The Barn Jacket Is a Top Spring 2024 Trend for Transitional Dressing — Here’s How to Wear the Heritage Style
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The barn jacket may seem like an unexpected high-fashion trend for spring 2024, but there were always clues if you read between the lines. The style’s timeless appeal, for one, combined with Prada’s spring 2024 runway, plus abounding TikTok trends, like “Eclectic Grandpa,” “Coastal Grandmother,” and “Old Money” aesthetics, has all summed up to the resurgence of the workwear-inspired topper — of which is now ranking on the 2024 Lyst Index “Hottest Products” list. The barn jacket has never felt more elevated in fashion’s lexicon, so we’ve curated top styles to shop for spring and beyond, plus editor tips on how to style them.
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Beloved for its durability, practicality, and sensible versatility, the subject of this spring’s outerwear spotlight harkens back to “yuppie” fashion trends that peaked just before the pandemic, defined by organic textures like canvas bags, preppy-vintage tenniscore stylings, boat shoes, and ’80 elitism influences. Call it norm-core or quiet luxury — the barn jacket represents many season’s worth of trends coming to a climax.
While the borrowed-from-the-boyfriend silhouette has been steadily sported by street style muses over the years like Rihanna, Bella Hadid, Kaia Gerber, Hailey Bieber, and Lori Harvey, its most recent spike in popularity only occurred in the ’90s. The utilitarian jacket enjoyed mass appeal when Americana-prep brands like J.Crew made the no-frills staple newly chic, and when off-duty royals at Balmoral Castle gave the barn coat a regal stamp of approval, from Princess Diana to Queen Elizabeth II (and through Kate Middleton’s ladylike styling today).
The current decade is distinctly characterized by a recirculation of ’90s minimalism and Y2K eclecticism, presenting a wide scope for fashion frontrunners like Prada and Miu Miu — both of which continue to rank at the tip-top of the Lyst Index — to reimagine old favorites for the modern woman.
The blue-collar barn jacket now stands redefined as somewhat of a quiet luxury statement, thanks to co-signed iterations seen on the recent runways of Bottega Veneta, Fendi, and Maison Margiela. The enduring style also operates like a blank slate of which to apply of-the-moment trends that have a shorter shelf life, such as the rugged cowboy core revival or simple-living cottagecore sentiments that are routinely embraced for spring.
Below, we’ve rounded up the best barn jackets on the market that are sure to serve as a wardrobe staple for years to come. Plus, read on for additional history on the barn jacket trend and outfit ideas for work and play.
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EDITOR'S CHOICE
Carhartt Women's Rugged Canvas Detroit Jacket
Amazon Top-Quality Store Badge on Google: 4.5/5 stars
Zappos Top-Quality Store Badge on Google: 4.8/5 stars
$89.99
$89.99
Price upon publish date of this article: $89.99
Everlane The Barn Jacket
$178
Price upon publish date of this article: $178
L.L.Bean Women's Adirondack Barn Coat
L.L.Bean Top-Quality Store Badge on Google: 4.9/5 stars
$129
Price upon publish date of this article: $129
J.Crew Crinkled Nylon Barn Jacket
J.Crew Top-Quality Store Badge on Google: 4.7/5 stars
$258
Price upon publish date of this article: $258
Barbour Hutton Corduroy-Trimmed Coated-Cotton Jacket
Net-a-Porter Top-Quality Store Badge on Google: 4.9/5 stars
Farfetch Top-Quality Store Badge on Google: 4.1/5 stars
$370
$361
Price upon publish date of this article: $361
Sporty & Rich Canvas Zipped Jacket
Ssense Top-Quality Store Badge on Google: 4.5/5 stars
Farfetch Top-Quality Store Badge on Google: 4.1/5 stars
$470
$470
Price upon publish date of this article: $430
Toteme Organic Cotton Barn Jacket with Leather Collar
Neiman Marcus Top-Quality Store Badge on Google: 4.5/5 stars
Bergdorf Goodman Top-Quality Store Badge on Google: 4.7/5 stars
$1,420
$1,420
$1,420
Price upon publish date of this article: $1,420
What Are Barn Jackets?
