Uniqlo Drops an Admirable Barbour Dupe for a Fifth of the Price

Cold weather is coming; time to stock up.

Dark brown corduroy jacket collar with beige and brown plaid lining visible inside.

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Published 46 minutes ago

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Barbour makes the definitive British barn jacket, with silhouettes like the Bedale and Ashby defining the style with their weather-resistant waxed-cotton outers, corduroy collars, tartan linings and roomy flap pockets.

The only issue with Barbour’s jackets, excellent as they may be, is their price. With the above models both retailing for prices north of $400 these days, Barbour’s classic barn coats aren’t exactly accessible to everyone.

Enter Uniqlo.

Dark brown jacket with a corduroy collar worn by a person, shown from the shoulders to mid-chest. — Uniqlo’s new jacket features classic Barbour details, like a corduroy collar and a storm flap.

The Japanese affordable retailer has been using Barbour jackets as its muse for a while now, with options like the Coverall Denim Jacket and JW Anderson Pufftech Utility Jacket offering Barbour vibes for a fraction of the price. Now, the brand is at it again with a new Barbour-like jacket that’s perfect for fall and genuinely affordable.

The new Uniqlo Padded Short Blouson features a short, boxy silhouette that’s reminiscent of the Barbour Bedale. Like that iconic jacket, it also boasts a cotton corduroy-lined collar and a storm flap, though it lacks Barbour’s signature extended throat latch.

Clear water droplets beading on dark textured fabric. — A water-repellent finish shrugs off rain from the jacket’s cotton-nylon shell.

Four jackets in black, olive green, beige, and brown with corduroy collars and plaid linings. — All four colorways feature a tartan-like checked lining.

The exterior of Uniqlo’s jacket isn’t waxed cotton, either, but it is water-repellent and will shrug off rain. It’s made from a mix of cotton and nylon and is finished with a water-repellent coating. Inside, the jacket adds some character with a checked lining reminiscent of Barbour’s traditional tartan linings.

A pair of roomy flap pockets adorns the front of the Padded Short Blouson (despite the name, I wouldn’t categorize this coat as a blouson), and Uniqlo’s product page also lists inside pockets as a feature of the jacket. There are no hand warmers here like you’ll find on the Bedale. Instead, Uniqlo has made the flap pockets accessible from the side as well as the top, effectively having them stand in for hand warmers.

Black zip-up jacket with corduroy collar and flap pockets worn over a cream sweater and green striped shirt. — For maximum Barbour vibes, pick the Olive colorway.

Availability and pricing

Look, no one is going to mistake this Uniqlo jacket for a heritage-quality waxed-cotton Barbour. But at just $80, it sure ticks a lot of boxes for a British barn coat style. And as someone who is still wearing multiple Uniqlo items I purchased over a decade ago without issue, I see zero risk in dropping 80 bucks on the Padded Short Blouson if you’re in the market for a new fall coat.

The jacket is available now from Uniqlo in unisex sizes across four colorways: Olive, Black, Khaki and Dark Brown.

Dark brown jacket with corduroy collar and large front pockets on a light background.

Uniqlo Padded Short Blouson

$80 at Uniqlo

About the Author:

Johnny Brayson is an editor at Gear Patrol mostly covering watches. He enjoys watches that are packed with blink-and-you’ll-miss-’em details and believes nearly every watch could stand to be a tad smaller.

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