Baracuta Jacket Made in England

[anselmo1]

Picked one of these up yesterday at O'Connell's in Buffalo, New York.

Here is their link: http://shop.oconnellsclothing.com/

One of the last great traditional men's clothing stores in North America along with J Press , the Andover Shop and Cable Car Clothiers.

 

[stephen1965]

Really nice jacket. The Baracuta G9 'Harrington' is the jacket beloved by English Mod subculture since the '60's (though Baracuta started in the 30's I think?)
Been worn by some famous American's too, of course. I think Elvis is wearing one in King Creole 1958?
There's a thread about them http://www.thefedoralounge.com/showthread.php?t=26743&highlight=baracuta

 

[Edward]

Yip, Elvis wore a tan one. I'm sure I've also seen pictures of Sinatra in a sky blue one in the late 50s, though I can't recall where.

 

[H.Johnson]

Interestingly, Sinatra's G9 jacket in the photos to which I think you refer doesn't seem to have the signature Fraser tartan lining. This has lead people to speculate that it isn't a real Baracuta or that the firm hasn't always used this tartan as the lining for G9s.

The latter seems perfecly reasonable to me, as different tartan linings have long been used in other models of Baracuta jacket.

 

[anselmo1]

The traditional Baracuta G9 I purchased is the Made in England edition with the tartan Fraser lining. You utilize your left hand in pulling the zipper up and down. The other Baracuta G9's which are not made in England and usually cost $50.00 to $75.00 less have the traditional zipper like all other North American jackets.

 

[tjoek]

I think there is Made in Romania version however from my understanding the Made in England is superior in quality (construction).

 

[JohnnyL]

The traditional Baracuta G9 I purchased is the Made in England edition with the tartan Fraser lining. You utilize your left hand in pulling the zipper up and down. The other Baracuta G9's which are not made in England and usually cost $50.00 to $75.00 less have the traditional zipper like all other North American jackets.

I just purchased a black G9 from the ebay store "stylevaultformen", BNWT, for about $95, made in Romania, that has the left hand zipper. Took some getting used to.

I think there is Made in Romania version however from my understanding the Made in England is superior in quality (construction).

Mine looks to be of the same materials as the made in England and the construction is superb. I went over ever bit of stitching. Straight, no puckers, no loose threads. I don't know how the English made versions could be any better. The cotton shell has a nice soft feel. The teflon coating actually beads up water.

The Ebay store I bought this from has a lot of Baracuta's. Pricing is good, much better than if ordered direct. A made in England if bought in the states would have been about $230 versus the $95 I paid for the Romanian version. Shipping cost about $14 and arrived in a week.

 

[norton]

I purchased one on Monday (navy) from Hansen's Clothing for $220 with free shipping. The jacket arrived Thursday. It says made in england on the tag and has the left handed zipper.

http://www.hansensclothing.com/

I also noticed stev mcqueen wearing a navy one in the original Thomas Crowne Affair.

 

[HodgePodge]

You guys are all going to hate me. I picked up a Made in England G9 pretty similar to the one in anselmo1's picture for $10.95 at Goodwill while fumbling through the outerwear section to see if there was anything half decent.

 

[Edward]

That's quite a bargain, HP!

I'd forgotten about this thread - I've been increasingly drawn to the Harrington style recently, and I was thinknig of starting a specific thread. Seems this one can do the job admirably, though! Barracuta did indeed create what we now know as the Harrington design in 1937, if memory serves. I was surprised to learn that, as I had always thought of them as a fifties design. The 'Harrington' name came in the 1960s, called after a character in television series Peyton Place. The jackets themselves have been popular among different groups in almost every decade from the 50s.... especially, in England, the mods in the 60s; skinheads and punks in the 70s; skins, punks and mod revivalists in the early 80s.... since the 90s, I've seen them worn mainly by indie kids and rockabillies. The attraction for all these groups is, I believe, that jackets of this type may be bought cheaply, an they are ideal for the warmer Summer months when a light, showerproof jacket is desirable.

