Favorite jacket? Owned or dreamed of.

[Marc mndt]

is their situation improved by me choosing not to by products made there? There is NOWHERE near enough concern about this globally to effect actual change.

I totally agree, just me making certain choices wont affect anything. But I guess you'll have to start somewhere. Same can be said about eating a vegan diet or driving an electric car.

 

[Edward]

Nothing looks better than a leather jacket but it takes a leap of imagination to think of them as functional clothes in this day and age.

Not my experience, but climate and individual tolerances vary a lot. I'd wear leather through the Summer if I was capable of liking the perforated stuff... As a rule, though, I prefer natural materials over manmade.

Another member said a couple of years ago that we shouldn't kid ourselves and admit it's all cosplay what we're doing here and I agree.

True of any clothing, really, beyond the most basic. Otherwise we'd all still be wearing some kind of belted poncho type garment. Once you go beyond protection from the elements and covering up for social decency (!), it's all costume, and always has been.

As for the boots, it's really exactly the same as with leather jackets.

These are nice Engineer boots...

These are work of art...

To me personally, this isn't the matter of cons and pros of one boot vs. the other as I'm sure both perform equally well and will last you just as long.

I don't think that nowadays, we can any longer delude ourselves that footwear isn't all about making a statement which what Clinch is all about and something they do best. It's no different than with any high end jacket maker. So yeah, I can see why it could be considered odd not to get a high end leather boots to accompany your high end leather jackets.

Thing is though, making a good pair of leather boots is a process just as elaborate as making a great leather jacket so I'm not really buying into the $1000 Chucks knock-off or stuff like that... Or at least I can't see it. But with boots, the leap in quality & looks is as obvious as with leather jackets.

Mn. To an extent. I think it';s vastly exaggerate with boots, though, given the very small demand for the engineer style. Clinch ared particularly nice, but a huge chunk of what they cna charge has to do with the fact that you can't just walk into a Jermyn Street shoe store and pick up a similar pair from Trickers for £500 (if only!). If there was significantly more demand for that style, and thus a bigger market across the price bands, I think they'd actually find it much harder to retain the niche who are prepared to pay at thatlevle purely because they are otherwise so hard to find. I love a lot of the Japanese stuff , but these days with Made in Japan being a sought-after "brand" of its own within the niche, it's just all far beyond what I'm prepared to pay for an item of that style and quality. Now, if they were wholly bespoke, that might be another matter.

You have both ignored the "natural material" in my post...
I am aware of leather's limitations as a material, it's just that i don't wear "plastic" if i can avoid it.
That doesn't leave much choice as far as a waterproof/windproof shell/jacket goes.
I have worn jackets made from wool, cotton, waxed cotton, and to me leather is the best at doing what i want a jacket to do without wearing plastic.

Indeed. Myself, I'm far from convinced that these manmade alternatives are actually that much better than 'natural'. Certainly once you factor in having to go around looking like a dayglo berk, any miniscule advantage rapidly disappears.

If i had to climb everest i would wear modern fabrics, but for everydaylife i would rather wear leather, it's enough for me.

Wish I could remember where I readabout it, but... a few years ago, there was an expedition which recreated theo utfits worn by Shackleton's crew and compared them in the same epedition to modern, artificial materials. The study concluded that the sole area in which the modern stuff excelled was a much faster drying-out time if it got soaked. In all other areas, the modern and artificial wonder fabrics failed to better the original tweeds, wools and leathers....

 

[Lebowski]

I’ve lost all interest in ultra heavy, stiff leather. I love to look at it... but wearing it kind of sucks..

Wait, who are you and what have you done with our Ton we’ve known for years?? Lol)

 

[Mich486]

Interesting discussion.

I personally enjoy all clothing from jackets to boots, to shirts and trousers and what not so I try to buy what catches my attention and unfortunately, most often than not, it isn’t the cheapest thing. I like experimenting and try out different brands etc. I’m not the kind of person that buys twenty of the same shirt just because it fits. I see clothing as pleasure/hobby rather than a daily chore. It’s a bit like food. A sandwich keeps you going but .

Like @dudewhattheheck I also can’t reconcile spending big money on leather jackets and have a total lack of interest in the rest of the outfit.

 

[Bfd70]

Can someone start a poll so we can vote if this is the most derailed thread ever? All fun discussions but wow! I had to scroll up to see where i started.

 

[handymike]

I think this falls behind “Trucker Shorts” though.

 

[handymike]

Speaking of “Dream jackets”...
Look at all the color possibilities:

 

[El Marro]

None of us (other than @Dav maybe) wears a leather jacket as a "work" jacket, we would be afraid to ruin them.

I am an electrician and I wear my leather jackets to work almost every day as well, when the weather permits. There are a couple exceptions of course, I do not wear my GW jackets because I do worry about messing them up. Anything by Vanson or LW though is fair game.

 

[Peter Bowden]

Not my experience, but climate and individual tolerances vary a lot. I'd wear leather through the Summer if I was capable of liking the perforated stuff... As a rule, though, I prefer natural materials over manmade.



