The Evolution From “Need” To “Want”

[TheMarriedHermit]

But when you see a photo of a beautiful, worn out leather jacket that's full of patina and character, is your first thought "This looks great!" or "Man, I'd look great in that!"?

My first thought is "I hope I'm full of patina and character when I'm old."

 

[TheMarriedHermit]

Yes. But I think the way it can work more often in niche communities is as a variation of virtue signalling - I am better than the unsophisticated mall shoppers who wear sloppy, tasteless and modern dross, while I wear tasteful and infinitely superior period suits/leather jackets/hats.

More often than not, wherever I go I find myself to be the only man wearing a shirt, pants, and boots, among grown men in loose-fitting t-shirts with slogans and logos, baggy shorts, and sneakers or flip-flops. I don't feel superior, only puzzled as to why a man would want to dress like a ten-year old boy. Even when I see some trendy dude wearing bleached, low-waisted skinny jeans, purpose-ripped at the knees, with elaborate rhinestone embroidery on the ass pockets, all I feel is infinite pity for the wretch who is never going to see the light. No virtue-, but perhaps vintage-signalling.

 

[TheMarriedHermit]

Fixation is a strange phenomenon I guess. Somehow jackets seem really strange to me. Can't wrap my brain around it. I say this as a card carrying, flag toting, victim.

If loving vintage garments is wrong, I don't wanna be right.

 

[ton312]

Certainly this hobby/obsession is a benign one...but it doesn't make it any less strange.

 

[ProteinNerd]

Realistically I probably need to sell about 6-7 jackets but I don’t want too.

I’m happy to ignore needs and focus on wants lol

 

[zebedee]

I am going to sell ones that I wear less than once a month. The SB is gonna be the first to go. Then the cordovan LHB. If I can shift those two, I can live with the remaining ones. I might be shifting off back to Korea, so some cold weather leather is going to be needed.

 

[Sloan1874]

I always feel unduly guilty about the idea of selling any of my jackets, no idea why. But I think that as long as I have one of each colour and a variety of weights to see me through the year, I'm fine with the number I own - I packed away the mid-weight jackets this week and pulled out my heavy ones. End of November and I'll probably be airing my sheepskins. Have to say, it seems like just yesterday I was packing them away for the year...

 

[Fanch]

Exactly. I am a fan of Panerai watches. Most people perceive all Panerais as looking identical, and cannot distinguish one model from another. I see vast differences between the individual models.

I am definitely a jacket spotter . . . and a watch spotter . . . sports car spotter . . . I could continue ad nauseam. I need therapy!

I am guilty of being all three, although my experience with sports cars without exception has involved the two happiest days of my like - the day I bought one and then sold it! I am also likely done with jacket collecting but have yet to "hit the wall" with watches. Like you, I am also a Paneristi although unlikely to the same extent. Fortunately my Panerai collection has dwindled down to only two - a 512 and 655 as those conform far better to my skinny, flat 6.75" wrist than the 44mm Luminor models. My advice to @Sloan1874 is to avoid the Panerai brand and go with a Rolex sports model instead as at this point in time, Rolex is far more likely to hold its value than Panerai for reasons I won't go into.

 

[Colin G]

Certainly this hobby/obsession is a benign one...but it doesn't make it any less strange.

I used to collect vintage, NOS 80's skateboard decks and vintage BMX race stuff. Those hobbies are full of nut-bags. This place seems like a nice quiet walk compared to the shit-storm madness of old BMX items. I am a moderator on the BMX Museum and things get heated and pretty crazy.

 

[Colin G]

I am guilty of being all three, although my experience with sports cars without exception has involved the two happiest days of my like - the day I bought one and then sold it! I am also likely done with jacket collecting but have yet to "hit the wall" with watches. Like you, I am also a Paneristi although unlikely to the same extent. Fortunately my Panerai collection has dwindled down to only two - a 512 and 655 as those conform far better to my skinny, flat 6.75" wrist than the 44mm Luminor models. My advice to @Sloan1874 is to avoid the Panerai brand and go with a Rolex sports model instead as at this point in time, Rolex is far more likely to hold its value than Panerai for reasons I won't go into.

I'd never buy a watch as an investment or to resell so any kind of watch holding a value is irrelevant to me. I am not a flipper or impulse buyer.

Buying a watch thinking it will hold value is not a very good idea. For Rolex, the Daytona and the new BLRO are about the only watches right now that you can get more for them used than new, if you know the secret handshake and can even get on the wait list to buy new.

Any Rolex will drop $1000 as soon as you buy it and remove the stickers unless it is a Daytona, BLRO or maybe a Skydweller.