look through those before making your final judgment!! And thanks for your comment too, Sue-carefully noted.

Hi Brian and Gareth you got more chance finding the Loch Ness Monster than a woman who loves pac a macs Anna does not exist no any other name who have claimed too its just some joker taking the Micky show me a mac loving woman and I will eat my words.

It was dry here too Brian. It won't stop me wearing a pakamac though.

Yes, St Swithin's Day-AND NOT A SPOT OF RAIN IN THE BIRMINGHAM AREA!!!! TARNATION!!!!

Hi Brian it is good to have you back hope you leave some comments for us and yes it would be good to hear from Anna again and other ladies.

Happy Pakamac (St Swithins) Day everyone

I haven't contributed to this wonderful, waterproof site for some time-many apologies! I must try to rectify this. However, it is good to see so much activity, and equally good to realise there are female enthusiasts as well as male ones. Good to see the familar names such as Gareth, "Cole" Porter, Robin, Susan(of course!), and so many others. However, Anna, do assure us that you are still around and active. and that you are winning the battles with your son, and his nylon rainwear!!

Hi someone who does not want to be named emailed me and said the price of the exchange and mart macs was one pound seventeen shillings and sixpence. well it was a very long time ago sadly.

Hi thanks

Hello I am one of Jane`s floral friends gosh what a lot of mac fan`s out there they are any lady mac fan you would be most welcome to join us we do not bite really enjoyed reading all your comments carry on the good work.

Hi Frank I do have some sympathy for you my wife left because of plastic macs she said she wanted someone normal what ever normal is you just have to move on try using your imagination that helps.

WINDOW SHOPPING ;IN EARLY 80S THERE WAS SHOP IN MY HOME TOWN WITH PLASTIC MACKINTOSH RACK THAT COULD BE SEEN THROUGH THE WINDOW I WALKED PAST THERE SEVERAL TIMES EACH TIME I WENT TO TOWN IF I WAS LUCKY I WOULD SPOT A WOMAN FITTING ON A MAC SOMETIMES IF I WAS REALLY LUCKY WOULD SEE WOMEN TRYING ON MORE THAN ONE TO GET THE RIGHT COLOUR WOW

I TWO RECALL THE WOOLIES PAKAMACS LUCKY MY WIFE USED TO WEAR ONE FOR ME. WISHED I WAS A GIRL WITH A STRICT MUMMY TO MAKE ME WEAR A PLASTIC MAC

Aah, Blackpool !! That's where my interest in plastic macs must have started, during visits each September as a child to see the illuminations. What a fantastic place in the 50's to see plastic macs outside the souvenier shops in many different colours and, of course, being worn by many people. I will be visiting Blackpool again in September, hoping for rain so that I can wear my see-through plastic jacket, mac or poncho.

Hi Jane most women think Plastic macs are cheap and nasty my ex wife did she told me plenty of times and she should know she was a expert at nasty.

Hi folks just back from a trip to Japan people wearing really nice plastic macs seem to be popular there I do not know how people get the idea that plastic macs are cheap and nasty I think they are the most wonderful garment ever.

Gosh, I remember those plastic macs with the distinctive round button holes. What a memory, long forgotten.

My interest in plastic macs has spanned over fifty five years and, during that time, I have enjoyed many rainy day experiences. My most prominent plastic Pakamac wearing period was in the mid to late Sixties whilst I was at secondary school. However, during this same period I became tremendously attracted to the distinctive Woolworth's plastic macs which remained popular at that time. I tried to convince my Mother to buy me one but she considered them to be too "cheap and nasty"; she was right but this somehow increased the allure for me. Apart from a strong desire to wear one of these incredible garments, I actually wanted to look and feel totally ridiculous and I craved the opportunity to own a long and baggy Woolworths's plastic mac with the unmistakable round button holes, transparent plastic buttons and strong plastic aroma.

Hi Cole I bought on of those plastic macs from Woolworth when I went to pay to my horror the assistant was the girlfriend of someone I worked with beam me up scotty.

Hi I bought a plastic mac from exchange and mart I think it was Thirty seven shillings and six pence good old days it was a long time ago.

I recall moving to Blackpool in 1971 and buying two ladies macs from Woolworths. The assistant commented I needed both of those. I still wonder if I missed out on a chance there.

Your recollections of rails of plastic macs, Alan and Steph, struck a chord with me and my memories of lakeland and seaside holiday towns around the UK with their shop windows and shopfronts with rails or macs on coat-hangers. Happy days.

I would never have imagined looking in Exchange and Mart for plastic macs. I always associated that magazine with the buying and selling of cars so I avoided it like the plague. The adverts you describe Alan, sound delightful.

