Barn Jackets Are Fall’s Biggest Outerwear Trend—Shop the 17 Best

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This season’s most sought-after outerwear is much humbler than usual. Barn jackets, the timeless utilitarian canvas coats favored by farmers, are absolutely everywhere right now. After popping up on last season’s runways at Prada and Loewe, practically every brand is giving the fall jackets a go—and style insiders are very much on board, if fashion-month trends are any indication.

Typically featuring hardy outer fabric, contrasting corduroy collars, and plenty of pockets, chore coats make perfect transitional outerwear. I should know; I grew up on a goat farm in Pennsylvania. On blustery days, I’d watch my mother pull on her beat-up L.L. Bean barn jacket before cutting open a fresh bale of hay or clearing brush from the pasture. I’ve long since left the farm, but I still own that dusty lavender jacket I swiped from my mom when she wanted to get rid of it. (Which reminds me—I need to get the sleeves lengthened so I can wear it this fall.)

So if they’re hardy enough for farm chores, these workwear jackets are more than equipped to hold up through your packed fall schedule. Shop my favorite takes on the barn jacket trend below, plus get tips on how to style them so you don’t (or maybe do, if that’s the vibe) look like you’re off to feed the goats.

The best barn jackets, at a glanceThe Classic: J.Crew 1983 Heritage Barn Jacket, $178The Cropped Coat: Uniqlo Utility Short Jacket, $70The Waxed Jacket: Zara Waxed Puffer Jacket with Corduroy Collar, $90The Buckled Pick: Madewell x Alpha Industries Waxed Cotton Coat, $265The Lightweight Jacket: We the Free Arya Utility Jacket, $1781/17

Uniqlo Utility Short Jacket

It’s an open secret among stylish New Yorkers: Uniqlo’s outerwear is just about the chicest and best-made you can find at its price point. This unisex chore coat is a prime example, featuring an all-cotton shell, tons of pockets, and a slightly cropped fit that hits right at the hips. No wonder it’s earned a chorus of four- and five-star reviews.

Sizes: XXS–3XLColors: 3 optionsMaterial: 100% cotton2/17

J.Crew 1983 Heritage Barn Jacket

J.Crew’s barn jacket has become a touchstone since it was introduced in 1983, the same year the brand was founded. The original helped define J.Crew’s mix of preppy style and heritage workwear—and this limited-edition rerelease will make you look like you’re in one of the brand’s vintage catalogs. Note that it features men’s sizing, so go a size down for a true fit or stick with your usual for a borrowed-from-the-boys look.

Sizes: XS–XXLColors: 3 optionsMaterial: 100% cotton3/17

Carhartt Rugged Flex Detroit Jacket

Perhaps America’s most beloved workwear brand, Carhartt is a trusted favorite among farmers and city-slickers alike. This modern classic is the best place to start if you want a hardworking jacket with street cred.

Sizes: XS–3XColors: 4 optionsMaterial: 98% cotton, 2% spandex4/17

Madewell x Alpha Industries Waxed Cotton Car Coat

Hook closures are also trending this season—and thankfully, they look great on barn jackets. Madewell’s collaboration with Alpha Industries (a storied American brand that excels at military-inspired outerwear) uses the hardware beautifully, combining its vintage charm with a more contemporary blouson silhouette. Plus, it’s waxed to be extra water-resistant.

Sizes: XXS–XXLColors: 2 optionsMaterial: 100% cotton5/17

Old Navy Canvas Barn Jacket

Old Navy’s barn jacket features all the classic trappings—corduroy collar, snap closures, front pockets—but remixed with a stretch-cotton material that’ll move with you. “Nice and lightweight with an oversized fit,” writes one reviewer, who also notes that the “length is fantastic.” Try it with a white T-shirt, a pleated skirt, and ballet flats.

Sizes: XS–4XColors: 1 optionMaterial: 98% cotton, 2% spandex6/17

Mango Waxed-Effect Parka

Although it could pass for Barbour, Mango’s heritage-inspired layer has a more modern cut than the classics, with rounded sleeves and a hip-grazing length. Available in inky black and dark olive, it’s the ideal blend of old and new.