To date, I own two jackets of this type. (I'll add photos to the thread hopefully later this week). One is bright red, the other navy blue. Both different manufacturers, the red being unlabelled, the navy "King George 59 - Traditional English Style". As is the norm with cheaper Harringtons (both of these were purchased on ebay, new, for in and around GBP20.00, shipped), they bear the Royal Stewart tartan lining. On the red model, this lining is a slightly heavier and more brushed cotton, both to the body and the sleeves. The King George is lined with this brushed cotton only to the body - sleeves have nylon. The Red unlabelled has an internal pocket, the KG none. Neither have the G9 style raglan sleeve - that is a feature that I think I've only seen on the Baracuta. I also have three more on the way to me: another cheap one in sky blue, and two slightly pricier Merc branded ones (black, and tan). The only real issue I have seen with these cheaper jackets in my experience is that the knits obviously aren't up to the scratch that one would expect with the top end stuff. They do bobble a bit. Nothing unacceptable, though, in my experience. I like that they can be purchased inexpensively for kicking around in, especially when looking at colours that I might wear less often, like the sky blue. The main reason I decided to try the Mercs is that I wanted to see whether spending a little extra money would yield a significantly better jacket over the long term, especially in terms of the knits. The Merc options are about GBP75 RRP; the eBay seller I have purchased from sell them at GBP50. Again, they are the same polycotton mix (55% cotton / 45% poly) as the cheaper jackets tend to be. The Barracutas are, of course, 100% cotton. This doesn't really bother me - cotton would be nice, but without comparing one against the other directly, I'm not sure that I would like to claim to be able to tell which I was handling. The polycotton jackets I have encountered certainly feel very much like cotton. I would love eventually to own a G9, but 100% cotton fabric and raglan sleeves aside, they don't really offer anything that I can't get in a serviceable jacket elsewhere, and they are certainly significantly more expensive. The average price I can find for one in the UK is about GBP120, far outweighing its appeal to me as a utilitarian, warmer weather jacket. Always keeping an eye out for a deal, though!

I'd love to see photos of how folks have incorporated the design into a vintage-oriented wardrobe. I would also love to see any photos anyone has found of the esign being worn pre-1950.

 

[john z]

Harringtons have been a passion of mine since being a must have in '72 when I was young skinhead-ish type. My favourite then was a Prince of Wales check model. One day I hope to find another to replace the one I had then, which is long since lost to me.

Original new Baracuta's can be had on eBay.uk from £50-£65 from sellers such as 1887brett & stylevaultformen.

I'm not particularly bothered about the maker as long as the jackets are good quality & have ALL the requisite features, the Raglan sleeve seam being a must.

I've found that, if you don't mind pre-owned, the vintage clothing section of eBay.com is a good & cheap source for correct spec Harringtons. Good examples can, with patience, be found for $20-$40. Shipping to the UK is not expensive due to the light weight & no excise or tax is applied. Here's some of mine.

A navy (actually darker than in this pic) Izod.






A red Izod Lacoste, much lighter here than in the flesh. Notice I have removed the Crocodile logo from the chest.




The red here is pretty much true to life.




A green Izod Lacoste.




Crocodile yet to be removed & consigned to the bin lol.




Typical view of the Raglan sleeve seam & open wavy edge back vent as found on all these jackets.




American made NOS King Louie which was a BIN listing & cost me a total, with shipping, of £31.68

 

[polocoat]

I have owned many G-9 style jackets (all Baracuta) since 1957 (I live in the USA Northeast) and there is only ONE quality G-9 jacket - The Made in England jacket made by Baracuta. There are Baracuta jackets that are NOT made in England although they do say, "England" on the jacket label. They must say, "Made in England" on the jacket label for it to be truly made in England. Don't be fooled!!!!!!! The other Baracuta jackets are made somewhere in Asia with all the quality issues associated with that. So...., good for you for buying the best jacket on the market both in 1957 and today.

 

[Edward]

Personally, I've never found geographical origin to be at all relevant in the acquisition of a quality garment, with only a very few specific exceptions (Harris Tweed, which can only be produced in a specific region, etc). [huh] I'm keeping an eye out on eBay for Baracutas - had a look yesterday and there were a few good bargains, though none in my size. I woul be curious to do an a/b comparison between the G9 and the made in England G9... the official Baracuta website lists the MiE as costing GBP30 more, though the spec list would suggest that you are paying that much more purely for the point in geography at which it is assembled.

 

[polocoat]

Yes, I understand your position. As I grew up wearing the original Made in England Baracuta, I enjoy wearing a garment exactly like I wore many years ago-ugh! After buying a couple of made in Asia reproductions that were ill fitting with substandard stitching, I went with the original. In addition, I found that a size 44R in the Asia model was, in fact, too small for me (my size is 42R). I then bought a 46R Asia model on Ebay only to find it much too large. If I bought a Made in England model size 42 (which fits me absolutely perfectly, in the first place, it would have cost me less in the long run. So, to each his own.

 

[JohnnyL]

Baracuta makes two versions of the G9. One MIE and the other made in Romania. Both use the same materials and the sizing is the same. I've bought the Romanian version for $95 plus shipping from StyleVaultformen (Ebay) and the construction, as I stated before is superb.

I would have liked the MIE but could not justify the price for a summer / early fall jacket.

 

[Edward]

Yes, I understand your position. As I grew up wearing the original Made in England Baracuta, I enjoy wearing a garment exactly like I wore many years ago-ugh! After buying a couple of made in Asia reproductions that were ill fitting with substandard stitching, I went with the original. In addition, I found that a size 44R in the Asia model was, in fact, too small for me (my size is 42R). I then bought a 46R Asia model on Ebay only to find it much too large. If I bought a Made in England model size 42 (which fits me absolutely perfectly, in the first place, it would have cost me less in the long run. So, to each his own.

