Columbia Manhattan Terrace Anorak

I’m a city gal at heart, so my dream is to convince outdoor and sportswear companies to design stylish apparel and outerwear that also has performance features. So I was delighted to discover Columbia’s Manhattan Terrace Anorak.

You can’t really tell from the photo how fun this feminine, urban jacket is. It’s billowy and soft, with darling three-quarter length sleeves. Yes, a rain jacket with less than full-length sleeves. I love that Columbia took a risk like that.

The Manhattan Terrace Anorak Is made out of soft, water-resistant material that’s downright billowy when the jacket is cinched at the waist. The style is casual and loose, but the black fabric gives the Manhattan Terrace Anorak a more dressy feel than the usual rain jacket I wear.  I love the raglan-style sleeves, which are more like wings that gradually taper into the end of the sleeve; they give me a custom fit through the shoulders which is flattering and provides a nice balance with the loose fit through the torso.

I like the length of the Manhattan Terrace Anorak, too. It’s as long as my trail rain jacket, but better because it’s not frumpy!  I also really appreciate the very discreet logo placement.  There’s a black Columbia icon on the front of the jacket, near the hem.  It must have been hard for Columbia to practice that level of restraint, but here’s the thing: ladies don’t want to have logos when we’re in the city.  We want to look fancy.

Available in black, sizes XS-XL. Fits true to size.

Bottom Line:I’m a pretty sporty gal, so I never thought I’d wear anything so obviously girly, but I love this jacket because it’s so bold and feminine. Thanks, Columbia –E.D. (May ’12)

Manufacturer’s Site: www.columbia.com

 $115, click to shop.