A barn jacket is a hip-length cotton canvas coat with a corduroy collar, big patch pockets and a button front. It grew out of American hunting and farm coats from the 1920s. Today it is an easy fall layer over a tee, a sweater or an oxford.
Lars doesn’t own a barn jacket yet, so this guide is research. The history comes from the sources linked below. Specs, prices and stock come from each brand’s own site.
Where the barn jacket came from
The best-known ancestor is L.L.Bean’s Field Coat. Leon Leonwood Bean introduced it in the fall of 1924 as the Maine Duck Hunting Coat, according to Gear Patrol. It was renamed the Sportsman Coat in 1940 and the Field Coat in 1947.
The details were built for work outdoors. The oversized flap pockets were made to carry game, per L.L.Bean’s own product page. The corduroy collar is softer against the neck than the canvas body. Cotton duck held up to brush and wind.
L.L.Bean was not the only maker. Gear Patrol names Filson, L.L.Bean and Orvis among the brands that have made this kind of coat for generations.
The name itself has an owner. J.Crew trademarked the term Barn Jacket and released its version in 1983, as part of its original catalog collection. J.Crew discontinued it in the late 1990s and revived it in 2018. That catalog run put a farm coat in front of a much preppier audience, and it has stayed in both worlds since.
Barn jacket vs. chore coat vs. field jacket
These three get mixed up all the time. Here is the short version.
- Barn jacket: heavier canvas, hip length or a little longer, corduroy collar, often lined. Built for cold mornings outside.
- Chore coat: lighter and usually unlined, cut closer to a shirt, with three or four patch pockets. Our chore coat guide covers those.
- Field jacket: a military design in the M-65 mold, with a zip front and a stand collar. It is a different coat with a different history.
If you already own a chore coat, a barn jacket is the warmer step up for colder days.
How a barn jacket should fit
- Chest: room for a midweight sweater without pulling at the buttons. L.L.Bean says its Field Coat has a traditional fit that works best with a midweight layer underneath.
- Length: past the hip, so it covers your back pockets. L.L.Bean lists a 32 inch back length on its regular Field Coat and 34 inches in tall.
- Sleeves: ending at the wrist bone with a sweater on. Adjustable cuffs, like Filson’s and Drake’s, help if you sit between sizes.
- Shoulders: the seam at or just past your shoulder bone. Relaxed cuts like Everlane’s and Filson’s sit a little lower, which is the point.
Size for the layer you will actually wear under it. If you mostly wear a tee under outerwear, your usual size is right. If you live in thick sweaters, check the brand’s chest measurement before you size up.
What to look for
- Fabric: cotton canvas or duck is the classic. L.L.Bean uses a two-ply 10 oz canvas. Heavier cloth, like Drake’s 14.8 oz waxed cotton, blocks more wind but takes longer to break in.
- Waxed or plain: waxed cotton sheds more rain. Plain canvas is easier to wash. L.L.Bean’s cotton-lined Field Coat is machine wash and dry, per the brand.
- Collar: corduroy, ideally the full collar and not just a strip. Filson lines its collar with 100% cotton corduroy.
- Lining: a cotton or flannel lining suits fall. An unlined coat suits warmer places. A blanket or wool liner is for real winter.
- Construction: look for triple-needle seams, bartacks at the pocket corners and metal-shank buttons. Wythe and Filson both list these.
- Pockets: lower pockets big enough for gloves, plus at least one chest pocket that closes.
Natural fibers matter here too. Canvas breathes and ages well, which is why it has lasted a hundred years. Our guide to natural fiber clothing explains why we lean that way.
How to wear one
- With a tee and jeans. The simplest version, and the one that works in mild weather.
- Over a fisherman sweater. Cream knit under tan canvas is the classic fall look. See our fisherman sweater guide.
- With brown chinos or cords. Olive or navy jackets look sharp with brown pants.
- Over an oxford. A button-down and a barn jacket is the preppy weekend version J.Crew made famous.
Colors are easy. Tan or saddle goes with navy and denim. Olive goes with grey and cream. Navy goes with khaki. For more combinations, see our fall outfits for men.
