If you take a look at my closet, it’s pretty clear that I dress in a uniform of sorts. Like many men, I have plenty of relaxed-fit pants, baseball caps, and loose-fit T-shirts. But there’s one section that stands out: my eight jackets with corduroy-lined collars.
To me, the corduroy-collared jacket should be as much of a staple as any dark-wash jeans or white T-shirts. It’s outerwear that doesn’t scream “outdoors.” It has utility but also looks appropriate for almost any part of my day. It brings to mind workwear staples like canvas Carhartts and denim trucker jackets but isn’t as on the nose. After all, I’m not wearing these for actual yard work. I like their casual yet sporty look and how the collar adds a touch of texture to an otherwise simple layer.
There’s a ton of variety between my favorite jackets in terms of fit, features, and cost (some are hand-me-downs, bargain finds, and some I’ve treated like long-term investments), but the collar is the common denominator. Here are the jackets that I have on rotation.
I have this jacket from Australian surf-apparel brand Rhythm in three different colors (it’s my favorite), and I wear the brown version most frequently. (The brown one is technically called the Gordo jacket, which is now discontinued, although it’s virtually identical to the James jacket.) I can style the neutral colors in many different ways, and it works almost all year round. The sherpa lining is plenty warm for cool spring and fall weather, and it looks great over just a T-shirt but is roomy enough to add some layers underneath during fall and winter. The hem sits right below the waist, which doesn’t feel cropped or too long.
I’ve had this Buck Mason jacket for three years. It’s made from thick cotton Jungle Cloth, which was originally used to make military garments, like the U.S. Navy’s iconic N-1 jacket, which inspired this piece. Its exterior reminds me of thick sailcloth (it’s so tightly woven that I use it as a windbreaker on blustery days), but the silky lining is soft on the skin. It’s stiff and a little hard to move in, but that also gives it a nice structure. For a clean, retro look, I like wearing it over a white T-shirt, but it also looks sharp paired with a collared denim shirt. It has a shorter hem, and it sits right at the belt line.
I think Barbour jackets look better when they’re more worn in, so I bought my Bedale used from an online seller in Europe two years ago. The Bedale might be the most versatile jacket that I own, in terms of the conditions that I wear it in (from rainy to windy, cool to cold), what I can wear it with (almost anything), and where I wear it (for errands, to work, for nicer events). Since its waxed cotton is water resistant and the longer hem hits at the top of my thigh, I also use it as a rain jacket. I try to wax it regularly to maintain its water resistance, but once the wax fades, its outer material looks more matte — a look that I like.
I got this one for five bucks at a thrift store when I was in college, and I call it my George Costanza jacket. I love the boxy fit, which allows me to wear my chunkiest sweaters underneath it. It has a slightly waxy appearance because I applied a fabric wax to waterproof it. It’s shorter in length, but in the XL size, it sits right below my waist.
While there’s no 2025 equivalent of the Eddie Bauer jacket, I think a slightly more modern version of it would be this one from Frizmworks, which has that same dropped unstructured shoulder, semi-cropped length, and forest-green color.
This simple jacket is a hand-me-down from my brother. It has a nice plaid body lining and a smooth polyester sleeve lining. It’s not a particularly thick jacket, but it’s warm enough on its own on overcast spring days. On frigid days, I like to wear it underneath a bigger car coat or overcoat.
This corduroy jacket has a slightly different cut compared to the one above, but it’s as close as you can get for a new version. The stretchy ribbed cuffs and hem give it a sportier look, but it still has that classic zip-front closure and embroidered pony logo on the chest.
This is the most recent addition to my collection. I bought it just a few months ago after a trip to Maine, when I wanted a jacket that had a classic New England look, and would pair well with my Bean boots. I was surprised by how thin the shell is. The canvas is only about as thick as what you’d find on an average chore coat. However, this version comes with a removable wool liner that has polyester sleeves and buttons into the interior of the coat. It’s plenty warm with the liner, but I still like to wear it with long-sleeved layers underneath. It has a longer hem, which looks awesome with a pair of jeans and brown boots.
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