The Best Harrington Jackets for Men: A British Icon, Explained

When you grow tired of bomber and trucker jackets, rest assured there are myriad more outerwear options to choose from — like the Harrington Jacket, which helms from British but has been a global icon since the mid-60s. With its approachable shape, comfortable collar and rain-deterring design elements, it’s as fit for a rainy spring day as it is a similarly crisp fall one. Or, if summer simmers down, an unconventionally cold day in mid-July, too.

But, where does the Harrington Jacket come from? Unlike the bomber or trucker jacket, its name doesn’t derive from the occupations it was the first standard issue. Here’s why.

Harrington Jacket History

The Harrington Jacket was initially known as a G9 Jacket. The G9, as it was called, was invented by sibling design duo John and Isaac Miller. Together they founded Baracuta, a raincoat factory with plenty of British clients: Burberry and Marks and Spencer, to name two.

The brothers branched out on their own in 1937, creating a new silhouette they viewed as the ideal golf jacket — hence the “G” in G9. It caught on fast, with its flattering fit but functional protective features. It didn’t become the Harrington Jacket until the ’60s, though, when fan-favorite TV character Rodney Harrington wore on in the hit series Peyton Place.

From there, the style kept spreading. Elvis eventually wore one; so did Steve McQueen; James Dean did too. Nowadays, there are a number of variants, but the true Harringtons look a lot like Baracuta’s.

What Is a Harrington Jacket?

Your typical Harrington Jacket hits right at the waist, with a cinched hem to help keep it the jacket there, even when you swing a club. Most are made from cotton, polyester or leather (as evidenced below), but cotton is most traditional. And as for color scheme, Harrington Jackets typically come in a single hue: all blue or all tan, for example.

The defining features include an upright collar with one or two front buttons, a jacket-length front zipper, two slant pockets and a back yoke that stops rain from running all the way down your back. As a bonus and a nod to the style’s British roots, many Harrington Jackets come with tartan liners.

How to Style a Harrington Jacket

Keep it classy. The Harrington Jacket is a decidedly British style that eventually jumped over onto Ivy League campuses. As such, try wearing your Harrington Jacket with classic khaki chinos or plain blue jeans. Having a hard time visualizing this? Look back to the past, when the style was far more prominent.

As for what you wear underneath, simplicity rules: Try a standard Oxford cloth button down, a bright, white T-shirt or even a crewneck sweatshirt. Avoid options — like a hoodie — that stick out overtop, hiding the Mandarin-style collar.

Ralph Lauren Bi-Swing Jacket

Ralph Lauren

Best Overall Harrington Jacket

Polo Ralph Lauren Bi-Swing Jacket

• $148.00 at Ralph Lauren

• Material(s): 100% polyester

Ralph Lauren makes one of the most popular Harrington Jackets, even if they don’t call it that. The Bi-Swing is the brand’s, ahem, swing at the style, with a more pronounced, pointed collar that hosts a single buttonhole. The jacket is style cinched at the hem and cuffs, equipped with two pockets and finished in a classic khaki tone. Sure, it isn’t 100 percent cotton, but the polyester material used here performs: It’s breathable but water-resistant.

Baractua G9 Harrington Jacket

Huckberry

Best Upgrade Harrington Jacket

Baracuta G9 Jacket

• $499.00 at Huckberry

• Material(s): 50% cotton, 50% polyester

Baracuta is, even though others claim to have created the style, solely responsible for the Harrington Jacket, even if the brand called it the G9 at first. As mentioned above, the G9 was designed for golfers, who were without options that emphasized both rain protection and mobility. Nowadays, there are a number of cheaper alternatives, but what’s better than the original (even if it costs over $400)?

You get a water-resistant cotton and polyester shell, the traditional tartan liner and front flap hand warmer pockets, to boot. Plus, the rear umbrella yoke helps keep rain from running straight down your back (and soiling your belt line).

Ben Sherman Cotton Harrington Jacket

Ben Sherman

Best Affordable Harrington Jacket

Ben Sherman Cotton Harrington Jacket

• $139.00 at

• Material(s): 100% cotton

Ben Sherman’s Harrington Jacket is 100 percent cotton and it has the patterned liner, but this isn’t as traditional of a take as the OG. That being said, it’s a fourth of the price: $400+ vs. $139.

