Emmy Park for NY Post
In the concrete jungle, outerwear meant for barnyard chores has never been more en vogue.
The barn coat has emerged as the fall It piece after receiving rave reviews from fashionistas, who are clamoring to get their hands on the jacket spotted on the runways and celebrities, such as Dua Lipa, Hailey Bieber and Alexa Chung.
The overcoat is the cream of the crop, particularly for New York City moms, who are flocking en masse to retailers like Old Navy for the budget-friendly $60 jacket that has spurred a larger trend of outerwear dupes.
“It’s actually been a staple for me during school drop-off because I can just throw it on whatever I’m wearing,” stylist and mom Arielle Siboni, 37, told The Post, adding that it is comfortable, warm and more fashionable than a traditional puffer in the winter.
“I love that it’s both chic and practical.”
Tribeca mom-of-two Samantha Sheinson, 37, told The Post that she’s noticed “a lot” of fellow moms sporting the jacket in her neighborhood, some splurging on a Prada version, while others opt for vintage finds or low-cost options.
“It’s a modern, nostalgic piece from high school and college,” explained Sheinson, saying that she loves the “boxier,” “distressed” rendition of the modern-day barn coat.
“Back then it was the Barbour coat, which I feel like are a much more classic barn jacket, but now it’s in this more oversized, vintage, retrofit with the same concept, but it just feels a little edgier,” she said.
Prada “put the barn jacket on the map,” according to Sheinson, a content creator better known by her online moniker, The New York Blonde. Indeed, the garment was updated for the spring-summer 2024 collection, featuring raw hems and distressed fabric.
“The second I saw that, I knew they were going to be a big hit,” said Siboni, who lives in Tribeca, adding that Prada inspired consumers to style the topper in a “more urban way.”
While major fashion houses followed suit — the Row introduced a more relaxed beige design in their spring-summer 2024 season and Fendi sent a boxy barn coat down the catwalk for the men’s fall-winter 2024 line — the trend has trickled down to the mass markets.
Now, more affordable brands hawk the barn jacket in various colors and cuts, such as Zara or H&M for less than $100 — a stark contrast from the eye-watering Prada price tag of $4,900.
“We all want to buy into this luxe look, but still keeping within an affordable price point, whatever price point that might be,” Sheinson said.
“Just because you’re not walking around in the Prada jacket doesn’t mean that you can’t have the same look and accomplish the same style, just from a different retailer.”
Although Sheinson owns the Mango and J.Crew versions of the coat, other TikTok users, who are calling it the “biggest jacket trend this fall,” are raving about the finds at Old Navy, Gap and Abercrombie and Fitch, and flocking to secondhand stores, rejoicing that there is finally a trend that can be thrifted.
Siboni, who refers to the garment as a “heritage item,” opted for a vintage barn coat because it mimicked the “worn-in” style of those on the runway. She initially had difficulties finding one as an early trend adopter, but by the time fall apparel rolled out this year, the ubiquitous farmhouse overcoat was everywhere.
“Whether you realize it or not, you are definitely buying into the Prada trend,” Sheinson said.
Sheinson thinks the allure of today’s updated barn coat is due to the “fresh” design, which differs slightly from the traditional and more utilitarian look of Barbour or Carhartt options. The barnyard jackets of today lend themselves well to the “edgy” New York uniform with distressed fabric and unfinished hems.
New Yorkers, Siboni added, are “always looking for a new trend” to follow, and she predicts that the barn jacket will be the coveted closet staple edging out the traditional puffer.
“I’m not the biggest fan of a puffer. They are definitely practical but I do think that it is hard to look chic in a puffer,” Siboni said. “This winter I’m definitely going to be leaning more towards the barn coat just because I feel a little more put together in it.”