With the more expensive items you usually do get some sort of guarantee of consistency - that's why I've moved up a price band with my latest orders, to the Mercs. Still keeping an eye on the Baracutas - we'll see. I've been fairly fortunate with my budget purchases so far. I did return one which bore no resemblence to the jacket in the photo - they'd obviously used a stock photo, but the jacket that arrived was a much lighter fabric, very thin lining, and the zip was a chunky, painted affair with a very different pull (mine all have the chrome-type zip that slips neatly in behind the fabric). The big advantage of the more expensive options is the proper sizing, too - not s/m/ l. I seem to be lucky in that a stock XL 42-44 is good to go on me, but yeah a proper sized option is always preferable.

Regarding the fit, did you go with your suit size?

Baracuta makes two versions of the G9. One MIE and the other made in Romania. Both use the same materials and the sizing is the same. I've bought the Romanian version for $95 plus shipping from StyleVaultformen (Ebay) and the construction, as I stated before is superb.

I must check them out and see what they have. Sometimes buying from the US works out good on eBay, providing the shipping isn't too expensive. The pound is starting to recover against the dollar again, so that's making buying from the US possible again.

I would have liked the MIE but could not justify the price for a summer / early fall jacket.

I know exactly what you mean. I have had the hots for a Buzz Rickson B-15C (that sexy navy blue one, replicating the jackets issued around 52 through 54,), but while I wouldn't blink at GBP300 for an A2, somehow spending that much on a nylon jacket makes me blanch a little.... Haven't found any other options that come close to looking 'right' at a lower price, though. May just have to bite the bullet eventually....

 

[polocoat]

Yes, I bought my suit size - 42R. You have the hots for those Buzz Rickson nylon jackets too? Ha, ha, I've been wanting the L-2A (I believe that's it). It's the blue jacket without the fur collar. NICE! I bought my "Historic Horsehide" A-2 from Flight Suits (Gibson and Barnes) and I absolutely love it. They run large therefore, I bought a smaller size. By the by, what does a MIE Baracuta jacket cost in the UK? How about the Buzz Ricksons? I lived in the UK for almost 4 years while with the U.S. Air Force. I lived in Potton, Beds. and Stotfold, Beds. I worked at RAF Chicksands which was near Bedfordshire, Beds. Beautiful country and the people are fantastic - I miss it.

 

[Edward]

Yes, I bought my suit size - 42R. You have the hots for those Buzz Rickson nylon jackets too? Ha, ha, I've been wanting the L-2A (I believe that's it). It's the blue jacket without the fur collar. NICE! I bought my "Historic Horsehide" A-2 from Flight Suits (Gibson and Barnes) and I absolutely love it. They run large therefore, I bought a smaller size. By the by, what does a MIE Baracuta jacket cost in the UK? How about the Buzz Ricksons? I lived in the UK for almost 4 years while with the U.S. Air Force. I lived in Potton, Beds. and Stotfold, Beds. I worked at RAF Chicksands which was near Bedfordshire, Beds. Beautiful country and the people are fantastic - I miss it.

I know Bedfor itself - had a girlfriend years ago who was at university there. Nice change of pace from London for the occasional weekend, though never had any need or reason to be there since. Definitely some nice countryside, yeah.

The only Buzz nylon supplier I've seen so far over here is Eastman - I suppose they're even more of a niche market than the A2. Eastman sell them for GBP299, which is pretty much what I'd end up paying by the time I shipped one in from Japan or the US and paid import tax, I think.

The Baracutas over here, based on a Google search, run in and around the RRP of GBP129 (120 is common) for the MiE, with the overseas-made equivalent model coming in at about thirty quid cheaper. A little rich for my blood, I'm afraid! The Mercs I'm waiting for coming in the post are around GBP75 in shops; I paid GBP50 each (new) for them from a eBay seller. I have found the odd ebay seller in the UK shifiting new Baracutas for in and around GBP60, though mostly in smaller sizes. I'm keeping an eye on that - so far, though, I've only found one in my size, which was the bright, light blue one. I've just taken delivery of a cheapy in sky blue - I did want one in that shade, but as it's not one I'll likely wear anywhere near so often as a navy or a black, it made sense to stick with the cheaper option.

 

[anselmo1]

Baracuta Made in England edition

I have been wearing Made in England Baracuta jackets since 1962 and their definitely is a difference in the quality of construction. In the 1980's Van Heusen started making 4 Chimes Baracuta jackets which you could purchase then for around $29.95. The jacket was made of highly inferior material that wore out rather quickly in the sleeves. O'Connell's in Buffalo is where I purchased my first Baracuta jacket back in 1962 and it is where I have been purchasing them ever since.

 

[Warbaby]

I need a bit of enlightenment about the Baracuta mystique. I don't want to offend anyone, but aside from the fact that a bunch of famous people wore them, they just don't seem all that special to me. Design-wise, they look rather ordinary and uninteresting - certainly not the sort of jacket one would want to spend a couple hundred bucks on. 'Splain it to me, guys. Why are they so highly regarded? Am I missing something?