I still remember the first Barbour jacket my father bought, an investment for taking our dogs for long walks along the river behind our house: the starchy, waxed cotton, the oily smell and the injection of country into an otherwise jean-heavy wardrobe.Now waxed cotton jackets are enjoying a surge in interest in the female market, thanks to the likes of Lily, Peaches and Alexa, below, sporting the look at British festivals.
It is not hard to see the appeal of a decent waxed jacket for such an occasion - festivals can be a messy, muddy business and what better to survive than with a garment that is waterproof, mud proof and could probably pass for a picnic blanket in times of need. I have been hankering for such a jacket for a while now and as Glastonbury is fast approaching I thought I would see if I could hunt one down.
The Barbour brand is over 100 years old, British born and bred and a staple piece in the wardrobes of farmers, land owners and country bumpkins across the land. I can't quite afford the price tag for a brand new jacket so I went to the next best place; RePsycho on Gloucester Road.
As predicted this retro/vintage store came up trumps with a large selection of well-loved (read:battered) wax jackets including a decent selection of original Barbour's for £40. Many of these were traditional men's jackets which just swamped me but this label-less women's jacket, below, I ended up with more than does the job, and was a snip at £30.
Though not a Barbour, it is in great condition, has a gorgeous paisley lining and actually vaguely fits me. It is a little big but I think this just adds to the twist of pairing such a masculine garment with floaty, romantic dresses.
I'll have more on festival fashion and what to pack later in the week but for now I'll leave you with photos of my lovely new wax jacket...
The buttons have a bird on them but other than this there is no indication of the make of the jacket
The paisley lining picks out the warmth of the chocolate brown leather collar
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