One jacket to rule them all

[LuddGang]

When I joined here, I was looking for advice on buying one leather jacket with the idea of potentially getting a second in the future. Now I have eleven. I've also had many more jackets pass through, and I do have a rule that if something doesn't get into rotation at all, it has to go.

For me, this has essentially replaced my boots obsession since I feel that I've now 'finished' that - I don't have any pairs that don't get worn semi-regularly and there's no gaps that I want to fill.

I'm self-aware enough to realise that my arbitrary limit of 25 pairs of boots and 25 coats and jackets is totally ridiculous to most people, but everything I do keep gets worn at least once every few weeks (weather allowing) and I enjoy having the variety. I'm just glad I've got no interest in teacore jackets.... I'd never make any progress there.

 

[philli]

Thanks for the great tips.

I am currently choosing between the half belt sports jacket, Jean jacket, or the recent roughout jackets he posted and these two see picture (altought the red one i want in teacore bruciato if chosen and the other one in horse roughout)

I have the black teacore bruciato horsehide half belt jacket in the 4th pic for sale by the way. Bought it off wardrobe-19 some months back but don't wear it enough. I have it in a size medium

 

[barnabus]

The idea of “one perfect jacket” ( if we’re talking only 1 leather) is about as simple as asking for one last meal. There is absolutely zero chance you get it right but if you are staring down the chair or the gas chamber or maybe a firing squad you put your best guess out there and hope you choose wisely because that’s all you get.

Fortunately jackets can be bought and sold on repeat so the notion of “one perfect jacket” isn’t necessary and of course there is no perfect jacket for anyone, anywhere, ever in the history of all humankind. Two sleeves and a torso and you like ‘til you don’t.

Ton is absolutely right here of course. No single jacket will ever do every job you ask of it.

Wear it riding your motorcycle. Wear it to the office with a shirt and tie. Wear it trekking through the wilderness. Wear it to a rock concert. Wear it for a date. Wear it when the weather turns chilly at a funeral. Wear it flying off on holiday. Wear it to do some work in your yard. Wear it when you're clearing your gutters. Wear it to a job interview. Wear it to the pub.

Etc.

You need different jackets for different needs. Some might be leather, some might not.

The only thing I'd suggest is that whatever jacket you get first, you use it for everything you can get away with. Don't baby it and save it for best because it cost a lot of money, get the value out of it by wearing it whenever you can.

Fwiw, my one jacket to rule them all wouldn't be leather because I don't think any leather style is versatile enough. I'd get waxed cotton or canvas, in black - a Barbour or Filson or whatever. But that's not what this thread is asking.

 

[philli]

Ton is absolutely right here of course. No single jacket will ever do every job you ask of it.

Wear it riding your motorcycle. Wear it to the office with a shirt and tie. Wear it trekking through the wilderness. Wear it to a rock concert. Wear it for a date. Wear it when the weather turns chilly at a funeral. Wear it flying off on holiday. Wear it to do some work in your yard. Wear it when you're clearing your gutters. Wear it to a job interview. Wear it to the pub.

Etc.

You need different jackets for different needs. Some might be leather, some might not.

The only thing I'd suggest is that whatever jacket you get first, you use it for everything you can get away with. Don't baby it and save it for best because it cost a lot of money, get the value out of it by wearing it whenever you can.

Fwiw, my one jacket to rule them all wouldn't be leather because I don't think any leather style is versatile enough. I'd get waxed cotton or canvas, in black - a Barbour or Filson or whatever. But that's not what this thread is asking.

I second this. My most worn jacket is actually my Barbour spey. This jacket gets me through spring fall and winter with layering. (I am base in NYC)

As for leather jackets, you can really only wear thinner leathers in the spring (highly dependent where you're located obviously). And summers i dont even consider leather at all. I think at the very least you should consider the seasons you want to wear it. For winter you can go with a thicker hide with wool lining. For fall you can go either or, a thinner leather with layering ability or thicker leather to wear as a t shirt jacket. They don't really work great for extreme climate conditions tbh so you don't really need that many leather jackets from a practicality standpoint. If you are a collector or a hobbyist then its a different story.

Me personally I like having a thicker horsehide single rider jacket (fall and early winter) and a B3 style for extreme cold. For rainy/snowy weather I would go waxed cotton or jungle cloth. Sure you can get away with wearing leather in those conditions as well but there are better materials for the elements so I would rather wear those.