What kind of leather jacket am I thinking of?

[ton312]

I had a wee look, he did do at least a prototype jacket. Is he still going, iirc he was in Kilmarnock which is just a kick in the posterior away from me. The only other info I could find was that the original was a custom job.

I'm not sure. I see some LC jackets pop up on eBay from time to time...

 

[opiusmaximus]

Dan the LC guy sells vanson stuff with the eBay username of evil_mechanic

 

[Sloan1874]

If you're looking for lapels, Rockafella should do you. It can be had in goat skin and a cotton lining, which is about as light a jacket as you're going to get and it'll take a good kicking without falling to pieces.

 

[Stringmaster]

Check out the thread that Stringmaster posted when he received his custom Premier Highwayman recently. He is a musician as well, and I think he was looking for similar attributes when he designed the jacket. I think Nick123 made a good suggestion that goat would make for a comfortable jacket that allows good freedom of movement.

Here's a link to my thread:
http://www.thefedoralounge.com/threads/my-new-custom-premier-highwayman.89630/#post-2213115
It's not really '70's style but I think it has a bit of a "Rocker" vibe. The Vicenza is great and I'm glad I got it, but it might be too heavy if you're planning to wear it while playing--maybe goat would be a better choice. Good luck--choosing a jacket and the specific details is half the fun!!

 

[Edgar Laurel]

Here's a link to my thread:
http://www.thefedoralounge.com/threads/my-new-custom-premier-highwayman.89630/#post-2213115
It's not really '70's style but I think it has a bit of a "Rocker" vibe. The Vicenza is great and I'm glad I got it, but it might be too heavy if you're planning to wear it while playing--maybe goat would be a better choice. Good luck--choosing a jacket and the specific details is half the fun!!

It has a 50's rocker vibe in any case. And that makes it an awsome choice.

 

[Stringmaster]

It has a 50's rocker vibe in any case. And that makes it an awsome choice.

Thanks--that was my intent

 

[Monitor]

I'd never even consider LL Dominator in Lamb if LL didn't post some photos of this actor in his. The jacket really looks great.

 

[Edward]

I can only guess Lewis' market for the lambskin versions of their jackets are people who'll never jump on the bakc of a bike in one.... mind you, that said back in the day, especially pre-1950ish, all the British bike leather were crazy light by modern safety standards. Personally, I'd never pay Lewis money for anything that was short of utterly bombproof, but that's to personal taste, of course.

I mean...

Sid's Dmoinator was always much cooler than the later Perfecto he wore in the Swindle, imo.... He did. of course, minimise on-stage overheating by rarely wearing anything under these jackets. Could be a way to go (hand-carved "Gimme A Fix" on your own chest optional, and ill-advised...).

If you're looking for lapels, Rockafella should do you. It can be had in goat skin and a cotton lining, which is about as light a jacket as you're going to get and it'll take a good kicking without falling to pieces.

Given the revivial of the 40s design influences in the 70s, this style, appropriately accessorised, would probably be the most "American 70s" look I can think of on here, if you're talking mainstream rock. On the punk side, the Brits were all wearing Lewis if they could afford it, and Mascots, or cheapo Lewis knock-offs, if they couldn't. Second hand Lewises, like Sid's, were popular, and you had to be careful with them (the "gonna get a jacket just like yours" line from Tommy Gun (the Clash) was inspired by the theft of Mick Jones' leather jacket at an early Clash gig, if memory serves). Arguably punk rock, perhaps even moreso than heavy metal in Britain, was what marked the transition of the black leather jacket from being the domain of motorcycle-riding rockers to being associated by many purely as an accoutrement of musical tribes, motorcycle unnecessary. On the US side of the Atlantic, American punks were mostly wearing biker style leathers, often Schott - though even the mighty Ramones were not uniformly in Schott Perfectos until around 1980; both Joey and Marky wore Lewis lightning models before that. FWIW, while Joey soldiered on for most of the average gig in his leather, the other boys typically shed them after the first couple of numbers. Leather of any weight isn't best comfortable under stage lights.

 

[Carlos840]

hi friends,

i'm a fool-time musician and have been thinking of a light, short, badass leather jacket that i can wear with some nice gig-worthy shirts, pants, shoes/boots. i guess kind of a 70s thing but w/o giant lapels etc ..

can anyone point me in the right direction?

thanks,
mike

As a fellow musician i can't help but think that this question is the equivalent of asking "what is the best guitar/bass to play metal?"

 

[Edward]

As a fellow musician i can't help but think that this question is the equivalent of asking "what is the best guitar/bass to play metal?"

More like the best shoes. I typically lift the instrument that works best with my shoes.

 

[Monitor]

Schott also recently released this very cool jacket! I haven't seen a jacket this nice appear anywhere in a long while.
https://www.schottnyc.com/products/james-mens-retro-style-naked-cowhide-jacket.htm?catID=5

 

[Edward]

That Schott looks interesting.... Looks like one of their cafe racers with a change of collar - I'm assuming it's something about the angles we're not seeing sleeve zips? They look too narrow towards the cuffs to not be zipped. Nice jacket; looks very much like something I went looking for about fifteen years ago and at the time couldn't find.

 

[Graemsay]

As much as I want to point you to the Aero Hippie jacket, I think you'd want something less constricting and in goat or lightweight steer/horsehide.

The Aero Hippie (or East West Barnstormer) is always the correct answer.

This is a period replica by Ibex.

I actually prefer the Aero Leathers version, which loses the waist and pocket straps. You can see it in nick123's thread. How about getting one in natural Vicenza leather?

 

[Monitor]

That Schott looks interesting.... Looks like one of their cafe racers with a change of collar - I'm assuming it's something about the angles we're not seeing sleeve zips? They look too narrow towards the cuffs to not be zipped. Nice jacket; looks very much like something I went looking for about fifteen years ago and at the time couldn't find.

Well observed - no sleeve zippers. Tapered sleeves toward the cuffs. Supposedly a very slim fitting jacket. Seem to be made from a CAF1 pattern tho with a much more useful shoulder gussets. These are the best you can get on a jacket. It's really nice.

 

[TheGuitarFairy]

great suggestions, fellas, thanks.
those are some serious lapels on the rockafella, wow. my wife has a walter dyer from the 70s that looks very similar. wonder what length of that guy is?
i'll often wear an old brooks CR on stage but even w/ it's beaten down, thin leather, it gets quite hot sometimes. zippers also can do a number on guitar ; )
aero hippie is cool but personally don't need the pockets. looks like a really comfortable jacket.

 

[bretron]

I'm with @Seb Lucas 100% on this one; go true vintage. Doesn't have to be an expensive or high quality one either. It just has to fit right. And by that, probably means fits small lol

Remember: the man makes the jacket, not the other way around. Tho I keep trying

 

[Monitor]

Vintage, eBay, yeah. That's the best thing you can do, I agree. No need to spend a million dollars on a jacket right away - or ever.

 

[Xopher]

I'm a full time musician too and the jacket I was looking at for exactly the same reasons was a Bill Kelso Duke

 

[barnabus]

Schott also recently released this very cool jacket! I haven't seen a jacket this nice appear anywhere in a long while.
https://www.schottnyc.com/products/james-mens-retro-style-naked-cowhide-jacket.htm?catID=5

This looks brilliant. Love the whole feel of it - retro, but somehow bang on modern too.

 

[Monitor]

This looks brilliant. Love the whole feel of it - retro, but somehow bang on modern too.

I agree. It's modern, retro, sleek, sharp, simple, casual and moto all at the same time without screaming either. Really the best I've seen in ages.