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Welcome to the Esquire Endorsement. Heavily researched. Thoroughly vetted. These picks are the best way to spend your hard-earned cash.
There’s an argument to be made that waxed cotton jackets are no longer necessary. There are, after all, plenty of ways to keep yourself dry when the sky splits open. Plus, stuff like Gore-Tex usually comes with less weight, maintenance demands, and general persnicketiness than waxed cotton. The rational thing to do, this argument claims, is ditch the old-school stuff and move along.
Dead fuckin’ wrong.
Because you don’t buy a waxed cotton jacket just to keep out the rain. You buy it because you want something that will age to well-worn perfection, developing a patina that’s just as personal as anything you could get from a great pair of jeans or leather boots. If it keeps you warm and dry along the way, hey, all the better. But this is an investment that’s based in feeling as much as function. And if you’re going to invest in just one waxed cotton jacket, it should be the Beaufort, by Barbour. Here’s why.
It’s got one big advantage over its closest competitor
Barbour traces its origins back to 1894, when Scotsman John Barbour set up the operation in Newcastle’s South Shields. But when it comes to the company’s current output, there’s another Barbour you need to know: Dame Margaret. The company’s chairman since 1972, she’s credited with turning the brand into a household name. And when it comes to the jackets, two styles she designed in the ’80s reign supreme. First is the Bedale, an equestrian-inspired design with a shorter length and back vents—all the better for giving you room in the saddle—that arrived in 1980. Next is the Beaufort. Introduced in 1983, it features details drawn from hunting, like the zippered “game pocket” in the back that can accommodate a whole pheasant (if you’re so inclined). Folks are often on the fence when it comes to choosing between the Bedale and the Beaufort, which isn’t unreasonable; both are beloved and relatively ubiquitous. But if you must choose one, especially when it comes to menswear, I urge you to opt for the Beaufort. Why? It’s about three inches longer than the Bedale, so it’ll work with way more stuff. A Bedale over a suit jacket? No, sir. You’ll have inches of worsted wool sneaking out from underneath. But a Beaufort? That’ll cover your ass—figuratively and literally.
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Let’s talk about materials
If you spend enough time researching this sort of thing, you’ll learn that there are two versions of the Beaufort. Both are great, don’t get me wrong. But if you’ve got the option, I’d say you should opt for the Classic. Yes, it’s only available in one color (olive), and that might seem like a limitation. But olive is the perfect color for a waxed cotton jacket. It works with black, navy, gray, brown—pretty much everything. No matter what you want to put underneath, an olive jacket will complement it. And the finish of the fabric is easier for most people to wear. While the other colors of the Beaufort are done in Barbour’s much-loved Thornproof waxed cotton, which has a somewhat glossy effect, the Classic is made with Sylkoil, which has a matte finish. It’s not the biggest deal in the world, of course, but the Classic feels less specific. If you’re the kind of guy who finds the idea of a leather jacket somewhat imposing, but love the look of suede, Sylkoil is exactly what you want. It’s still delivering a vibe, but it’s a little more subtle.
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Details, details…
The Beaufort is the kind of jacket that’s meant to be bought once and loved for decades. That means the “little” things about it really matter. And, man, does Barbour deliver on that front. The flapped bellow pockets at the hip can carry everything from your car keys to your kid’s toys to (if you’re in a pinch) a late-afternoon snack. The handwarmer pockets that sit right around the ribcage are lined with warm and soft moleskin, so you won’t curse the weather gods if you happen to forget your gloves on a chilly day. And the cozy corduroy collar isn’t just there for comfort. When the temperature tanks, you can turn it up, secure the storm flap, and lock in the heat. Ditto that for the adjustable cuffs built into the sleeves. Everything about this jacket is considered, tuned in after more than four decades on the market. It’s made to make you feel good, even when the weather is anything but. The only question now is, why don’t you have one in your closet yet?
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Photographs by Florence Sullivan.
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