Can the Barn Jacket Boom Really Be Called a Trend?
Barn jackets, one of the most classic pieces of clothing ever designed, are the emergent outerwear "trend" of fall 2024. But can you really call demand for a classic Barbour or Carhartt chore coat a trend?
The barn jacket boom was boosted, as always, by TikTok, where young shoppers swarm thrift stores seeking an oversized barn jacket on the cheap.
You know the one: beige or brown cotton canvas body, soft contrasting collar (typically corduroy), big pockets and shiny snap buttons.
Though it's called a barn jacket in generic parlance, there's some stylistic overlap with the classic patch-pocketed chore coat that predates nearly all modern workwear brands.
Barbour's take on the barn jacket, so famous that even style-challenged former UK PM Rishi Sunak gifted one to American President Joe Biden, is also waxed to repel water but this trend is less about utility than looks.
Folks boarding the barn-wagon are simply aping the appearance of an hunting-inspired jacket, not the usefulness.
And thus there's been much recommendation of cheaper barn jackets from mall stores like Old Navy (mall brands really are back!), vintage outdoorsy pieces worn with decidedly non-outdoorsy crop tops, and a handful of popular pricier options, especially Toteme's $1,000 Country Jacket
As such, the barn jacket revival has inspired an unsurprising smattering of gatekeep-y comments, including the classic "I've been wearing this for years." (eyeroll emoji added to taste)
There may something to be said about how this all smacks of blue collar appropriation but, also, who cares? Like, nearly all clothes are so far-removed from their point of origin that it's pretty useless to posture about who wore what first and for why (certain religious and culturally significant garms aside).
No, the bigger takeaway here is that the barn jacket "trend" is actually one of the more bizarre trends to crop up as of late.
I mean, 2023's quiet luxury movement may have been an oxymoronic exploration of invisibly visible flexes but at least it accompanied an overarching attitude.
Rising demand for barn jackets doesn't feel tethered to any singular moment and, even more oddly, it pedestals an incredibly normal and omnipresent piece of clothing.
Barn jackets being "in" is kinda like hoodies or jeans being in. They aren't "now" — they're forever. Even one-off movements like the recent yen for barrel leg jeans makes at least somewhat more sense given that it's tethered to a single denim style.
The ephemeral nature of trends demands a specific thing to feel "now," like the specificity of animal prints or types of tops. So, why barn jackets and why now?
Earlier this year, I pointed out that Carhartt (and Carhartt-like) jackets have evolved into a new form of luxury, reflecting heightened awareness, appreciation, and mainstreaming of several signature workwear silhouettes.
This trend has been amplified by luxury labels like Prada, Miu Miu, and Louis Vuitton, perhaps in turn pushing barn jackets into trendy outerwear.
Of course, the barn jacket hubbub may be a separate phenom but I'd argue that the Carhartt-ification of casualwear has opened the door for this sort of otherwise ordinary layering piece to feel particularly timely.
Even still, barn jackets are too classic to be a trend proper. Hot today, not tomorrow? No, barn jackets are eternal, even if they've only just kicked off their latest 15 minutes of fame.
