A jacket that changed my life

[Edward]

Welcome to the Lounge. Thankfully, I'm not a jacket junkie, now that's not to mock those with a serious jacket collection, or herd, as I've heard it said. (pun intended.) But I can relate to those collections. I have over 8,000, 45 rpm records, well why not? I do have a Wurlitzer jukebox and I don't want to be playing repeats all the time. I have over 70 Aloha shirts, all hand made, and costing the price of a good leather jacket, each. I have made to measure suits, hand made shoes, summer blazers and, and, and.

But to get to your point. In 1964, when the UK experienced a pop music revolution and we had the Mods & Rockers slugging it out on the beach, I was, what you might call, an archetypal Mod. On this particular day I was wearing over everything else, a blue suede overcoat that had set me back three months salary. With a crowd of others, I was showing off on Brighton pier, on my Vespa scooter, so much so that I ended up in the drink. Once the tide had gone out the Vespa was rescued, amazingly, once dried out, it started. But the suede coat looked, and felt, like a wet chamois leather.

In a shop in Brighton was some impressive leather jackets. I needed something warm to wear on the scooter to get me home to London. Most of the leathers were a similar price to the suede coat that I had just ruined, but there was this one old jacket that was for sale on a budget price. I couldn't afford even that, but after showing the vendor my coat, he said I could have the jacket and he would take my ruined coat to see what he could do with it.

I don't know what he did with it, nor did I know anything about leather jackets, so by luck more than judgement, I have a 1942 Aero, acquired in 1964, and still going strong. Oh, and by the way, it got me back to London, warm as toast.

Ironically, that A2 is probably now worth several times over the value of the coat for which you swapped it!

I also wonder, by comparison, whether a rocker's Lewis Corsair would have fared better after a dip in the sea... Impressed your hairdryer survived so well!

 

[Colin G]

I met my wife, while wearing a somewhat new to me Schott 689H. Her memories of me before we started dating, were of me in that jacket.

That first night we met, she grabbed the Schott from the coat check for me and could not believe how heavy it was. It was dubbed the "concrete jacket" after that. I sold it a couple weeks ago because it was always kind of big on me and she was kind of sad to see it go.

 

[Peacoat]

I met my wife, while wearing a somewhat new to me Schott 689H. Her memories of me before we started dating, were of me in that jacket.

That first night we met, she grabbed the Schott from the coat check for me and could not believe how heavy it was. It was dubbed the "concrete jacket" after that. I sold it a couple weeks ago because it was always kind of big on me and she was kind of sad to see it go.

You should have let her wear it.

 

[TheMarriedHermit]

You should have let her wear it.

Nothing can keep a good woman down, but you can give it a Schott.

Sent from my LG-SP320 using Tapatalk

 

[Peacoat]

I'm not making anymore comments about women wearing leather jackets; the moderators are probably watching me like a hawk on this topic.

 

[DaveProc]

A no-name denim chore coat that I bought on clearance from a uniform company. It was to be used for a early 20th century worker living history impression for a museum interpretive program. It led me to this site while conducting material culture research for the project, which rekindled my love for everything early to mid 20th century and a huge drain on my bank account!!

 

[GHT]

You should have let her wear it.

Nothing can keep a good woman down, but you can give it a Schott

I'm not making anymore comments about women wearing leather jackets; the moderators are probably watching me like a hawk on this topic.

It's all very well letting her wear it, but is does tend to get mis-shapen somewhat.

 

[LeFonque]

Jackets that have changed my life. Simple, the next one.

 

[Peacoat]

@GHT, that picture brings back memories. Glad you posted it and not me.

 

[GHT]

@GHT, that picture brings back memories. Glad you posted it and not me.

Best then that I don't post a link to: "Girl on a Motorcycle." One of the leather outfits worn by Marianne Faithfull went under the hammer.
LOT 63
The Girl on a Motorcycle/Naked Under Leather, 1968/Marianne Faithfull. Expected price: £4000/£6000. Price realised, £8,125
Did you buy it Peacoat?

 

[Peacoat]

Best then that I don't post a link to: "Girl on a Motorcycle." One of the leather outfits worn by Marianne Faithfull went under the hammer.
LOT 63
The Girl on a Motorcycle/Naked Under Leather, 1968/Marianne Faithfull. Expected price: £4000/£6000. Price realised, £8,125
Did you buy it Peacoat?

No, but if I had known about it, I would have. Got a link?

I have seen some fine pictures of young women on the back of motorcycles, mostly sport and racing bikes.

 

[GHT]

No, but if I had known about it, I would have. Got a link?

https://www.christies.com/lotfinder...cyclenaked-under-leather-5865102-details.aspx

I have seen some fine pictures of young women on the back of motorcycles, mostly sport and racing bikes.

You'll love these then:
https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=g...KHdN6CWMQsAR6BAgDEAE&biw=1366&bih=657#imgrc=_

 

[AbbaDatDeHat]

I'm not making anymore comments about women wearing leather jackets; the moderators are probably watching me like a hawk on this topic.

Ha ha
Maybe something like this only with a jacket i’d say.
Bowen


you can keep your hat on - Google Search

 

[Peacoat]

https://www.christies.com/lotfinder...cyclenaked-under-leather-5865102-details.aspx


You'll love these then:
https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=girl+on+a+motorcycle+1968+unzipping+marianne's+leather+jacket&rlz=1C1CHBF_en-GBGB749GB750&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjvhaGGrOvdAhWIEVAKHdN6CWMQsAR6BAgDEAE&biw=1366&bih=657#imgrc=_

Uh, the ones I saw were wearing substantially less than that on the motorcycle—like only a helmet.

Marianne Faithful was one of my favorites. What a distinctive and beautiful voice. She is still alive and is in good health the last I heard. Don't know if she is still performing though. You Brits had a real winner with her, and a bunch of others as well.

 

[jonesy86]

Ha ha
Maybe something like this only with a jacket i’d say.
Bowen


you can keep your hat on - Google Search

um.....and maybe a hat?

 

[GHT]

Marianne Faithful was one of my favorites. What a distinctive and beautiful voice. She is still alive and is in good health the last I heard. Don't know if she is still performing though. You Brits had a real winner with her, and a bunch of others as well.

She still pops up every now and then, guesting on TV shows or sometimes touring with sixties bands. At 72 she's wearing well.

 

[Striver]

She still pops up every now and then, guesting on TV shows or sometimes touring with sixties bands. At 72 she's wearing well.
View attachment 138348

As Tears Go By .. (drifting a bit from the thread subject... but well worth the drift!).

 

[jonesy86]

As Tears Go By .. (drifting a bit from the thread subject... but well worth the drift!).

Sister Morphine is a haunting yet beautiful song. Ry Cooder's slide guitar is just amazing. I'm glad she thrives.

 

[Peacoat]

She still pops up every now and then, guesting on TV shows or sometimes touring with sixties bands. At 72 she's wearing well.
View attachment 138348

Back then she was vey pretty in a petulant way; today she is a mature beautiful. Next time you see her, please tell her I am still a fan.

 

[TheMarriedHermit]

I'm not making anymore comments about women wearing leather jackets; the moderators are probably watching me like a hawk on this topic.

Let 'em.