Sizes: XXS–XXLColors: 2 optionsMaterial: 100% cotton7/17

Zara Waxed Puffer Jacket with Corduroy Collar

Zara’s take on the waxed jacket isn’t actually waxed; it’s coated in polyurethane, the same material that makes faux leather possible. But the effect is the same, and other details like a contrasting collar and a cropped cut make this pick well worth your time.

Sizes: XS–XXLColors: 1 optionMaterial: 50% cotton, 50% polyester with polyurethane coating8/17

Barbour Classic Beadnell Waxed Cotton Jacket

Barbour is one of the brands that originated the barn jacket, and it still makes a mean utility coat. (It’s no surprise, then, that the royal family can’t stop wearing it.) This super-popular pick features the brand’s signature wax coating, which repels moisture and can be touched up for years to come. Glamour’s commerce director, Brie Schwartz, is a big fan. “My husband and I have worn our matching Barbour coats for years–they’ve withstood many a rainstorm, plus the optional vest liner makes them the perfect transitional piece.”

Sizes: 0–14Colors: 1 optionMaterial: 100% cotton9/17

We the Free Arya Utility Jacket

Less of a traditional barn jacket and more of a workwear-inspired chore coat, this lightweight pick from Free People features four functional pockets and all the vintage charm you could hope for. Throw it over a long-sleeve waffle tee and your most-worn denim for park days and coffee runs.

Sizes: XS–XLColors: 5 optionsMaterial: 100% cotton10/17

Alex Mill Chiltern Street Jacket

There’s a lot to love about Alex Mill’s classic chore jacket: the waxed finish, the oversized fit, the brick-red hue, the use of entirely natural materials. It’s not the cheapest pick on this list, but that’s kind of the point—while it’s especially trendy right now, this is an investment pick you’ll turn to for years to come.

Sizes: XXS–XLColors: 2 optionsMaterial: 100% cotton11/17

L.L. Bean Adirondack Barn Coat

L.L. Bean’s cotton canvas jacket is pretty much universally beloved for its durable construction and fitted design. “This is the perfect weight jacket for between-seasons weather. It’s sturdier yet fitted so it holds its shape,” one reviewer writes, echoing thousands of other positive comments.

Sizes: XS–3X in regular and petiteColors: 2 optionsMaterial: 100% cotton12/17

J.Crew Long Barn Jacket

The runaway success of J.Crew’s barn jacket means that the brand keeps bringing it back in new iterations—including this sleek, trench-length silhouette. Try pairing the plaid with worn-in straight jeans and leather loafers to channel your preppiest, best-dressed self.

Sizes: 3XS–3X in classic and petiteColors: 4 optionsMaterial: 100% cotton13/17

Evaless Quilted Jacket

This new-school spin on the barn jacket is quilted for extra warmth and currently under $50. While this classic olive is especially cute, you can also pick from more out-there colors like light pink and kelly green. “This coat was such a great find! Not too bulky, but kept me warm,” one reviewer writes.

Sizes: S–XXLColors: 10 optionsMaterial: 100% polyamide14/17

Cole Haan Coated Hunter Jacket

For an under-$200 jacket, this pick from Cole Haan certainly outperforms its price. It offers the heritage look and water-resistant finish you’d want from a barn coat, and it’ll pair well with everything from floral fall dresses to skinny jeans tucked into riding boots.

Sizes: S–LColors: 1 optionMaterial: 60% cotton, 40% polyester with polyurethane coating15/17

We the Free Aimee Coated Denim Jacket

Sure, this is technically a denim jacket—but the loose shape and waxy coating are enough to push it into barn coat territory. We love that this looks like the perfect thrift-store find with tons of vintage personality and the sturdiness to match.

Sizes: XS–XLColors: 1 optionMaterial: Unlisted16/17

Boden Heritage Wax Jacket

Boden took the idea of contrasting accents to another level with this chore jacket, which features a waxed olive shell juxtaposed with hot pink corduroy. Be prepared for an avalanche of “Where did you get that?” questions headed your way.

Sizes: 2–22Colors: 1 optionMaterial: 100% cotton17/17

& Other Stories Collared Car Coat

Sold on the shape of a barn jacket but not the workwear of it all? This elegant pick from & Other Stories shares the thick collar and loose sleeves—and trades the mixed materials for a sleek 100% cotton shell that recalls a trench coat.

Sizes: XS–LColors: 2 optionsMaterial: 100% cotton