A2 or Perfecto

[MrProper]

I once took dressup pictures with all my leather jackets. An example with crosszip is here: https://www.thefedoralounge.com/threads/what-jacket-are-you-wearing-today.82949/post-2990410

 

[Tom71]

I once took dressup pictures with all my leather jackets. An example with crosszip is here: https://www.thefedoralounge.com/threads/what-jacket-are-you-wearing-today.82949/post-2990410

Love that. Great bootlegging vibes!

 

[TLW '90]

I just don't really care for cross zips so my vote goes for the A2.
To me the A2 is quite a universal standard jacket, while the cross zip stands out much more.
Most people can wear an A2 without a second look or any attention at all unless it just happens to be some extremely nice attractive leather.

It's hard to diassociate the ubiquitous black cross zip with Biker, Rocker , greaser / rockabilly, Punk...etc.
To me regardless of the person they're wearing or how their wearing, it the black cross zip is just associated with various things and there's no way around that
Whether or not it's a bad thing, these things just happen to come to mind for a lot of people and it has changed the dichotomy of the black cross zip.

 

[tweedydon]

I wear crosszips to teach.

There is a rumor among the students that I’m in a biker gang.

No one comes to my office hours. I have very few grade complaints.

Crosszips have many benefits!

 

[Edward]

If I was going to strip it back to just one leather jacket for all occasions, including with a collar and tie in place of a blazer, it would be either an Aero Bootlegger, or a Maxwell, or maybe an Everyman, in cordovan fqhh (for the colour rather than the horse). While it will probably have to be retired due to my body changing shape (I am saving up to replace it with 'the same but bigger'), my trusty old Bootlegger has been with me fifteen years now. Works casual or collar and tie, and cordovan as a colour goes with either black or brown shoes (and even better with oxblood). The flair of a crosszip, but dialed down enough that it doesn't stand out as a 'statement' piece the way a Perfecto type would in the office. If I was looking for black or brown, I'd be tempted to go goat for the hide.

 

[AeroFan_07]

I had the camera a little too close today taking these photos while I had my white shirt & tie on, but it gives a perspective of the J24 with these elements.



Yeah, there's room in a person's life for both - an A-2 and a Perfecto style jacket. Of course there are hundreds, literally thousands of types of each, and that's just the tip of the iceberg!

 

[navetsea]

crosszip all the way, I don't like A2, first of all I wear jacket for its pockets, and A2 is among the most useless in that factor, and I dislike elasticized waistband and cuff it add nothing to my visual and make it too hot for my climate, if A2-esque is a must, I probably pick indy first before A2 , if button is allowed I would pick type 2 denim jacket and cossack first before A 2

 

[TartuWolf]

Agreed with @navetsea , I dislike the A2 style and love cross zips. My suggestion would be to look at aviators like the Hooch Hauler. To me that's the ultimate do it all jacket. Or a stripped down cross zip like the above mentioned Bootlegger.

 

[MrProper]

The A-2 isn't my thing either, although I don't generally think it's bad. The only problem is that there are hardly any examples where an A-2 looks good or at least cool.
Here are some of the few examples where I don't think the A-2 is so bad.

Photo Credit: @dudewuttheheck


Jack Nicholson „One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest“


My Frankenstein, which I didn't think was so bad (ok, no A-2, different collar), if the waistband hadn't been so loose.

 

[barnabus]

I don't like A-2s, I think they look unflattering at best and horrible at worst. But then I don't like bomber jackets at all and would never consider a jacket with waist knit.

I like cross zips though and think a more streamlined version - either an aviator style or a rider without to many pockets/epaulettes/belt - loses all connotations of punk or motorcycling or wev.

Here in the UK every second woman in town is wearing a leather cross zip and it means absolutely nothing.

 

[navetsea]

in my view A2 and all its siblings military repro or civilian version are all grouped into bombers and probably some would call it blouson since it create blousey / muffin top effect,

to me visually wearing jacket is to build wider shoulder and narrow waist to look cooler, while A2 pattern are mostly against this positive visual idea because their shoulder is droopy and rounded, and the waistband is creating paunchy looking midsection, in full military uniform maybe it works because they wear full legged pants or breeches tucked in into flight boots so the overall balance still works, but with civilian pants, when paired with fitting jeans then the balance is off by adding extra unflattering midsection and yet without any inside pockets to store stuff on that already paunchy areas.

while cross zip is making your waist narrow and the chest wider with the lapels and epaulette, so this is positively flattering, and there are many type of crosszip, it only looks biker if the jacket has side laces and kidney panel, and elbow patch, if you wear langlitz probably you look like biker but just schott probably you look more musician or artsy fartsy than biker, if you wear aviator style in other color than black then you obviously into style/ fashion more than anything probably people think you're instagrammers especially if you take selfies to post on WJDYWT

 

[The Lost Cowboy]

I like the adventurous tradition of the A-2. I grew up with a deep veneration for the WWII generation and still love all things that harken back to that era. To me the A-2 says "adventure", "team work" and "engenuity" whereas the cross zip says "individualism", "mechanical know-how" and even "rebelliosness".

For me it is imperative that there is no definitive A-2 pattern. There are many types of A-2s and they work well with different body types. A few weeks ago I had on both a RMC Buco and a RMC Rough Wear A-2, and by far I preferred fhe A-2, even if the Buco fit better (I didn't buy either one).

I love my LW Trojan but i could live without it. On the other hand, my closet just doesn't feel complete without an A-2.