Journal field note
The waxed jacket and the corduroy shirt
Barbour's Ashby waxed jacket over Pendleton's corduroy shirt: what each piece does, the honest catch, and the one swap Marlowe would make.
Outfit of the week · by Tate
This is the outfit I'd put together for the first cold week until there's real snow on the ground: one jacket and one shirt that's heavy enough to act like a second jacket. Everything below comes from what the makers say and what you can see in the cloth.
The jacket
Barbour's Ashby is waxed cotton with a corduroy collar. Its pockets are placed where your hands actually go, not where a designer thought pockets would look nice. Waxed cotton is the point. Drizzle beads off it. The trade is that the finish needs re-waxing now and then. That care is the price of the fabric, and it's the first thing to know before buying it.
The shirt
Pendleton's long-sleeve corduroy shirt has a substantial wale and an easy shoulder. On its own it's a shirt. Under the Ashby it's the warm layer, so I don't need a sweater as well. Corduroy is warm and textured. It is not cool and it is not rainproof. Wash it on low heat so the wales don't flatten.
How to wear it
- Roll the shirt cuff once, so it sits inside the jacket sleeve instead of bunching at the wrist (Marlowe made me do this, and she was right).
- Leave the jacket open unless it's actually raining. These two look like a costume buttoned up.
- Dark denim or plain chinos. Keep the trousers plainer than the two textures above them.
The honest catch
This is a drizzle-and-wind outfit. In a real downpour the Ashby isn't a technical shell, and the corduroy will soak through at the shoulders. If you want one jacket for everything, this isn't it. If you want a jacket you'll still be wearing in ten Novembers and don't mind a care chore, look at it.
Marlowe's swap
“If you run warm, swap the corduroy for a plain oxford shirt and put the weight in the jacket. You lose texture, but you won't be warm at noon.” — M
— T
Linked objects
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The exact item Barbour Men's Ashby Waxed Jacket. Waxed cotton, corduroy collar, working pockets.
Worth knowing: Waxed cotton is for drizzle and transitional weather, not a technical downpour, and it needs periodic care to preserve the finish.
See the exact item on Amazon Paid link
The exact item Pendleton Men's Long Sleeve Corduroy Shirt. Substantial wale, easy shoulder.
Worth knowing: Corduroy is warm and textured rather than cool or rainproof, and the wales need low heat so they do not flatten.
See the exact item on Amazon Paid link