What Makes a Jacket Worth Keeping?

Added: 2026-05-25

[00:00:00]Spring is finally upon us here in the Northeast, and with that comes transitional outerwear. When I first started sketching out this video, I thought I'd simply be doing a roundup of great transitional outerwear. But the more I thought about some of the jackets I wanted to talk about, the more I started to wonder, why is it that some styles endure while others don't? I'm referring to garments that were originally designed many, many decades ago for very specific reasons and are still being made and worn today, largely the same. And they somehow remain quietly relevant without any excessive advertising or marketing. So today on Peter's Prism, I want to talk specifically about three jackets, the Barber Bedale, Barracuda's G9 Harrington, and Filson's Tin Cloth Cruiser, and dig a little bit deeper into their origins to better understand how they became canonical men's wear pieces. I'll also talk about a couple of their modern variations to illustrate how some brands have chosen to improve upon them. Lastly, I'll close with a look at a jacket that didn't fare as well, the Members Only jacket, and talk about why I think that's the case. So, why are some jackets worth keeping for years, if not decades? Why do their designs still resonate? Let's explore some of these questions further.

[00:01:09]As a visual designer, something I appreciate a lot are things that were designed to solve problems so completely that they've become ubiquitous in their categories. Often, as a result, the notion of these things being beautiful is simply a byproduct. Take Johnston Sands for example. This type face was designed in 1916 specifically by Edward Johnston for use in the London Underground for legibility and scalability. More than 100 years later, it remains as relevant as ever. largely intact. Its modern, accessible aesthetic emerged and ultimately was cemented as a result of its practicality. Another great example is the Swiss Army knife whose roots go back to 1891 with the iconic officers and sports knife introduced in 1897. The design of this tool didn't come about because someone thought it would look cool. It's because every aspect of it earned its functional place. I think a lot of clothing works this way, especially men's outerwear.

[00:02:03]What I kept coming back to while thinking through this topic is that style grounded in genuine functional need almost never goes out of fashion.

[00:02:10]It doesn't need to because it was never chasing fashion in the first place. And there's something that happens when you bring that kind of object into a wardrobe that isn't purely functional.

[00:02:19]It creates a tension that feels honest.

[00:02:21]It says something about what you value without announcing it. And that to me is what personal style actually looks like.

[00:02:28]The Barber Bedale is a jacket that's now well over 45 years old. And yet, at least on the streets of New York City, it's about as common as a pair of salvaged jeans. So, how did a jacket that's rooted in British field and country culture become such an urban staple? Because, in my opinion, it has very little to do with fashion and almost everything to do with design. The bedale was introduced in 1980 and was designed by Margaret Barber, who is the current chairperson of Barber with horse riding in mind. This origin story matters because almost everything people now find stylish about the jacket was originally designed to solve practical problems while she had while wearing barber coats horse riding. For starters, it's shorter than the longer coats that Barber was known for. And that made it easier to wear in the saddle because it wouldn't bunch up awkwardly while you were riding. And as it turns out, that length is quite practical for most folks who've never even been on a horse. It lands at an average length around the same length of a tailored jacket. and it seems to work with just about any kind of pant. Worn at the correct size, it doesn't swamp your body and the raglin sleeves provide greater freedom of movement. The rear vents are another good example. They were introduced to allow movement while riding. In regular city living, they provide more freedom below the waist. Even the corduroy collar isn't just there for aesthetic purposes. It's softer against your neck, which is especially apparent when you turn it up and snap it closed in bad weather. And when worn this way, it's a perfect width that will fully cover you up in order to trap your body's warmth.

[00:03:56]This is what I love about this jacket.

[00:03:57]Almost nothing about it feels purely decorative. The wax cotton is probably the best feature in my opinion. It will resist wet weather and ages in a way that feels natural and sustainable. If the jacket stops performing, you just get it rewaxed or do it yourself. That's a very different kind of relationship to have with a garment than you might have with a lot of modern outerwear that have chemical or synthetic finishes which can be more difficult if not impossible to restore. The bellow's pockets are maybe my favorite feature. They were designed for practical outdoor use. But when I wear this jacket, I almost don't need to carry a bag. My minimal daily carry that includes phone, wallet, earbuds, a small notebook, and even an umbrella or thermos can fit into one of these expanding pockets. Even the ring pull zipper feels like part of the same logic. Whether or not it was intentionally designed this way, it's obviously easier to grab in cold or wet weather than a tiny conventional zip pull. Not that it was designed for this, but it can also double as a bottle opener, which feels like exactly the kind of accidental usefulness a jacket like this creates. What's most interesting about this jacket is that despite how little of it is purely aesthetic, it's aesthetically very pleasing. I don't think that's a coincidence. When details like these have a reason to exist, the results visually feel clear and resolved. So, the Bedale isn't such a versatile jacket because it was designed to be stylish.

