How I bought two Barbour jackets for the price of a bottle of whisky

Barbour is one of those iconic brands that, along with Jaguar, tweeds of all kinds, and Postman Pat, has shaped the aesthetic many associate with the United Kingdom. The entire British countryside seems to be clad in these jackets, from the nobility and the Royal Family to farmers, postmen, and even James Bond himself.

Now, I’m not quite sure where I fit into this spectrum—probably just an ordinary middle-class worker, certainly not a secret agent. But I like to think I’m a middle-class individual with a touch of good taste.

The Penniless Student

As a penniless student in my twenties, I once decided that I would buy at least one Barbour jacket and wear it for the rest of my life. Due to other priorities and the price of Barbour jackets, it took me another decade before I finally made that purchase.

Five years ago, I happened to wander into a Norwegian charity shop. As you may know, I have a fondness for old things with a certain functional or aesthetic quality. So, I regularly browse through such shops for the fun of it.

This particular shop was somewhat uncurated, where the value of the items seemed to escape the notice of the staff. To my great delight, there were not one but two nearly unused Barbour jackets in my size hanging amidst a sea of second-hand H&M jackets, all for a ridiculously low price. Serendipity!

They cost me just 250 NOK each, a mere pittance. In total, the price of a bottle of whiskey in the Norwegian state-run liquorstore. I doubt you could find such a jacket at that price anywhere in the world. As you can imagine, I couldn’t believe my luck.

One of my favourite whisky brands by the way. Photo by Rromy Kalluvely on Unsplash

But Are Barbour Jackets Really That Expensive?

Once I got home, I couldn’t resist the urge to Google the price of these Barbour jackets just for fun. What I found on Amazon left me astonished!

Let’s just say that the price tag on the very same jacket I had just purchased for next to nothing was quite different.

Now, five years later, one of my Barbour quilted jackets is beginning to show slight signs of wear. That’s not surprising, considering it’s practically the only thing I wear during autumn and spring. And underwear and pants of course. But, as with such jackets, the wear only adds to their charm.

The thin layer of patina that develops over time gives Barbour jackets their distinctive character. And that brings me to this point: Barbour jackets aren’t really expensive. Especially the waxed ones. With proper care, they can last for generations. And what’s a price of $300 spread over 40 years? Precisely, just about nought.

The Value of Quality in the age of Overconsumption

And so it should be. In an era of rampant overconsumption and landfills overflowing with fast fashion, quality has taken a back seat. This needs to change! So, make it a point to own a waxed jacket at least once in your life, and take care of it for the rest of your days.