The Classic Harrington Jacket

One of the many great things about the Daniel Craig-era James Bond films is the return of 007 as a style icon. Consider, for example, the resurgence of interest in the classic Harrington-style jacket in the wake of Craig's use of one in Quantum of Solace.

Of course, the Harrington jacket has been around for decades. The original G9 Harrington was and is made by the U.K. firm Baracuta. The G9 was a favorite of the ultracool Steve McQueen.

The G9 doesn't come cheap. It's retails for a bit over $250. That's a bargain compared to the jacket used by Craig. Designed by Tom Ford, it runs at least four times as much, a nice sum for a casual cotton jacket.


For the rest of us, the renewed interest in the Harrington has led to more affordable options, such as the one at left by Land's End Canvas, or the one at right by Old Navy. (Both are out of stock right now, but will  probably return in fall.)

Neither have anything near the panache of the famous Baracuta, but they are a touch more attainable!

I own three different Harringtons. All of them are black. One is all cotton, one is nylon (not traditional, but perfect for rainy days) and one is a cotton/nylon blend. Two were purchased from thrift stores, one from a Banana Republic outlet. My favorite is one of the thrift store finds: A Sears & Roebuck (really!) jacket that is very similar to a classic Baracuta and fits like a dream.

In the future I might post some photos of my collection.