The One Thing: The Barbour Tartan Showerproof Jacket
There are certain patterns that need no introduction. Barbour’s tartan is one of them — an instantly recognisable part of the brand’s visual language, as familiar as its waxed jackets and country roots. For AW26, however, that heritage is being given a lighter, more contemporary treatment.
Enter the Tartan Showerproof Jacket, cut in Barbour’s new Birchwood Dress tartan and designed as an easy outer layer for the months when summer starts to give way to autumn. The silhouette is deliberately relaxed. A blouson shape, deep elasticated hem and clean zip fastening give it a distinctly modern feel, while lower welt pockets keep things practical. More importantly, the lightweight showerproof construction makes it considerably more versatile than the traditional heavyweight Barbour jacket — ideal for those unpredictable days when the weather cannot quite decide what season it is.
The Birchwood Dress tartan is what gives the jacket its character. Rather than treating tartan as a nostalgic reference, Barbour uses it across a sharper, more contemporary proposition. The result feels less country weekend and more modern city wardrobe, without losing the sense of heritage that makes the pattern unmistakably Barbour.
That versatility is the real selling point. Wear it over denim and knitwear at the weekend, or throw it over tailored trousers and a fine-gauge knit for the city. It has enough presence to make a statement, but the uncomplicated shape means it can slot into an existing wardrobe without demanding that everything else change around it.
At £219, it also occupies an appealing space within the Barbour wardrobe: distinctive enough to feel like a seasonal purchase, practical enough to earn its place long after autumn has arrived.
The waxed jacket may remain Barbour's defining icon, but the Tartan Showerproof Jacket makes a convincing case for something lighter, easier and decidedly more contemporary.
Our pick this week:
Barbour Tartan Showerproof Jacket in Birchwood Dress Tartan — £219
Available now from Barbour.