True of any clothing, really, beyond the most basic. Otherwise we'd all still be wearing some kind of belted poncho type garment. Once you go beyond protection from the elements and covering up for social decency (!), it's all costume, and always has been.



Mn. To an extent. I think it';s vastly exaggerate with boots, though, given the very small demand for the engineer style. Clinch ared particularly nice, but a huge chunk of what they cna charge has to do with the fact that you can't just walk into a Jermyn Street shoe store and pick up a similar pair from Trickers for £500 (if only!). If there was significantly more demand for that style, and thus a bigger market across the price bands, I think they'd actually find it much harder to retain the niche who are prepared to pay at thatlevle purely because they are otherwise so hard to find. I love a lot of the Japanese stuff , but these days with Made in Japan being a sought-after "brand" of its own within the niche, it's just all far beyond what I'm prepared to pay for an item of that style and quality. Now, if they were wholly bespoke, that might be another matter.



Indeed. Myself, I'm far from convinced that these manmade alternatives are actually that much better than 'natural'. Certainly once you factor in having to go around looking like a dayglo berk, any miniscule advantage rapidly disappears.



Wish I could remember where I readabout it, but... a few years ago, there was an expedition which recreated theo utfits worn by Shackleton's crew and compared them in the same epedition to modern, artificial materials. The study concluded that the sole area in which the modern stuff excelled was a much faster drying-out time if it got soaked. In all other areas, the modern and artificial wonder fabrics failed to better the original tweeds, wools and leathers....

Would it be this recreation?Terrifying
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/naval-duo-recreate-shackleton-rescue

 

[JMax]

I am an electrician and I wear my leather jackets to work almost every day as well, when the weather permits. There are a couple exceptions of course, I do not wear my GW jackets because I do worry about messing them up. Anything by Vanson or LW though is fair game.
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Great picture. What’s the status of the new Chopper?

 

[Monitor]

Mn. To an extent. I think it';s vastly exaggerate with boots, though, given the very small demand for the engineer style. Clinch ared particularly nice, but a huge chunk of what they cna charge has to do with the fact that you can't just walk into a Jermyn Street shoe store and pick up a similar pair from Trickers for £500 (if only!). If there was significantly more demand for that style, and thus a bigger market across the price bands, I think they'd actually find it much harder to retain the niche who are prepared to pay at thatlevle purely because they are otherwise so hard to find. I love a lot of the Japanese stuff , but these days with Made in Japan being a sought-after "brand" of its own within the niche, it's just all far beyond what I'm prepared to pay for an item of that style and quality. Now, if they were wholly bespoke, that might be another matter.

But that's the thing - Shoe makers get to be a lot more creative, so to say, and not just with details but with the shape as well as footwear doesn't get warped by the wearer and always looks how the maker intended. So even if the market was larger, it would come down to knock-offs to fill in the price gap and I don't think that anyone who's done enough research to know exactly what they want, would resort to buying off brand copies.

These Japanese boots don't really look like the original, 50's Engineer boots. That's the beauty of it. They've evolved into their own thing. All these boots have the exaggerated, almost cartoony vibe which I believe is based on very well worn vintage examples, boots that have been shaped by the wearer to the extreme cuz new Engineers back then actually looked a lot more like Chippewas today - or rather like Wellies with a strap.
I believe it's all about the form and the details with these boots. Engineers are always one step apart from being the most boring boots in the world or the coolest ones, if you'll pardon the horrible pun.

Anyway, all I'm saying is that I personally see what makes Clinch special and what is it about their boots that you can't get elsewhere else. Sure, it costs a lot, much more than I could ever spare on a pair of boots ('cause yeah, I'd literally dread to wear them) but with Clinch, you are paying for something that's entirely unique.

 

[Superfluous]

Really interesting discussion.

Many of the variations in our individual clothing preferences are largely attributable to climate, lifestyle, and employment factors. If you live in a particularly cold environment and/or work in harsh conditions, your clothing preferences will likely be materially different than someone who lives in a warmer climate and/or rides a desk. Loggers wear different clothing than pharmacists. Golfers wear different clothing than bikers, and bowlers wear different clothing than backpackers.

While I love vintage inspired clothing, I do not cultivate a purely vintage look. Rather, I mix and match vintage inspired clothing with more contemporary clothing (particularly sneakers). Given that most of my clothing employ simple, clean lines, this works. I do not, however, mix clothing at random. Rather, I am very focused on color palettes. For example, the color of my sneakers ties in to the color of my shirt – not necessarily the same color, but the same palette. I wear earth tones together, and blacks/grays together, and I do not wear brown sneakers with a black t-shirt (or vice-versa). I even match my sunglasses, baseball caps, and socks (I don’t match my boxers). Yes, I have severe OCD.

IMHO, leather jackets are not functional. You can obtain superior warmth and weather protection from a far more comfortable, easier to wear synthetic material. If functionality was the driving force for our jacket purchases, we would all be shopping at camping/backpacking stores. I buy leather jackets in spite of their lack of functionality. I buy leather jackets purely for aesthetic reasons – they look cool (less cool on me).