Buck Mason Anchor Storm Stopper Driver’s Jacket

Buck Mason

NEW RELEASE

Buck Mason Storm Stopper Ghia Driver’s Jacket

• $188.00 at Buck Mason
  $198.00 (5% off)

• Material(s): Waterproof cotton-poly twill

New to Buck Mason’s Storm Stopper Collection, a suite of spring-friendly waterproof outerwear, this rendition of the iconic Harrington jacket has a taller collar, cinches at both hips and a button, not snap, neck. Plus, this one looks vintage, with its washed finish, but it’s rainproof nonetheless, thanks to a DWR treatment.

J.Crew Collared Harrington Jacket

J Crew

Best Collared Harrington Jacket

J.Crew Collared Harrington Jacket

• $158.00 at J Crew

• Material(s): 100% cotton

To be honest, this is barely a Harrington Jacket. The hem and cuffs are only slightly elasticated, while the collar has no buttonhole. As for the collar, it’s long and pointed, which is more like the ones you’d find on a mechanic’s jacket (i.e. Dickies’s Eisenhower Jacket). It passes the test, though, mostly because of its weight, available hues and semi-pattern inside liner.

Bonobos The Harrington Jacket

Bonobos

Bonobos The Harrington Jacket

• $199.00 at Bonobos

• Material(s): 60% cotton, 40% nylon

Built for chillier temperatures than the rest of the jackets on this list, thanks to its down fill, Bonobos’s best-selling The Harrington Jacket looks a bit bulkier but proves more versatile. Otherwise, it stays true to tradition: It’s a solid color, has a patterned liner and comes with two button holes at the neck and two pockets at your sides.

Club Monaco Harrington Jacket

Club Monaco

Club Monaco Harrington Jacket

• $198.50 at Club Monaco

• Material(s): 98% cotton, 2% elastane

None of these options would be, by any means, bad for golfing, but Club Monaco’s iteration is the most surefire success. It contains 2 percent elastane, which helps it give when you move (i.e. swing a club). It’s equally smart enough for the city, though, with its dark blue hue, snap button collar and tonal leather accents. The pockets are less pronounced here, too, which results in a slightly slimmer silhouette.

Private White VC Archive Harrington Jacket

Courtesy

Private White VC Archive Ventile Harrington Jacket

• $405.00 at divisionroadinc.com
  $675.00 (40% off)

• Material(s): 100% cotton ventile

Division Road dug into British luxury brand Private White VC’s archive looking for earlier iterations of the Harrington Jacket. Lucky for them, this ventile gem, albeit remastered now, was lurking not too far back. Ventile is a densely woven cotton oxford cloth that’s both naturally weatherproof and impressively breathable, which made it apt for use on military and government gear. This bright blue number is far more civilian, but it’s built with the same functionality front of mind.

Vince Leather Harrington Jacket

Nordstrom

BEST LEATHER HARRINGTON JACKET

Vince Leather Harrington Jacket

• $1,195.00 at Nordstrom

• Material(s): 100% leather

If lightweight cotton doesn’t suit you, maybe leather will. Vince built its Harrington Jacket from super-soft leather, with a cotton inside, faux suede detailing and ribbed entry points (i.e. collar, cuffs and hem). The neck does fasten shut, making this a true Harrington, but it looks more like a bomber from afar — probably because it’s leather, not cotton.

Barbour Quilted Harrington Jacket

Barbour

Best Quilted Harrington Jacket

Barbour Quilted Harrington Jacket

• $240.00 at barbour.com

• Material(s): 100% polyamide

If you’re 100 percent opposed to a cotton option, try a quilted one — like this number by Barbour. Sure, it barely fits the mold beyond its general shape and closable collar, but it’s essentially a Harrington still — just squint. Joking aside, it’s a warm, weatherproof option with improved versatility across outfit types. Worn with sweatpants? Perfect. With performance chinos? Works, too.

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