Aerophilia

[Black Prince]

One of the real joys of this forum, for me, is reading guys' accounts of their latest clothing purchases. I really like the fact that I'm not the only one out there with an almost nerdishly obsessional appreciation of clothing details. It's also good to know I'm not alone in loving the leather jackets made by Aero, of Galashiels.

I have three Aero jackets: a Cafe Racer in heavy black steerhide; a CHIPS police jacket in front quarter horsehide and the most recent addition, a Highwayman in brown front quarter.

I bought the Cafe Racer three or four years ago. It was close-fitting then and is, the intervening years having been less than kind to my waistline, tight now. I still love the jacket itself and wear it nonetheless, but it's more of a struggle to zip up than it used to be. I tend to wear it open, as a casual jacket, rather than as part of full leathers.

The CHIPS jacket was originally bought for my partner but, as good living has taken its toll, I've found myself growing into it as I grow out of the Cafe Racer - so I've claimed it as my own! It's good but the horsehide's REALLY stiff and taking a long time to wear in. It feels somehow more 'formal' than the Cafe Racer so I don't wear it as much casually, which is probably why the breaking-in process is taking so long.

The most recent purchase, the brown, blanket-lined Highwayman, came from eBay. It's only very lightly worn (the seller claimed he'd worn it only three or four times) and, despite having the distinctive solidity of front quarter horsehide, feels slightly more supple than the CHIPS police jacket. After wearing it to work maybe half a dozen times, it already seems to be moulding itself around me slightly, particularly in the sleeves. I love the colour and it's a more forgiving fit than the Cafe Racer: I can zip it up without having to suck my stomach in...

Next purchase will undoubtedly be a Barnstormer, either black or cordovan horsehide (the suppler Highwayman has restored my faith in horsehide's day-to-day wearability). I'm currently thinking about linings and wondering whether blanket would cause me to melt into a small grease-spot on days I use the sweltering London Underground. Perhaps cotton drill would be a more sensible option?

Anyway, I know there are a variety of threads already on the subject of Aero jackets and I'm planning to link to them here as I reread them, so this hopefully becomes an index thread of sorts for us aerophiles.

Thanks for reading.

 

[Black Prince]

Incidentally, the brown Highwayman really is crying out to be worn avec hat and, although I really like the look on guys' avatars here, I have little experience in investing in really good headgear.

Any recommendations as to what goes well with Aero jackets?

 

[Milu]

I think a newsboy or a fiddler's cap would work with a highwayman. Or how about a basque beret?

 

[mikepara]

There's a certain bloke of Northern Irish stock who looks good in vintage flying jackets, vintage baseball caps or leather bomber crew caps. Who I believe appears in the current Aero adverts, wearing a flying helmet! Maybe worth searching for his picture in the current crop of Flypast magazine. Can do a lot worse than copying his look, it's down pat!

 

[Nirvana]

I personally like wearing a Bakerboy or a Gatsby with my Aero Barnstormer. With either style, they seem to be period correct. I also drive a 29 Model A roadster, and now that the weather is cooling down, I have a leather aviator's cap to wear while motoring.

I also have a Aero Hercules FQH, that the Bakerboy goes well with.

Also since the weather is starting to cool down, I'll be able to wear my Roll Neck sweater I purchased from Orvis last year under my Barnstormer.

Nirvana

 

[Salv]

...
Next purchase will undoubtedly be a Barnstormer, either black or cordovan horsehide (the suppler Highwayman has restored my faith in horsehide's day-to-day wearability). I'm currently thinking about linings and wondering whether blanket would cause me to melt into a small grease-spot on days I use the sweltering London Underground. Perhaps cotton drill would be a more sensible option?

...

Go for the cotton drill. I've got a cordovan Barnstormer with cotton drill lining, and it copes perfectly with London winters. You will melt on the tube with a blanket lining.