I wear sneakers, rather than boots, because they are exponentially more comfortable and I have no need for the benefits derived from boots. Frankly, the widespread patronage of boots by desk riding urban dwellers never ceases to amaze me. My sneaker choices are driven primarily by comfort and aesthetics. With certain exceptions, I prefer very simple sneakers with clean lines (not unlike my jacket preferences). For leather sneakers, Wings+Horns, Common Projects, and Gianvito Rossi hit the mark for me. I patronize several other brands with a similar aesthetic. For canvas sneakers, I really like Nigel Cabourn, Shoes Like Pottery, Hill-Side, and Iron Heart. That said, my favorite non-leather sneaker in my collection is a Visvim Skagway Lo Dogi woven in navy – overpriced but a uniquely cool look. On the other end of the spectrum, I also have a couple pairs of Spalwarts – super cheap and palpably low quality, but a cool aesthetic and fine for an occasional knock-around. I have way, way too many sneakers. Ps: Has anyone tried Nothing New sneakers – I am considering a pair.

T-shirts – not undershirts, but t-shirts worn as a top layer clothing article – are important to me and I pay for quality. The fabric, weave, and collar construction are materially different on higher quality t-shirts and the price differential is worth it to me. Again, this is influenced by my climate, where t-shirts are often my only top layer. If I lived in a colder climate where t-shirts are always buried under other layers, I might feel differently.

I frequently wear flannels as my top layer during the winter. As with t-shirts, the fabric, weave, and construction is markedly different on higher quality flannels and the price differential is worth it to me.

I went through a phase of wearing primarily dense, heavy jeans made from Japanese and Cone denim. However, now that I rarely wear shorts and I don’t like heavy jeans on hot days, I wear a broader assortment of jeans depending on the weather. Once you get beyond the dense, heavy Japanese denim, the difference in quality between a $400 pair of jeans and a $200 pair of jeans becomes less relevant to me. That said, I still perceive a relevant difference between $200 jeans and $50 jeans.

I could continue ad nauseam. I have strong subjective opinions regarding most of my clothing choices. Like I said, OCD is my friend.

 

[tmitchell59]

I have a few favorites.

Sierra Sportswear mid 40s Horshide half-belt with gathered sides. I'm guessing that Sierra was a label and not a maker.

It has the fit I'm looking for. The gathered sides really work well.

 

[tmitchell59]

Another favorite, again from Northern California

1940s Taubers Horsehide Half-belt. Most Taubers jackets were motorcycle and Police oriented.

Here is is with the Sierra Sportswear HH jacket.

 

[tmitchell59]

1940s Sportclad is always at the Top of my List.

Horsehide

 

[tmitchell59]

c.1970 Taubers trucker jacket in steerhide.

 

[Marc mndt]

Another favorite, again from Northern California

1940s Taubers Horsehide Half-belt. Most Taubers jackets were motorcycle and Police oriented.

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Here is is with the Sierra Sportswear HH jacket.

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The dice on the pull, is that original?
Eastman does that on their roadstar, I didn't know that was actually some period correct feature.

 

[Marc mndt]

1940s Sportclad is always at the Top of my List.

Horsehide

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Beautiful color and patina. Fits like it was made for you.

 

[tmitchell59]

The dice on the pull, is that original?
Eastman does that on their roadstar, I didn't know that was actually some period correct feature.

No, that dice is my addition. I've seen a rabbits foot zipper pull on a Sears jacket in their catalog, but don't see these pulls as factory items.

 

[Seb Lucas]

Nothing looks better than a leather jacket but it takes a leap of imagination to think of them as functional clothes in this day and age.

They're actually horrible, horrible things to wear and literally the only positive thing they've got going in is the fact that they're windproof but then again, so is nylon and a bunch of other material used in clothes today.
Leather jackets are uncomfortable to wear, restrictive, they smell bad, aren't any good at isolating heat and are worse when it's hot and God forbid you get them soaked. Not only does it takes days for the jacket to dry up but it might end up ruined, too.

Right now I can't think of any other piece of outerwear that has as many drawbacks as a leather jacket and yet... Here we are.

Another member said a couple of years ago that we shouldn't kid ourselves and admit it's all cosplay what we're doing here and I agree.

I think this may be an overstatement, amusing though it is. If leathers are horrible or uncomfortable, you must be wearing too thick or badly fitting, or strange patterns.

Few jackets are 'do anything' outerwear. Between certain temperatures, my most comfortable, usfeul jackets are leather. Especially if under 3 oz. They are superior (more comfortable) to my waxed cotton and nylon and as easy to wear as a Harris Tweed. Ever tried to wear a Harris Tweed after a downpour? They also take some days to dry and can end up stinking.

I do wear my Carhartt Detroit - and these cotton duck beauties do look nice enough to my eye

Also own a famous make black softshell jacket - which strangely gets more compliments than any leather - which is either ignored or smirked at. The softshell is good too, it can be sponged clean and it largely handles like leather, although I don't think it will last or look good in 5-10 years. But who knows?

Here I am in my duck cotton Detroit.