Lars lives in Florida, where a heavy coat rarely makes sense. The closest thing in his closet is the Taylor Stitch Ojai Jacket, in tan, size Large. He usually wears it over just a t-shirt. A lighter, unlined barn jacket would fill the same spot.
5 barn jackets worth buying
Prices and stock were checked on each brand’s site on November 9, 2026.
1. L.L.Bean Men’s Original Field Coat, Cotton-Lined: $180
The direct descendant of the 1924 coat. Two-ply 10 oz cotton canvas, a brushed cotton body lining and nylon-lined sleeves. Five pockets, including a zip chest pocket. Wind and water resistant, per L.L.Bean. Shown in Saddle with four other colors, Small to XXXL in regular and tall. Want the most faithful version? The brand’s 1924 Field Coat is $250. Shop the Field Coat at L.L.Bean
2. Everlane Relaxed Barn Jacket in Olive Night: $111 (was $148)
The budget pick. Cotton, a relaxed cut and a pleated back for movement. The front pockets take your hands from the top or the side, with a small button-flap pocket on top. All six sizes, XS to XXL, in stock. Also in Birch at the same price. Shop the Relaxed Barn Jacket at Everlane
3. Filson Rustic Canvas Barn Coat in Whiskey: $259
Heavy-duty canvas, garment washed so it starts softer. The collar is lined in 100% cotton corduroy. A relaxed cut leaves room for layers, and it runs below the beltline. Metal-shank buttons at the front and on the adjustable cuffs. All seven sizes, XS to 3XL, in stock. Also in Indigo. Shop the Rustic Canvas Barn Coat at Filson
4. Wythe Heavyweight Pinpoint Canvas Barn Jacket in Unbleached: $298
Wythe built this one from a cotton tickweave based on a workwear fabric used from the 1930s to the early 1950s. Triple-needle seams, diamond shank buttons and a steer head snap on the chest pocket. 100% cotton, made in India. Unbleached was in stock XS to XXL. Night Sky and Blue are also $298 with most sizes left. Shop the Barn Jacket at Wythe
5. Drake’s Green Waxed Cotton Barn Jacket: $1,395
The splurge. 14.8 oz Scottish waxed cotton, a corduroy collar and leather-welted handwarmer pockets lined in corduroy. Checked cotton lining, horn buttons, adjustable cuffs and two inside poacher’s pockets. Sizes 36 to 44 were in stock; 46 and 48 were sold out. A light brown cotton gabardine version is $1,645. Shop the Barn Jacket at Drake’s
J.Crew’s 1983 Barn Jacket is the other name you will hear. Its site would not load for our check today, so it isn’t priced here.
FAQ
What is the difference between a barn jacket and a chore coat?
A barn jacket is usually heavier canvas, longer and lined, with a corduroy collar. A chore coat is lighter, often unlined and cut more like a shirt. Wear a chore coat in early fall and a barn jacket when it gets colder.
Are barn jackets warm?
It depends on the lining. An unlined canvas barn jacket blocks wind but adds little warmth. A cotton-lined coat like the L.L.Bean Field Coat suits fall. For real cold, look for a wool or blanket liner, or layer a sweater underneath.
What do you wear under a barn jacket?
A white tee, an oxford shirt, a flannel or a cable-knit sweater all work. Leave room in the chest for whichever layer you wear most.
Should a barn jacket be oversized?
Not oversized, but not tight either. Most barn jackets are cut relaxed so they fit over a sweater. The sleeves should still end near the wrist, and the hem should sit past the hip.
Are barn jackets still in style?
Yes. In November 2026, L.L.Bean, Filson, Everlane, Wythe and Drake’s all sell barn jackets or field coats, from about $111 to $1,645.
Keep reading
- Best Chore Coats for Men: 6 Worth Buying
- Taylor Stitch Ojai Jacket: How It Fits
- Corduroy Jacket for Men: 5 in Real Cotton
Prices and stock as shown on each brand’s site on November 9, 2026.