[00:05:13]It's versatile because it was designed well. Styling this jacket is almost impossible to mess up. It works on top of the simplest combination of a pair of jeans and a t-shirt. You can even go full tailoring and it will look great.

[00:05:24]Any kind of pant from chinos to wool somehow all work. The bedale provides that perfect contrast. something outdoorsy against something urban, something rugged against something refined that gives off a very relaxed kind of confidence. Practically speaking, this jacket also carried me through most of New York City's brutal winter and most rainy days, especially when I added the optional hood and zip-in liner. Remove both and it can easily transition into early spring or late summer into fall. That kind of range is wider than you might expect.

[00:05:53]And it's mostly because the waxed cotton does such a good job of blocking cold and it layers really easily. If you buy one new, it will run you a bit over $400. Add in the optional hood and liner and you're looking at something closer to $600. I acknowledge that is not cheap by any means. But if you consider the idea that you'd keep the jacket for 10 or 20 years, which is exactly what it's built for, the math starts to look very different. Now, there are obviously a ton of cheaper alternatives, but usually cutting prices means compromising somewhere. either on materials, functionality, or longevity. Another alternative is to buy one used, which can save you money and give you some ready toear patina. The collar will be softer and the wax that's been worked into the cotton will still perform. When I was researching alternatives, the most compelling one I came across was the Private White VC wax walker, which was designed with Simon Crompton of Permanent Style and made in Manchester, England. That jacket tried to refine some of the standard wax jacket formula.

[00:06:51]It's slightly longer, more shaped, and a bit more flattering through the body.

[00:06:56]So, if your issue with the bedale is that it can feel slightly boxy, that one may solve the problem. But what it doesn't abandon is the core logic that makes jacket like this good in the first place. Rewaxable cotton, practical weather resistance, and durable hardware. Whether that's worth the higher price is up to you. But if silhouette and construction matter to you as much as function, it's definitely worth a look. Links to both the Barber Bedale and the private white VC wax walker will be in the description. In 1937, two brothers named John and Isaac Miller founded Barracuda in Manchester, England. The two had joined a local golf club, and what they noticed was simple.

[00:07:31]Golfers couldn't move properly in the jackets they were wearing. Sportsear at the time was too stiff and restrictive.

[00:07:37]It got in the way of swinging clubs. So, they wanted to create something better and came up with the G9. And almost everything about it was designed around movement and weather. For starters, it was short so it wouldn't interfere with the body in motion. It had a zip front instead of fussy closures. It featured elasticized cuffs and a hem to keep the jacket in place while sealing out wind and rain. One solution that solved multiple problems. Not long after, the Brothers secured permission to line the jacket with the Fraser tartan. And with that, the G9 became what we now recognize as one of the most enduring jackets ever made. What's interesting about it is that it looks very simple, but it's actually very considered. The umbrella back yolk, for example, is not there for style. It was designed to help channel rain away from the body. And that same structural decision also gives the jacket a visual identity from behind that many imitations don't capture. The angled flap pockets are another feature.

[00:08:30]They weren't just decorative, they were designed to hold golf balls, and they're still practical, big enough to be useful, but placed in a way that won't disturb the jacket's clean design. And you can even tuck in the flaps for an even cleaner look. And then of course there's the dog ear collar which you can wear either standing up or lying flat but buttoned up will protect your neck without feeling overly dramatic. I think the Frasier tartan lining is a great interior detail. It's obviously functional because it's a lining but you don't really see it unless the jacket is open or in motion which is a great visual bonus for both wearer and observer. So what happened to this jacket after it was introduced is culturally very interesting. It no longer belonged to only sporty golfers, but became part of the identity of many subcultures. Postwar, Barracuda began exporting the jackets to the United States, where it made its way past the golf courses into the worlds of Ivy Style and Hollywood, where celebrities like Elvis Presley, Steve McQueen, and Frank Sinatra wore them. The jacket kept showing up because it suited a specific kind of look, pulled together without looking overdressed, easygoing, but not sloppy. One quick side note, however, a lot of folks mistake James Dean's iconic jacket in Rebel Without a Cause as the Barracuda G9, but it's actually not. It was an American jacket that although did exist in the same world, was likely McGregor, another sportsear brand. The confusion, though, is plausible because by then the general silhouette of the jacket and look carried a lot of weight.

[00:09:53]The name Harrington, which is now synonymous with this jacket, can be traced to Ryan O'Neal's character Rodney Harrington on the show Payton Place.