The barn jacket is defined by its roomy, boxy silhouette, which is traditionally framed by a contrasting corduroy collar, sleeve cuffs, and side pockets. Designed as a highly-durable and reliably warm cotton topper with big, functional pockets, the practical barn jacket once allowed farmers and laborers to comfortably work outdoors, as water-resistant finishes and fleece lining protected them from harsh elements.
The rugged barn jacket style dates all the way back to 19th-century France, when it was dubbed bleu de travail, or “working blues,” for its original washed hue. By the 1920s, barn jackets, also referred to as “chore coats,” landed in America. Carhartt led the style’s mass production after releasing its original iteration in 1917, which was shortly followed by versions from American outerwear brands like L.L.Bean.
How to Style a Barn Jacket — Barn Jacket Outfit Ideas
The beauty of a barn jacket is that it reads naturally laidback for everyday wear, though its sharp collar and twee-like big buttons allow it to play feminine all the same. It’s all in the pieces you pair with the versatile topper, which can reframe the silhouette for a variety of occasions.
Working 9 to 5
A barn jacket can be a chic workwear staple for your all-seasons commute with a few simple styling swaps. In the springtime, the barn jacket functions similarly to a denim jacket with more of-the-moment appeal. It’s also naturally insulating for brisk mornings, and can easily top thick layers like sweaters or vests. We’re pulling inspiration from Prada spring 2024 for this office-appropriate ensemble, which features a sheer midi skirt, bold gold buckle belt, and sharp leather slingback heels.
Everlane The Barn Jacket
$178
Shown with: Vince Beaded Border Sheer Shirt ($325), Vince Beaded Border Sheer Knee Length Skirt ($395), Madewell Chunky Buckle Skinny Leather Belt ($48), Sam Edelman Bianka Sling Pumps ($140)
Picnic in the Park
Barn jackets are a foolproof layer for mastering unpredictable weather as the season transitions — especially for spring, when the forecast can quickly flit from sunshine to rain and chilly winds. For weekend plans that entail leisurely strolls in the park, patio lunches and picnics, or a long to-do list of sidewalk errands, pair your barn jacket with easy straight-leg jeans and comfortable footwear, like a trendy Adidas Samba sneaker, in a similar tone that ties in the jacket’s collar. Then, add on your everyday handbag and block out the UV rays with chic sunnies.
J.Crew Crinkled Nylon Barn Jacket
$258
Shown with: Agolde 90s Pinch Waist Long High Rise Straight Leg Jeans ($230), Maje Cashmere Jumper ($321), Adidas Samba OG Shoes ($100), Le Specs Work It! Sunglasses ($69)
Americana Sweetheart
Whether you’ve got a music festival on your spring-summer roster, you’re knee-deep into the Western wear trend, or you actually have a rodeo to attend, Carhartt’s barn jacket comes in a deep, warm tone that seamlessly plays with this spring’s overarching modern-boho aesthetic. Add on a long, flowing denim midi skirt, plus a red knee-high suede cowboy boot for a pop of on-trend burgundy. As femme and flirty as this look may feel (with the addition of an adorable fringe crossbody bag), it’s comprised of some of the most durable materials you can wear — so you’re free to run like the wind or line-dance the night away.
Carhartt Women’s Rugged Canvas Detroit Jacket
$89.99
Shown with: Alice + Olivia Donella High-Low Denim Skirt ($395), Paris Texas El Dorado Embroidered Suede Western Knee Boots ($1,155), Allsaints Evaline Fringe Crossbody Bag ($229)
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Meet the Author
Olivia Cigliano is a Commerce Writer & Producer at Footwear News and WWD where she writes and edits shopping content across fashion, beauty, footwear, TikTok style trends, and more. Cigliano received her bachelor’s degree in journalism from Emerson College, and her byline can be found in publications including Elite Daily and CR Fashion Book. She is currently based in New York City. At WWD, she regularly reports on current trends seen on the runway, celebrity street style, and her TikTok FYP page.
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