There is no one perfect jacket. My perfect jacket is not your perfect jacket, and my choices would be different in summer and winter. On a cold damp day in England, blasted by winds from the North Pole and Siberia here on top of the North Downs, I'll go for something warm and snuggly, like staying in and hibernating under a quilt with a cat and a good book! <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />

If I HAVE to go out, I'd like my jacket to be warm, wind proof, rain resistant, draft proof, long enough to keep at least my bum and thighs warm, and light! A couple of easily accessible pockets on the outside and a secure inside pocket will do fine... And it must not rustle! A taffeta ball gown may rustles, but not a coat!

I prefer hats to hoods.

It's got to look equally good in the west End of London going to the theatre and out on the North Downs Way! I'm making one of these out of Polartec Windbloc for Big Sis: http://www.rockywoods.com/Patterns/1005.htm We'll see how it behaves before I do mine.

The Boy will be making one of these: http://www.shelby.fi/catalog/images/104_drawing.jpg I thought it would be simple enough for a 13 YO bloke to make...

The one for the hubby will be a 'design-it-myself' job as he wants a number of special features that I cannot find in a commercial pattern. Damned good excuse for some more pattern drafting software, methinks!