To Barbour or Not to Barbour

To be quite honest, before moving to the UK the Barbour jacket was not on my radar. Call me crazy, but the muted jacket doesn't exactly make a bold entrance. Barbour is a brand of practicality. Founded in 1894, the outdoor clothing company specializes in hunting gear. I can honestly say I have never been hunting and therefore have had no use for such attire. You won't find any muskets in my closet.

However, with two feet firmly planted in Scotland, I can't escape the brand. I see the Barbour label everywhere I go - magazines, store window displays, and most noticeably young women (and men for that matter). But not just any young women...fashionable ones at that.

The thing is, in theory this olive, androgynous lump of wax is nowhere near fashionable. The thing is pretty shapeless. It is durable, waterproof, and all together fairly indestructible. But so are many practical things in life: windbreakers, snow pants..bullet proof vests. That doesn't necessarily qualify an item as luxe or en vogue. So what is it that makes the Barbour jacket an exception? Why are celebrities sporting this country necessity in cities across the world?



Alexis Chung (UK) Olivia Palermo (NYC)

It's hard to say. I think there's something about the simplicity and the ruggedness. The shaplessness is chic in a "I just threw this on" sort of way. This hunting staple appears to be a timeless-survive-anything icon. I like the idea of a coat you can wear in the mud and on the Upper East Side.

Barbour on Jcrew

I dare to categorize Barbour jackets with UGG boots. Or maybe a little more Hunter. A (slightly unattractive) country staple turned downtown chic. I also have a sneaking suspicion one of these babies might be hanging in my grandmothers basement - maybe a bit moldy...but Barbour nonetheless.

Kate Moss- ahead of the trend as usual

UPDATE:

I must admit, a size 30 beadnell jacket in olive was at the top of my christmas list. I searched across Edinburgh during the final weeks of my stay. I wanted that touch of UK authenticity. I traipsed up and down High Street and scoured Barbour By Mail's online catalogue, only to find that particular gem was sold out across the UK. Much to my dismay, I returned home Barbour-less. I almost gave into purchasing one on Jcrew.com, the ultimate sell out move. But then something tragic happened. Upon returning to Vanderbilt, I was thrown into a sea of olive: a Barbour invasion. Vanderbilt has the tendency (and I say this with all due respect) to incubate a breeding ground for conformity. Much like Longchamp totebags and Tory Burch Reva flats, the Barbour jacket had become a full fledged trend. In that instant, the jacket lost much of its appeal. I felt deceived by my normally on point instinct. How could I have been so naive? Here I was, thinking I was ahead of the trend, when in fact I was quite far behind. As someone who desperately wants to enter the fashion world, this blow was particularly devastating. Yet, I will prevail. With a renewed sense of fervor, I have moved past my Barbour mishap. Fashion waits for no one and I refuse to be left even a single step behind.