Before the Internet

[Deleted User 5375]

For those of us old enough to remember when there was no Internet, how did you indulge your rainwear viewing?

I used to revel in ads in the papers with raincoats, or the occasional “home gadget” magazine that came bundled with the weekend paper, hunting for colour phots of plastic macs for sale. I’d wait until the paper was no longer required, then throw it out, having first cut out the pictures of anything shiny for my collection, to enjoy in private later. There was a thrill in the chase that I doubt anyone today wold understand. And the joy of the occasional article featuring a woman in shiny rainwear, sometimes an article about that mac. I never managed to get my hands on the photo, but The Sun ran an almost full-page article on a new invention of a transparent plastic mac used for tanning, accompanied by the inevitable girl demonstrating it wearing only bikini bottoms. Not only was it a very lovely image, but the idea that soon girls would be wearing these at the seaside was a thrill, that alas never happened.

JM

[Rainworshipper]

For me it was the sight of women out and about in their shiny rainwear that gave me a thrill. I have to emphasise that I would never have followed women around because that would be dodgy behaviour, but to go out on a rainy day back in the 1980's I would always see plenty of women in shiny rainwear wether cagoules or PVC rainwear. The place I went to work in when I left school had a few women employees and most of those wore cagoules or PVC rainwear when the weather was right, and rainy days were always a delight.

[rctr88]

Before the Web there was and still is usenet; and before the Internet there were BBS's: Felix's Archives BBS and Amateur Action BBS come to mind. I cannot recall if Rusty and Edie's had an adult section or not.

There were specialty magazines such as Shiny and Dressing for Pleasure but those were difficult to acquire on this side of the pond - especially for a teenager. (Were credit cards even widely accepted in those days? Or, did we have to send certified cheques or cash in the mail? So long ago now.)

Of course there was also the Sears catalogue

PS. Lookup the cover for Dressing for Pleasure Issue 30.

[Rainworshipper]

Before the Web there was and still is usenet; and before the Internet there were BBS's: Felix's Archives BBS and Amateur Action BBS come to mind. I cannot recall if Rusty and Edie's had an adult section or not.

There were specialty magazines such as Shiny and Dressing for Pleasure but those were difficult to acquire on this side of the pond - especially for a teenager. (Were credit cards even widely accepted in those days? Or, did we have to send certified cheques or cash in the mail? So long ago now.)

Of course there was also the Sears catalogue

PS. Lookup the cover for Dressing for Pleasure Issue 30.

At the time I was totally unaware of any magazines like Dressing for Pleasure, I thought I was the only one who had thoughts like this.

[Deleted User 5375]

At the time I was totally unaware of any magazines like Dressing for Pleasure, I thought I was the only one who had thoughts like this.

I was the same. The idea that anyone else would be attracted to shiny rainwear never crossed my mind, so the concept of a magazine about it was out of the question.

Rctr88 - I knew that such things existed but had no idea how to access them. This was a time before dial-up modems for me (I probably didn’t even know what a modem was!)

Sightings of ladies in plastic macs out and about were the pinnacle of loveliness, but too fleeting and could not be saved, other than in one’s memory. I do recall our first VHS and being able to record and watch stuff, but generally if the whole family were watching something like top of the pops, I couldn’t record it as everyone would ask why. So if something shiny came on it was fleeting! Years later (but still on VHS) I would stay up late when everyone went to bed a record late night programs like The Word and Eurotrash that were terrible, but sometimes had PVC trousers, dresses etc. then I could rewind and pause to my hearts content, but always in fear of someone coming in the living room, which was where the only TV was.

JM

[Rives]

Initially, the half yearly edition of Kays Catalogue. Then, it was trips to various shops and rummaging on the rails, and then it was the South Bucks Rainwear catalogues

Such fun!!

[Ilovecagoules]

Mainly seeing people in the street wearing cagoules or my imagination. That was as good as it got.

[Deleted User 5375]

We rarely had catalogues but sometimes friends would lend my mother theirs. The favourite sections - rainwear, ladies underwear, sportswear in case of a plastic sauna suit or PVC golfing outfit. We never had plastic shower curtains, so they were quite exciting in a catalogue, especially on the very rare occasion that they were modelled against a naked posing girl, bit never showing anything.

JM

[Taffmac]

For those of us old enough to remember when there was no Internet, how did you indulge your rainwear viewing?

I used to revel in ads in the papers with raincoats, or the occasional “home gadget” magazine that came bundled with the weekend paper, hunting for colour phots of plastic macs for sale. I’d wait until the paper was no longer required, then throw it out, having first cut out the pictures of anything shiny for my collection, to enjoy in private later. There was a thrill in the chase that I doubt anyone today wold understand. And the joy of the occasional article featuring a woman in shiny rainwear, sometimes an article about that mac. I never managed to get my hands on the photo, but The Sun ran an almost full-page article on a new invention of a transparent plastic mac used for tanning, accompanied by the inevitable girl demonstrating it wearing only bikini bottoms. Not only was it a very lovely image, but the idea that soon girls would be wearing these at the seaside was a thrill, that alas never happened.

JM

Hi Jellyman,

I think I have that cutting from the Sun in my scrapbook. When my wife goes out for the day I'll scan it and try to post it.

Cheers.

[rainwearinme]

For me it started with a Black Vinyl Cape to wrap around me like Batman , but something hit me with the feel and smell so I use to hug it in bed with me , then started to feel the excitement .
I started to enjoyed admiring women who wore PVC Mac's , then saw in the shop called C & A and use to go to the rail with the PVC Mac's just to feel/touch , I could not afford to buy then.
Then came across a magazine call Relate , wow inside was a section called Rubber Relate and had sexy women wearing Rubber Mac's.
Then their was Shiny Magazine , wow that was a sexy magazine to read through but was expensive to buy, I have appeared in it with an ex girlfriend, still have a few magazines today.
Good old days .