[00:10:01]London retailer J. Simons, helped to popularize that nickname. The fact that Barracuda created an entire category of jacket that's now known by a different name is interesting in and of itself. In Britain, the G9 somehow also became a staple for the alternative set. mods, skin heads, punks, and much later those into Brit pop embraced the style and somehow individualized it without it ever fully belonging to any one subculture. It's kind of hard to think of another garment that had this level of widespread appeal. And I'm inclined to think that it's because the jacket's original identity was never symbolic or fashion ccentric. The Miller brothers designed it to solve functional problems, not to address trends. And as a result, there's very little about it that dates it. And I think that's the deeper design lesson here. In terms of fit, the jacket is supposed to be short, landing right around the waist of your pants with sleeves that reach the wrist.

[00:10:50]Any shorter, then the jacket can start to look shrunken as opposed to proportionately appropriate, which it looks like on most folks. So, if you're shopping for a Barracuda G9, know that it isn't totally identical to older versions. For example, although I'm typically a size 38, I had to move up to a 40 here, and even then, it's still quite slim. And the current fabric is a cotton poly blend developed for durability and weather resistance, whereas the originals were 100% cotton.

[00:11:16]At the time of this video, a new G9 will cost about $500. There's quite a lot available, however, on the secondary market, even brand new with tags that I've seen for as little as $300. Used and with a bit of wear, they can be very cheap. In terms of styling, it doesn't get much easier to wear a jacket like this. You can go as simple as jeans and a t-shirt to achieve that McQueen feeling. put on an OCBD and a pair of chinos with some loafers to get a more ivy feel. I think it's even fine to wear more tailored clothing with this jacket to feel a little bit more dressed up. At this point, the G9 works so well across so many looks because of how well adopted it's become over time. It's a statement in restraint and letting a classic silhouette do most of the talking. So, as I already mentioned, objects that are designed well and without excess or frivvality don't need to be reinvented, but as long as we're human, we're going to try and improve upon them. And that is what brings me to introduce a designer named Nick Hussie who launched his brand from with the idea that although the Harrington is a design classic, there's no reason why one shouldn't try to improve upon it. He decided that the Harrington's elasticized hem might create a silhouette on some body types that can be not so flattering. He also believed that the soft collar of the original could get softer and curl over time. So, he rethought the original formula, but pushed it in a more structured, more urban and modern direction. The fabric he chose is weatherproof Halley Stevenson's wax cotton. The collar stands straight up and is much more assertive, though lined for comfort. He added optional snap tab closures at the waist, an additional pocket at the chest, and replace the flaps with zippers. The overall shape leans a bit more toward motorsport, especially with the reinforced shoulders and the scalloped wrists, which were designed to add greater coverage. So whereas the Barracuda might be considered about as neutral as a light jacket could get, from version has a more specific design point of view, I wouldn't call it trendy by any stretch of the imagination, but it could be very attractive to the kind of guy looking for a jacket in this genre that not only performs, but has a little bit more of a modern approach. By the way, this video is not sponsored in any way by From, but the company was kind enough to send me a sample of their Harrington so I could take a closer look. I think keeping your look very simple really heightens the very intentional design decisions made here.

[00:13:29]So again, plain t-shirts and jeans, dark denims and straight leg chinos. Clean looks will let the jacket do all the talking. It's attractive but won't call attention to itself in a negative way.

[00:13:39]Current pricing for the from Harrington for pre-orders is $568 US depending on the specific model which makes it competitive to the Barracuda G9.

[00:13:49]Materials are sourced from Britain, Turkey, and other parts of Europe and made in Bulgaria. The G9 is timeless. No one's going to argue with you there.

[00:13:57]Whereas the From is a little bit more opinionated. Both jackets resolve design problems, but in different ways. I wouldn't say one is better than the other. I think it really depends on the kind of man you are and the aesthetic that resonates more. Details like the chest pocket and stiffer collar, for example, could mean a lot to a guy whose closet leans a bit more modern. And coming to terms with what problems you want a jacket purchase to solve, both practically and aesthetically, is a very useful thing to understand before you make a purchase like this. The Filson tin cloth cruiser is another wax jacket, and like those, it's a piece that grew out of necessity. Its origin stretches back over a 100red years to the brutal landscapes of North American forests.

[00:14:35]Tin cloth, which was developed in the early 1900s, is a tightly woven 14oz cotton duck canvas that is infused with paraffin wax. The process forces the wax into the core of the cotton fibers as opposed to just sitting on the surface.

