What is it about quality leather jackets...?

[tmitchell59]

I started with blow and transitioned to leather jackets.

lol!

 

[Monitor]

Yes, sadly I’ve gone through my share of collecting addictions. And while leather jackets are just the latest passion for me, at least there are a few advantages over other addictions. Leather jackets are far more easier to store and cheaper to maintain and procure than say…Depression era Pick-ups, Italian futurist furniture, cigarette boats, lethal jungle pets, or Cold War Soviet weaponry, etc. Could be worse, right?

Maybe I’m kidding myself, but I tend to view some of the rarer motorcycle jacket examples as beautiful works of art. A few examples I’ve owned I’ve even been tempted to mount and hang on the wall like a piece of Samurai armor, or an exotic Kimono. But unlike works of art, I like that leather jackets can be worn, enjoyed, used, and abused and they just look all the better for it.

Excellent post.

Just wanna add though, while it's probably just the same as collecting anything else, buying leather jackets is the only thing I've actually found to be worthwhile because a) people are genuinely gonna appreciate a fine leather jacket even if they don't know or care about it and b) you can actually use them. Most of that other stuff people collect, guns and stuff for example, etc. is gonna just sit at your house in some shelf and do nothing but collect dust most of the time. Occasionally, someone kind enough will play along and pretend they're actually interested into your WW1 firearm collection but for the most part you can't really do anything with it. I had a shelf full of Mausers until I realized... What's the point? Wasting that much money only to occasionally look at them? What the hell for?

So yeah, even people who don't give a rats ass about leather jackets seem to appreciate them. All of my friends often go thru my jackets and try some on because as insane as we all may be on this forum, there's no denying that they do make you look good. Or better, at least... So I don't think this hobby is such a complete waste of time and money because you are getting something back.

Random compliment on the street is making it not seem like a complete waste of life.

And I don't even have a particularly nice collection to begin with...

 

[The Hamburger]

Being a newbie in leather jackets (but not in "looking for the perfect stuff"), imho it's a bit like Mr Kilmister said once: The chase is better than the catch. No matter if you go for high value (or only expensive) timepieces, old cars, audio gear ... or leather jackets - finally you chase something that (luckily ?) doesn't exist: "The" perfect one (or combination).

You own the platinum Daytona Chosmograph and enjoy it while cruising in your mint red '67 Mustang convertible with white leather seats ? Hey, great ! What could suit you better than a nicely worn, well fitting black (tea core ?) leather jacket ?!? But wait ! What if you wore your brownish framed Ray Ban ? Might your "old" Navitimer be the better option ? And if so, what about the jacket's colour ? What about the its style ???

And later, being back home, putting a vinyl record on your modified and most precisely justified Akurate LP12 to listen to an exclusive (LE) 180 g treasure, in order to make sure you get the best out of your Naim combo (self-evidently driven by separate HiCaps) which feeds your carefully positioned set of 3/5a speakers on pro stands ... by NACA 5 cables (what else !??) - maybe, a JLC would be a better companion ? Well, maybe. But, again, let's be serious, does it change the music ?

Yes, I know there's other watches more exclusive than a platinum Rolex - but they probably wouldn't serve the cliche as good. And yes, there are other cars more expensive than "only" a '67er Mustang. But I think these brands/names give quite a good idea of what I try to say.

Go for the jacket (style) you like. Go for the colour you like. Try to get the leather that matches your requirements best. And then wear it. A tad short ? It slightly pinches a bit here when new and is a bit stiff ? Hey, you knew what to expect when you ordered it. Wear it ! And if you wanted something real snug, ok - but obviously to make a FQHH jacket exactly "by the millimetre" doesn't work. There are great jacket makers around (and named here). If some people are trying to get "the perfect" jacket, okay, let them go. For all those who "just want a wonderful jacket" (regarding quality and fit) every MTM jacket of any of the makers mentioned here is way better than anything "off the peg" from any mall in any place in any country. Agree ? Those who want "the" perfect one, keep on searching and enjoy every "failure" - and be happy about it. Ever imagined what happened once, you get 100% what you're looking for ?

Okay, folks, thank you for reading my post - and now you may stone me ! ;-)

Cheers,
Roger

P.S.: Not being mothertongued there might be some odd words or phrases in my post - please, just replace them by better / more appropriate ones If you find misspellings, feel free to keep them

 

[AeroFan_07]

Hamburger - what an excellent post!! And Welcome sir, you are already a valuable addition to this tribe!

As to the question, it's like a "Jeep thing" if you have to ask, you wouldn't understand!

There's more to this story, but it'll have to come tomorrow.

 

[technovox]

Could be worse, right? At least I'm not a "sneaker head" and I don't have a dreaded "sneaker" addiction. $70,000 for a pair of tennis shoes???

http://www.cnbc.com/2017/02/25/for-some-sneakers-become-both-a-market-and-an-addiction.html

 

[Nigel B]

Ok, we're probably a little bit mad around here, but I was wondering;
What is it about quality leather jackets that compels you to research, hunt, debate, discuss, acquire & wear these things?

For me, I have always loved the idea of a highly skilled craftsperson hand-making an item that is designed for a purpose. It's both beautiful and functional at the same time.
Plus there's something really nice about wearing an organic product, rather than a synthetic layer. Final thing that I love is that in this consumer driven, single-use world, there are still items that are designed to be used, repaired & handed down when the time is right.

And THAT smell.....

Now, over to you.....

I can't agree more. I have brought 3 leather jackets in 4 months. 1 new Indiana Jones last crusade one from Wested Leather in Swanley UK. Lovely smell and always mentioned when I wear it anywhere. A recent buy was a used Cooper A2 off ebay. Wore that one today to work! Didn't want to take it off . Maybe its a man thing wearing leather. Back to basics in animal skins. Hunter gatherer overtones? Either way it feels right to me

 

[Worf]

I don't know what it is about quality leather jackets but my wallet wishes I'd never started. Probably have spent enough for a good down payment on a car, or a kitchen remodel.... Still, I love good leather jackets because they fit MY style. The ones that work, REALLY work and I feel real good when I wear em.

Worf

 

[seres]

...Go for the jacket (style) you like. Go for the colour you like. Try to get the leather that matches your requirements best. And then wear it. .... Those who want "the" perfect one, keep on searching and enjoy every "failure" - and be happy about it....

Excellent post!

 

[Worf]

One thing I had to learn the hard way though... A jacket/coat won't make you look thinner, make you look buff, turn you into a badass or physically transform you. But the right coat/jacket CAN make you feel confident as you brave the elements, the board room or just walking down the street.

Worf

 

[nick123]

One thing I had to learn the hard way though... A jacket/coat won't make you look thinner, make you look buff, turn you into a badass or physically transform you. But the right coat/jacket CAN make you feel confident as you brave the elements, the board room or just walking down the street.

Worf

Worf, disagree with the badass part. They make you look totally badass. Don't be coy.

 

[Worf]

Worf, disagree with the badass part. They make you look totally badass. Don't be coy.

Maybe, but when I started on this journey, about 80 pounds ago, I had some serious delusions about what a jacket could do. So I'm not being coy just trying to be truthful.

Worf

 

[Technonut]

When it comes to high-quality repro A-2 jackets especially, it's all about the meticulous research to a particular contract / pattern, authenticity of materials in comparison to the original, and the artistic talent / skill of the maker to truly represent what would be worn during that period of history.

In a nutshell, when I wear something like this GW Rough Wear 27752 in Shinki HH:

It invokes the feeling / spirit of this wartime AAF poster: