For my first post, I’ll start with an item from the men’s style blog that first got me thinking about dressing better: PutThisOn “A blog about dressing like a grownup”. PutThisOn has frequent articles about stylish and high quality men’s clothing, and a post about Barbour waxed cotton jackets caught my eye some time ago.
What happened to me when I was inspired by this recommendation is a cycle that has occurred time and time again, and is in many ways the basis for this blog: The search for high quality and well-fitting tall versions of an item. When I see an item of clothing that I like, my next question is always: Are there versions of this item that will fit a tall man? This is a story you’ll be hearing again and again on this blog.
In the case of the Barbour jacket, the answer is “yes” (even though there are no “tall” sizes).
Short history of the Barbour jacket and why it’s a real classic
J. Barbour & Sons Ltd., founded by John Barbour, was born in 1894 by supplying oilskins and other waterproof garments to sailors, fishermen and dock workers to protect them from the weather. In 1908, Barbour published their first mail order catalog and began distributing products far and wide to workers who wanted to stay dry. During the 1930’s, Duncan Barbour (grandson of founder John Barbour) started a motorcycle clothing line, with British motorcycle racing teams wearing Barbour gear into the 1970’s. Biker inspired clothing is sold by Barbour even today.
During WWI and WWII, rugged Barbour gear was worn by the military in order to keep warm and dry.
In 1957, Barbour moved manufacturing to South Shields, England and began producing iconic Barbour jacket models like Bedale, Beaufort, and Border. Today, Barbour makes a wide range of men’s and women’s jackets and other clothing and accessories, but they continue to be most famous for their high quality and stylish waxed cotton jackets. Barbour jackets, while not cheap, are equally at home on fashion conscious street style models, celebrities and royalty, hunters (of both foul and villains), and average people who value “buy it for life” quality.
Barbour for the tall man
So now you know why a Barbour waxed cotton jacket is a high quality, stylish, and versatile outerwear piece with bonafide heritage roots. Now I can tell you that a classic Barbour waxed cotton jacket is an option for the tall man because:
- These coats have true chest sizing (e.g., 40, 42, 44, etc.) as opposed to generic sizing (e.g. “small”, “medium”, “large”, etc.)
- These coats come in several different body length styles
- The sleeves on these coats can be altered by Barbour as needed
Chest Sizing
True chest sizing means you measure your chest and you order the jacket size that fits your chest (or you size up/down if you’re in between). For someone who’s interested in good fit, and all tall guys should be (as we’ll be discussing a great deal in this blog), this more granular sizing should give you a better shot at getting it right.
Barbour Body Length Styles
There are three basic models of classic Barbour waxed cotton jackets. All three models have a large corduroy collar, heavy duty corrosion resistant brass zipper (with the famous Barbour zipper pull), two large bellow pockets and two handwarmer pockets, but the jacket lengths vary:
- Bedale – The Bedale is the shortest of the three, with side vents, and is intended for equestrian use (riding a horse). Available in sizes 34″ to 52″ chest. The back length from below collar to hem is between 30″ (on 34″ chest jacket) and 32″ (on 52″ jacket).
- Beaufort – The Beaufort is a longer length jacket, intended for shooting sports. Available in sizes 36″ to 52″ chest. The back length from below collar to hem is between 31″ (on 36″ chest jacket) and 34″ (on 52″ jacket)
- Border – The Border is the longest of the three, and like the Beaufort, is a shooting jacket with lined interior game pockets. Available in sizes 34″ to 52″ chest. Back length from below collar to hem is between 36″ (on 34″ chest jacket) and 39″ (on 52″ jacket).
Consider how you plan to use the jacket when deciding on the model/length. Do you want your jacket to be shorter, perhaps hitting just below the waist, or do you want the jacket to be long enough to wear with a suit coat? (It is never OK for your suit coat, sports coat, or blazer to be longer than your outerwear.) Try one on and check the length or measure another known length jacket and think about what kind of length you want in your Barbour.
The most iconic color for Barbour waxed cotton is green (either sage or olive), but you’ll also find most jackets available in navy, and some jackets in brown, tan, and black.
These are the three classic models, but you also find related models with minor to significant differences. For example, the Northumbria is a more rugged and heavyweight version of the Border, and the Bristol is a more tailored version of the Beaufort. Explore these different models, but pay close attention to the length.
Sleeve Alterations by Barbour
For a tall man, once you get the chest sizing established and decide on the length/model, the next most important sizing measurement is going to be the sleeve length. If you’re a tall man, it is likely that you’re going to need the sleeves lengthened on your Barbour. Fortunately, Barbour offers sleeve alterations and many other adjustments at their mail-in repair centers. At the time of this writing, sleeve lengthening is $75.
By the way, this is the same repair center that will repair and replace portions of your jacket as you proudly wear it (out) for the next decade or two. See this great article about the repair process at A Continuous Lean. You can also have them “reproof” your jacket (reapply special oil to your jacket’s exterior as it wears), or you can do it yourself. It’s not that hard.
My Barbour
At 6 feet 8 inches, I chose the Barbour Border in navy blue and had my sleeves lengthened about 4 inches. I had the alteration done at Barbour’s repair center and I think the work came out great. They matched the existing fabric perfectly and reconstructed the interior storm cuffs.
There were no horizontal seams in the sleeve before. Now there are, and I think they look like they belong. In fact, I think the horizontal seam helps to break up the long, monochrome, sleeves on my jacket.
I wear my Barbour constantly. I wear it with jeans for weekend errands, I wear it with business casual outfits to my office, and I’ve occasionally worn it over suits, sports coats, and blazers. I wear it mostly during the cooler months of our northeast Fall and Spring seasons, but I also layer sweaters and even a down vest underneath for colder weather.
Barbour jackets are available here in the US from Barbour retail outlets and factory outlets, Orvis, O’Connell’s, Nordstrom, and other retailers. Due to their durability, there is a thriving market in second hand jackets on Ebay as well.