Barbour Ireland: Buying and Care Guide

Barbour has been made in South Shields since 1894, and in Ireland it has become something close to a uniform — the jacket you see at a point-to-point, on a school run and in a Dublin pub on the same Saturday. We have stocked it for years at Patrick Bourke Menswear, and the questions we get asked in store are always the same three: which jacket, what size, and how do I look after it.

This is our answer to all three.

Wax or quilted?

This is the first decision, and it matters more than the model.

Wax jackets are the classic. Waxed cotton is genuinely weatherproof, it gets better looking as it ages, and a well-kept one lasts decades. The trade-off is that it needs care — a wax jacket is not a coat you can throw in the washing machine, and it will mark whatever it rubs against when it is freshly waxed.

Quilted jackets are lighter, warmer for their weight, and need nothing from you. They are showerproof rather than waterproof. For most men who want a Barbour for the school run and the shop rather than for a day on a farm, the quilted jacket is the more honest recommendation.

If you want one jacket that does everything in an Irish autumn, a quilted jacket under a wax jacket is the combination that actually works — which is why Barbour has sold liners for as long as it has sold jackets.

The three wax jackets people ask about

Barbour makes a lot of jackets. In practice the decision usually comes down to three.

Bedale. The shorter one. A loose, regular fit with a full front zip behind a stud-fastened storm flap. Originally cut for riding, which is why it stops above the hip. This is the one to pick if you are mostly wearing it around town and want it to sit above a car seat rather than bunch under you.

Beaufort. Slightly longer than the Bedale, with a two-way zip so you can open it from the bottom, again under a stud storm flap. Cut for the field. If you want more coverage — over the seat, over a jumper, in weather — this is the one.

Ashby. The modern cut. A noticeably slimmer fit than either of the above, a ribbed collar instead of corduroy, and welt pockets rather than bellows pockets. If you have tried a Bedale and found it boxy, try the Ashby.

There is also Barbour International, which is a separate line with motorcycling rather than country heritage. It is cut slimmer again, and it looks quite different — worth knowing before you order, because “Barbour” and “Barbour International” are not interchangeable.

Sizing

The honest answer is that it depends on what you plan to wear underneath, and this is where most online orders go wrong.

The Bedale and Beaufort are cut loose. If you take a 40" chest and you want to wear the jacket over a shirt, take your normal size. If you want to wear it over a heavy jumper or a quilted liner — which is what most people in Ireland actually do from October onward — go up one.

The Ashby is slimmer, so most men take their normal size in it and stop there. Sizing up in an Ashby loses the shape that is the whole point of the jacket.

Quilted jackets follow the same logic as the Ashby: normal size, unless you are layering seriously.

If you are between sizes and cannot get in to us, ring the shop. We would rather spend five minutes on the phone than process a return.

Looking after a wax jacket

This is the part that puts people off, and it should not. A wax jacket needs about twenty minutes of attention once a year.

Cleaning. Brush the dirt off with a dry, soft-bristled brush. Then wipe it down with cold water and a sponge or a moleskin cloth. That is it.

For the lining, dampen a cloth with white vinegar, wipe it, and leave it no longer than ten minutes before wiping again with clean water. Hang the jacket to dry somewhere well ventilated, out of direct sunlight.

Re-waxing. Barbour recommends re-proofing roughly once a year, though it really depends on how hard you wear it. If water stops beading on the shoulders and the fabric starts to look dry and pale at the seams and elbows, it is time. Barbour Thornproof Dressing, warmed slightly, worked in with a cloth, then left to cure overnight in a warm room.

Never put a wax jacket in a washing machine — it strips the wax and there is no way back. Never use soap or detergent on it. Never send it to a dry cleaner. Never tumble dry it.

Barbour also runs its own repair and re-waxing service if you would rather not do it yourself, and it is worth knowing that they will re-wax and repair a jacket that is decades old. That is most of the argument for buying one.

What we stock

We carry Barbour and Barbour International at Patrick Bourke Menswear — wax jackets, quilted jackets, knitwear, shirts and polo shirts — across four floors on High Street in Ennis, and online with free delivery over €89 nationwide.

Have a look at the full Barbour collection, or the rest of our coats and jackets and knitwear.

If you are within reach of Clare, come in and try a few on. Sizing a wax jacket over the layers you will actually wear is a two-minute job in person and a guess online.