fashionbriefs
10:24in productionCh. 1 · Twin origins/ 10:24 · ceiling 15 min
Outerwear

Harrington jacket

A golf jacket renamed by television, revived by music, and never built for either.

The Harrington jacket is a lightweight, waist-length outer layer made from cotton, polyester, wool or suede. It emerged in the 1930s from two Lancashire firms—Baracuta in Manchester and Grenfell in Burnley—both producing near-identical golf garments. Its name comes from fictional character Rodney Harrington of Peyton Place, whose on-screen wear cemented the style’s identity. It was revived in the 1990s by Britpop musicians, shifting its function from sportswear to cultural shorthand. Baracuta’s G9 and Grenfell’s cotton version remain in production today.

OuterwearBritainThe interwar yearsThe ninetiesBritain across the network →
Chapters & takeaways5
  1. 1:10
    Twin origins

    Two Lancashire firms—Baracuta in Manchester, Grenfell in Burnley—made identical jackets in the 1930s.

  2. 2:16
    Golf first

    Lightweight. Waist-length. Roomy. Built for golf—hence the G in G9.

  3. 4:09
    Named by fiction

    Rodney Harrington wore it on Peyton Place. The name stuck—not because he designed it, but because he wore it.

  4. 5:16
    Revived by Britpop

    Britpop bands didn’t invent it—they re-anchored it as a badge of British casualness.

  5. 6:44
    Still in production

    Baracuta’s G9 and Grenfell’s cotton version remain in production—unchanged in cut, not in context.

Worth your time?

Yes. Wear the whole thing.

3.5/ 5
What works
  • zips to the waist
  • moves with the shoulders but stops short of the hips
  • breathes in cotton or holds warmth in wool
  • fits close without binding, roomy without slouching
What does not
  • block wind fully
  • insulate below 5°C
  • drape like a coat or structure like a blazer
Wear it if
  • someone who wears outerwear as punctuation—not armour, not statement, but rhythm
Skip it if
  • those who need weatherproofing, formal integration or seasonal versatility
The written brief1 min read

What the garment is and where it came from

A lightweight, waist-length jacket made from cotton, polyester, wool or suede. Developed independently in the 1930s by Baracuta (Manchester) and Grenfell (Burnley), both Lancashire firms. Named after Rodney Harrington of Peyton Place, not a real person.

How it works, in terms someone would actually use

It zips to the waist. It moves with the shoulders but stops short of the hips. It breathes in cotton or holds warmth in wool. It fits close without binding, roomy without slouching.

What it gets right

The waist seam defines the torso without constriction. The ribbed collar and cuffs seal movement without stiffness. The G9 cut prioritises swing-room over silhouette.

What it does not

It does not block wind fully. It does not insulate below 5°C. It does not drape like a coat or structure like a blazer.

What it changed

It turned a golf garment into a subcultural uniform. It made waist-length outerwear a default for British youth style across two decades.

Who it is for, and who it is not

It is for someone who wears outerwear as punctuation—not armour, not statement, but rhythm. It is not for those who need weatherproofing, formal integration or seasonal versatility.

Is it worth your time

Yes—if you need a jacket that bridges sport and street without claiming either. No—if you demand technical weather resistance or tailoring precision.

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