I wear an 8-section cap with mine - I've found good ones on eBay, at Sam Walker in Covent Garden, and (slightly further out of town, but just down the road from me) at the Edinburgh Woolen Mills shop in Windsor.

 

[Black Prince]

Go for the cotton drill. I've got a cordovan Barnstormer with cotton drill lining, and it copes perfectly with London winters. You will melt on the tube with a blanket lining.

Thanks, Salv. I remember reading the thread you started around the time you ordered your own Barnstormer and being impressed by your description of colour, hide thickness, etc. Having worn my Highwayman a few times on the Tube, I agree with you that blanket lining on the more 'enclosing' Barnstormer would be too much. Cotton drill it is.

I wear an 8-section cap with mine - I've found good ones on eBay, at Sam Walker in Covent Garden, and (slightly further out of town, but just down the road from me) at the Edinburgh Woolen Mills shop in Windsor.

I'm completely new to vintage styles where hats and caps are concerned - and feel slightly intimidate by the 100+ pages of discussion in the forum here - but will definitely do an eBay search or two and see what comes up.

 

[Black Prince]

I think a newsboy or a fiddler's cap would work with a highwayman. Or how about a basque beret?

*Googles all of these*

I'm not at all averse to those styles (and rather like the newsboy one, in particular) but was thinking along hat lines. Would a fedora, for example, be too 'formal' to wear with a heavy leather jacket?

 

[Milu]

Well, just look at how much fun Indiana Jones had with a leather jacket and a Fedora. I seem to recall Bogey wearing one with a G1 in Tokyo Joe as well.

 

[Black Prince]

Good point. On both.

 

[Black Prince]

Having had a good look at the 'Close Up Details' section of Aero's website, I'm thinking the Highwayman I bought (second-hand) as brown is actually cordovan. No problems there - I really love the colour - but it might be a good idea to know for sure for future purchases. I guess I ought to take some pics in daylight and post them here to see what you guys think...

 

[Rufus]

Heya BP, aero's 'cordovan' colous r varies as well..

I recently purchased a slim bootlegger halfbelt..

It's great..but has a slight purple hue, instead of red, like the sample I'd been sent..

I've thought about redying the jacket....but having never attempted such a venture, am more than a bit apprehensive..

Any words of advice anyone?

rufus

 

[Black Prince]

I would've thought horsehide would be incredibly difficult to redye, Rufus. Have you tried contacting Aero directly? They're usually very helpful.

 

[jacketquest]

I have several Aero jackets myself: black FQHH Highwayman, brown FQHH Long Halfbelt, redskin B-6, and a horsehide Anniversary 15142 A-2 in seal brown with rust knits. I like the quality and workmanship of their jackets. Too, they have been very accommodating with modifications in the past. I can't speak to how things are presently as it's been a few years since I ordered a jacket but I have heard rumors that after Ken Calder retired that they are not as customer friendly. That's not to say that they offer bad service but perhaps not as good as it once was.

Although I am a big fan of the military styles, I have to say that the best valued Aero jackets (IMHO) have to be the heavy FQHH ones. That leather is amazing and produces great work and utility styles. My favorite Aero jackets are my Highwayman and LHB which are now approximately 7 and 5 years old respectively and are really only now well broken in. It takes effort but once it's put in, it gives it character comparable to those fabulous vintage examples from the 40's and 50's.

 

[Edward]

The Aero range is indeed beautiful. Actually, I also ratherl ike the look of their non-leather range too. If funds ever allow, I have half an eye on their B-10, and the Waterfront jacket.

 

[Rufus]

Hi Ed..

Aero's non military are great.. I just got a custom Bootlegger, and they area very accomodating bunch.

My only complaint is wide armholes!!

But..Amanda is a pleasure to deal with.

Their cloth military (for the money) aren't as good as Eastman. Check out ELC's B10s.. much better.

I've got a Japanese real Mccoys B10, and it's great, very useful jacket..

Ruf