Steph l too only manage mail order from Coleman. They advertised in the exchange and mart.
I remember too the Macs in bhs too not 100% sure but l think the brand on their plastic macs was : Aquaplast but l stand correcting if l am wrong.

l agree it was nice to see all the plastic macs hanging outside the shops msainly seaside resorts. some very nice and some not so nice ones. they really were the magic times. When l was at the seaside in my twenties not long married when l woke in the morning first thing l did was to look out of the window of the hotel and in the froads and pavements were wet my heart would skip a beat know there was a good chance l would be wearing my Pakamac that day.

l suppose it sounds a little pathetic to some but that is how it really was in those days and still would be for me if Pakamacs or shall l say plastic macs were accepted as norm today.

Hi Alan
Thanks for your interesting comments. I only managed mail order from Coleman and I seem to remember he produced a small brochure too in those heady days of the 80's and early 90's.

BHS used to have "racks of macs" back in the 70's & 80's when the clourful vinyl macs were still in vogue. I remember the odd shop here and there would hang a mac or two in the shop doorway, such a sight to see a mac being blown around by a gentle breeze!

Years ago in the City of London before the internet, there were free magazines such as Ms London, many a guy would get one of these freebies to scour the City job ads, but now and then, there may be an interesting fashion article about plastic macs. I guess now there still are, here and there, and one of the trendy things is to buy plastic macs for the music festival season and ebay and so on are geared up for this. There are tales I hear of piles of discarded wellies, I wonder if the same applies to macs too?! Tents, tent pegs, anything the bright young things don't wish to carry home!!

Hi Steph
l have many years searching for a Pakamac substitute.and like l said pvc u like come nearest. l do remember the small label with the gold writing on too.l remember too when l started my apprenticeship working in the electrical trade. l had to do some electrical work at a drapery shop in the town. It involved having to remove some of the drawers behind the counter,even at that age l was attracted to the drawers full of various Pakamacs. That image has stayed with me all these years. The Mens were restricted to only about three different kinds whilst the Ladies were in many colours and styles with female names.

They really were times to remember. l too use to get plastic raincoats of Colemans in Kent.They always use to advertise them on inflateable dolls.
Another tip for plastic mac lovers is if you want to put new life into your aging macs then get some autoglym vinyl and rubber care from Halfords or and car accessory shop it brings life back into them and restores that sensual feeling back plus a fantastic glossy look. try it!.

Good comments from Alan recently. PVC-U-Like have almost faithfully produced Pakamac copy raincoats, but I guess what is missing is that distinctive Pakamac label with gold lettering, and that the early ones I remember had patch pockets (I think!), with a slanting feature through pocket to access inner garments, the idea being that the raincoat could be worn maybe over another coat or jacket.

I guess there's not much to say further about the brand, but to draw parallels unless someone has a "catalogue" of styles through the ages. I did manage to pick up a colour brochure from the 90's, very upbeat photos of models wearing sunglasses wearing garments spalshing around in the sea. Sadly this brochure got thrown out!

My earlier experiences, as with some who can also remember, would be to try to track down advertisers in Excahnge & Mart, clothing section. In the "old days" you may have been lucky to get a brochure of plastic raincoats, Pakamac type. I remember Coleman of Faversham, sold a number of soft vinyl raincoats. I bought a hooded, button through knee length one in emerald green and also a white, semi transparent button through hooded cape.

A visit to France last week wandering through a market, where I saw a satll selling solid shiny PVC raincoats in white & black for EUR 59 and packs of rainbonnets (bonnet de pluie) and one opened, fluttering in the breeze. At least the French embrace PVC rainwear styles, and it's somewhat evocative of the days, I seem to remember beach holidays, where plastic raincoats were hung up outside shops as a way to entice buyers as a result of unpredictable English summers! I wonder how many children fought off wearing these garments or those who relished the thought of being treated!!

hi

Hi Elizabeth Anne your daughter sounds beautiful in her red mac lucky boyfriend its funny that you from a sun baked country is the only lady that talks about macs and here in the uk were we get so much rain the ladies who used to leave comments seem to have gone underground funny old world.

Hi BJ, no Sally didn't wear a rain hat, she had a matching umbrella. So she was red from head to toe. She thought that in the distance she may have looked a bit like one of those old phone boxes (which she's too young to actually remember)but all that bright red nylon was quite a stunning look. Her boyfriend also likes it, apparently, which of course is The Main Thing.

Hi everyone its been some time since l visited this site.
I first posted comments in August 2011 when l was thrilled to find such a site.
The Site has its name suggests is all about Pakamac Plastic Raincoats of which l have been a lover of for as far back as l can remember.
However I was bitterly disappointed to read some of the postings that contain lots of bickering and talk of things non related to Pakamacs at all. l find that strange really because all l enjoy doing is communicating with like minded people and get great enjoyment from sites like this one.
l also enjoy helping others with the same interests if l can as l was in a position in the very early 60s with close connections of the Plastic Pakamac sales. So please lets not spoil a great site and let us all share the pleasures that Plastic Pakamacs have given us in past year. You can still obtain very similar rainwear from PVC U like. The question of not using real names is obvious to me as l am well know in my area and this site is classed as a fetish site say no more. anyone wishing to chat to me about this subject can email me at alpha3x@hotmail.co.uk