Lots of shops sold rainwear but there was always a sense of anticipation and a thrill when entering certain establishments as well as C&A…
Woolworths - cheap plastic macs.
Millets - not a lot of technical stuff back then, mostly nylon and PVC with some plastic.
Army & Navy - always had a rail of raincoats.
Every department store - had a rainwear section, you never minded being dragged around shopping for the chance to visit those areas. Often stocked high end and more unusual rainwear and the place to get the famous 80’s black PVC trench coat.
I remember finding the pvc raincoats in C &A one wet day.
Eventually treated my girlfriend at time to a nice shiny black short one. My she looked fabulous coupled with a folding rain-bonnet.
Your pictures bring back fond memories, I do remember the macs were not too expensive to buy.
All the best for 2023.
The "high end" stuff in the department stores often featured classy Jan Robert or Harglenis macs. M&S sold a nice silvery shiny mac with a blue fabric lining for a time. On one occasion a lady shopper saw me admiring them and, after I said I was thinking of buying one for my wife, kindly put one on and "modelled" it for me. Always seemed to go well when it didn't actually matter.
When I was a toddler I also had an orange PVC raincoat from C&A. It all started for me with this raincoat, 40 years ago
But I have even more memories of the C&A. I remember in the early 90's seeing a young woman trying on a black shiny vinyl mac. I loved seeing that and I fantasized about trying on such a jacket myself. When I was a teenager I even dreamed of it, waking up with sticky underpants Fortunately now I have my own vinyl macs and this fantasy has become reality, but it was a wonderful time to see rails full of vinyl macs at stores like C&A.