I'm Already Thinking About Fall, So Let's Talk Barn Coats

á la eBay, J.crew, L.L.Bean, and more

Jul 13, 2024

it’s hit consistently 90+ degree temps in NYC, meaning i’ve already mentally grieved the delightful early summer era, one that includes bee-bopping around without becoming a puddle as soon as you step foot outside, and having the mental capacity to actually admire the birds and the trees.

The winter I so longed to be rid of earlier in the year now has me in a chokehold up against a wall asking “you kinda miss the cozy, cold, dark, winter days, huh?”

no matter, it has me looking ahead to the next season; objectively the best season in new york. as i tire of the city in the middle of summer (and winter, as noted), i fall in love with it all over again each fall.

the crispy sting in the air, the crunchy leaves under your boots; the charm of new york bubbles up and swallows the heaviness that summer can bring — physically of course (the NYC humidity is no joke) but the mental heaviness as well.

as much as i love an al fresco happy hour, i appreciate a walk through central park with the leaves changing and wearing a cute jacket with an apple-crisp-caramel-cinammon-brown-sugar-whatever macchiato in hand even more. as a scorpio it’s my time to shine and feel alive.

planning ahead, i’ve started shopping around for my fall/winter outerwear staples. this is probably a good time to admit i probably have 20 coats and jackets already stuffed in my closet, but pay no regard: new outerwear brings me joy and joy i will allow myself, dammit.

and right now my fixation is on barn coats. partly because

Lucy Williams

wears them so well (see here, here, and here) and partly because i’m imagining myself upstate next fall in my vintage barn coat on a morning walk with my dog, husband, and our add-on pets: a raccoon, duck, and goat (if we’re getting specific).

side note: always buy your winter jackets and coats in the summer. one, because they’re on super-sale (even the expensive ones) and two, if you’re shopping secondhand, there should be plenty of inventory (as proven by the non-exhaustive list I put together) at really affordable prices if you shop in the summer — before the influencers make them tired and trendy on TikTok this fall.

that said, barn coats (or even chore coats and field jackets) are the new trench coat. and I can’t wait to wear mine with one of the vintage trucker hats I collected in the spring. below are the best i found either on sale new from retailers or on secondhand/vintage marketplaces.