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Every now and then, a garment comes along that has what it takes to transcend generations. The word timeless gets tossed around a lot, but we’d argue the Harrington jacket is one piece truly deserving of the title. After all, there’s only a handful of items held in equally high regard by great-grandfather and his great-grandson, and this is most certainly one such example.
Maybe it’s the simple, versatile design. Or perhaps it’s the celebrity connotations and subcultural cachet. Whatever makes this jacket such an icon in the eyes of so many, there’s no denying its place among the pantheon of menswear greats.
For those yet to experience the joys of a Harrington jacket firsthand, now might be the time. This light outerwear mainstay is a true three-season piece that will carry you through spring to the colder days of autumn while slotting seamlessly into your everyday wardrobe. Even better is the fact that it’s experiencing a revival at present, so there’s never been a better excuse to buy. Here’s what you need to know before you pull the trigger.
What Is A Harrington Jacket?
Cropped, zip-front, elasticated cuffs and hem, flap pockets, and often a stand collar that buttons shut – a Harrington jacket is both easy to spot and fantastically quiet about it.
British to its core, it’s designed to shrug off showers, often boasting a tightly woven cotton face fabric that’s light enough to keep you comfortable in mild temperatures, but that performs well in the rain, and with sufficient structure to hold its shape.
The original template comes from the Baracuta G9, introduced in the 1930s. That one detail that people always mention – the Fraser tartan lining – isn’t just decoration, it’s branding that has been reworked and imitated again and again over the years. The umbrella yoke across the back is another signature feature that helps shed rain.
The name ‘Harrington’ came later, via Ryan O’Neal’s character, Rodney Harrington, in the TV show Peyton Place. But the jacket’s real cultural weight comes from the people who wore it. Steve McQueen, James Dean, Elvis – men who made their clothes an extension of themselves. This is how the Harrington became the icon it is today.
Why Are Harrington Jackets Trending Right Now?
It’s difficult to say for sure, but there are two plausible explanations in our opinion. Firstly, there seems to be a renewed interest in ‘proper’ clothes, resulting in a thirst for natural fabrics and classic shapes. The Harrington slots right into this. It’s functional and practical, but without leaning on synthetic fibres or plasticky materials. Instead, it relies on good old cotton that develops a lived-in look over time.
Secondly, the trend is likely driven in part by the current interest in cropped outerwear styles. The Harrington’s single most defining feature is its short, waist-length cut, making it feel ‘of the moment’ even though it’s not far off a century old.
Buying Considerations Fit
Polo Ralph Lauren
Fit is what makes the Harrington jacket what it is. It’s cropped, close-fitting and trim. It’s not designed to be oversized or slouchy. The goal is to have enough room for a knit underneath without being left feeling like a padded envelope.
Collar
Aquascutum
Purists will tell you a Harrington has to have a button-up stand collar. It’s true that the originals did, but there are plenty of classic-collar versions that fall under the Harrington umbrella in terms of their cut, details and overall styling.
Polo Ralph Lauren has some great examples of this.
Insulation
Baracuta
Harringtons tend to be lined (often with a tartan fabric) but otherwise uninsulated. That said, there are padded options available for those seeking something slightly warmer.
Keep in mind that the beauty of this jacket is its transseasonal versatility – something that will be lost if you choose a version that’s built to do battle with the cold.
Colour
Baracuta
There’s no shortage of colour options when it comes to Harrington jackets. Beige, black and navy are the failsafes, but red, pale blue and olive are also classic and can be just as versatile.
Pick what speaks to you and fits your personal style most naturally.
The Best Brands For Harrington Jackets Baracuta
G9 Cotton-Blend Harrington Jacket
G9 Cotton-Blend Harrington Jacket
Manchester’s finest and the originator of the Harrington jacket, Baracuta is naturally the first name that crops up in any conversation about this type of outerwear.
Designed originally as a golf jacket, it soon became a cultural staple via the mods, skinheads and celebrities such as Elvis and Steve McQueen.
The G9 is the jacket that started it all, still serving as a reference point that most brands are simply riffing on to this day.
Fred Perry
Crinkle Harrington Jacket
Crinkle Harrington Jacket
With strong ties to the mod and skinhead scenes in Britain between the sixties and the eighties, Fred Perry put its own stamp on the Harrington silhouette with a slimmer and more streamlined take.
Otherwise, its Harrington jackets largely follow the template set by Baracuta, with the addition of the brand’s iconic laurel-wreath branding to the breast.
Polo Ralph Lauren
The Bedford Twill Jacket
Bi-Swing Harrington Jacket
Ralph Lauren Americanised the Harrington by way of Ivy League styling, with slightly roomier fits, classic collars and an overall softer structure. Think of its versions as part of a broader preppy wardrobe rather than a standalone icon.
A simplified take, but every bit as timelessly stylish.
Aquascutum
Archival Harrington
Archival Harrington
British heritage brand Aquascutum knows its way around classic outerwear, and Harrington jackets are no exception. There’s a focus on technical cotton fabrics for weather resistance with a slightly more formal feel and tailored execution.
Less culturally loaded than the likes of Baracuta and Fred Perry, but every bit as good, if not better.
M&S
Pure Cotton Harrington Jacket
Pure Cotton Harrington Jacket
For a more affordable option, British high-street institution Marks & Spencer is hard to fault. This is a retailer that has made catering to men and women of a certain age its bread and butter, and with the Harrington jacket being a mid-century icon, it’s naturally a style that features heavily among the brand’s menswear offering.
Expect classic styling and wallet-friendly prices.
Burberry
Logo-Embroidered Cotton-Gabardine Harrington Jacket
Gabardine Harrington Jacket
If there’s a British brand that can rival Baracuta in outerwear pedigree, it’s Burberry. Its take on the Harrington leans slightly more refined, with cleaner lines, sharper fabrics and the occasional flash of that unmistakable check lining.
It’s less tied to subculture and more to luxury, but the fundamentals remain the same.
A.P.C.
Zip Harrington Jacket
Zipped Jacket
A.P.C., as it does with all garments, strips the Harrington back to its essentials. No fuss, no unnecessary detailing, just clean lines and a focus on proportion.
The fits tend to be slightly boxier, the fabrics understated, and the branding minimal to the point of non-existence. It’s the Harrington reworked through a contemporary Parisian lens.
Sunspel
Textured Wool-Blend Harrington Jacket
Boiled Wool Harrington Jacket
Sunspel approaches the Harrington in much the same way it does everything else: with restraint. Known for its cotton expertise, the British premium basics brand delivers versions that feel lighter, softer and more refined than most.
Private White V.C.
Cotton-Ventile Harrington Jacket
Cotton-Ventile Harrington Jacket
Few brands feel as closely tied to the Harrington’s origins as Private White V.C.
Made in Manchester, just a stone’s throw from where Baracuta first produced the G9, there’s a clear respect for heritage here.
Expect premium materials, meticulous construction and a slightly more elevated finish.
Shop now at Private White V.C.
Aton
Alpaca Harrington Jacket
Cotton-Blend Gabardine Harrington Jacket
Aton takes the Harrington in a more modern, technical direction. The silhouette remains recognisable, but the fabrics and finishing push it into contemporary territory.
Lightweight, precise, and often produced in Japan, it’s a good option if you like the idea of a Harrington but want something that feels a bit more current and less tied to tradition.
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