[00:14:49]This gives it a stiffness its name refers to. It sheds wet weather just as a tin roof might and was originally marketed as waterproof khaki. This very rugged fabric has pretty much stayed the same for its entire existence. Filson applied the fabric to its cruiser jacket which was originally intended for timber cruisers, foresters, and other workers who needed durable, weatherresistant outerwear with a lot of pockets. It's an easy fit, kind of like a shirt, and long enough for coverage, but short enough to let you move around without it bunching.

[00:15:19]It features multiple pocket layouts that include hand warmers, covered chest pockets, pen slots, a small front patch pocket, in addition to the covered full width rear pocket originally designed for maps. The sleeves are double layered. There is very little branding, and there's no flashy hardware or decorative seaming. It's about as utilitarian as you can get, and it's very substantial. You can tell immediately when you pick it up that this is a very serious wax jacket that will protect you from the elements. I purchased mine, which is unlined through eBay, so it's still quite new. And I'm not going to lie, the smell and texture of the wax fabric is unmistakable, which might be a dealbreaker for some, but for me, I am slowly trying to transition items in my closet to those that will have a more permanent rotation. So, I'm more than happy to accept trade-offs like this for the sake of longevity since I know that over time and wear it will fade. One additional note is that these jackets run quite large, probably for the intended purposes of layering underneath. I'm typically a size small, and even then, this extra small gives me plenty of layering room. From what I found in various men'sware forums, a new Filson tin cloth cruiser starts out stiff and unyielding, but eventually breaks in over months and years of wear.

[00:16:29]The canvas will soften and mold itself to your specific movements. And in terms of style, the Cruiser has a very straightforward oversized shirtlike fit that doesn't look dated or exaggerated in any way. So, like any kind of shirt jacket, it will translate surprisingly well into a more modern urban scenario.

[00:16:46]You won't look like you stepped off a job site when you wear this over t-shirts and jeans or even something more dressed up. In any context that you'd wear something like a chore coat or a shirt jacket, this will work. It's unobtrusive, but the functional details give your look that rugged contrast I spoke about earlier. The fact that it's wind and rainproof is icing on the cake.

[00:17:03]At around $400, depending on which variation you're considering, I think a jacket like this can serve you for a very long time if you treat it with respect. The design is what it is, and there's no question in my mind that the fabric will withstand years of abuse.

[00:17:17]The secondhand market for tin cloth cruiser jackets is quite active, and here you'll gain a better understanding of how it develops a patina over time and wear. Broken in, it looks great. In my opinion, actually much better than brand new. So, I'm looking forward to revisiting this in the months and years to come. Before I wrap up this video, I wanted to bring up another jacket, but one that I'd categorize as very much time dependent as a means to illustrate why some things last while others fade away. And that is the membersonly jacket, which if you're old enough to remember, was a coveted item in the 1980s and culturally ubiquitous.

[00:17:49]Everyone from presidents and celebrities like Frank Sinatra and Eddie Murphy wore them. In the 80s, it was almost impossible to not see one on every block. But as quickly as it became popular, it disappeared and is now synonymous with 80s nostalgia. So why would the membersonly jacket fade into the background while something like the Barracuda G9 continue to thrive? I personally think this is the problem with most fashion today, that the promise of a garment like the membersonly jacket has almost nothing to do with how it's made or what purpose it serves. The very premise of the brand itself, members only, suggests exclusivity and details like the epolettes and the collar strap had almost no real functional purpose. It was basically all superficial and rested almost entirely on the notion that buying this jacket gets you into some special club. But if everyone in their grandmother is wearing this jacket, as was the case in the8s, this kind of social exclusivity collapses and what's left? Not very much. There's no real story there and no purposeful design.

[00:18:48]Once the cultural moment passes, there's nothing left. And when you compare a jacket like the membersonly story to those of barbers, barracudas or philsons, you can see that meaning survives with these brands because design is being applied to solve real problems. And that is the principal difference between fashion and style born out of design. Fashion can often be seen as what something might mean or what is socially or emotionally attributed to a garment through things like marketing and advertising. While practical design solutions often outlast fashion because they are more concerned with functional need, the jackets that last are the ones that do something worth doing and over time and adoption become integrated into everyone's style language because of their practical nature. So, there you have it. Three timeless jackets that I believe can stay in any man's wardrobe for years, if not decades, and my thinking and reasoning for why you'd want to consider investing in them. They'll get you through transitional seasons and in some cases with smart layering can even get you through much colder months. So, let me ask you, what's the one jacket or garment in your wardrobe that you've owned the longest? And what is it about the design that's kept you from letting it go? Share your thoughts in the comments below. As always, thank you so much for watching and supporting my channel. So, until next time, stay true to your style and I will catch you in the next video. Bye.