B-3 Jacket as a Daily Wear

[Brendan Mills]

I wore my B-3 today . What's great is it warms you up right out the door . I have worn my Irvin a few times in Lake placid but it's been a warm winter . Some one asked where did you park your spitfire. Chipppawa boots and jeans go good with them . Also Orvis ultimate khakis .

 

[Xopher]

I wore an Orchard Branded B3 as a daily wearer for many years. I always stood out from the crowd but never felt self concious because I get 5 to 8 complements a day and questions to where they could get one too. I rarely needed to wear more than a t-shirt underneath down to 0 degrees F. I sold it though to buy an ELC B-6, hand have plans on a redskin B3 in the future because I miss it. You can't help but feel anything other than badass in a b3

 

[nick123]

Are these sheepskin jackets truly intolerable to wear in more ideal weather? Would a D-1 work in Southern California? I want one!

 

[mr_lits]

The B6 or D1 are good jackets to around 15-20 degrees IMHO. Warmer than 40 and I would think they would get pretty sweaty. I like my B3 for consistent subfreezing conditions really keeps the chill out and blocks wind like a brick wall.

 

[HPA Rep]

Everyone is wired differently regarding warmth and cold tolerance. Personally, The quarter-inch sheepskin jackets (D-1 & B-6) I reserve for temps in the 40's and 50's, so if it's windy, overcast (or at night) and 38 degrees F, my B-6 is okay but I'd prefer a B-3, but if it's 30 degrees F in the same condition, I must have a B-3 or another similar-weight jacket. I've worn the B-6 and the B-3 with just a tee shirt at night in the upper 50's and was fine, and if it's damp and even in the low 50's, the B-3 never felt too warm. Nighttime temps in the 50's and below, for me, beg for the coziness of the B-3.

Personal needs, tolerances and degrees of physical exertion will always dictate what is appropriate. I was always fascinated by the WWII photos that depict men in the same photo wearing just shirts, while others have on overcoats. You see this often in Normandy, and when I went to the 50th anniversary, the nights were extremely cold, so much so that waking in the morning on day one with a vintage A-1 sweater and A-2 jacket, I was till cold and had to buy a WWII USCG Pea Coat my friend was selling at exorbitant 50th-anniversay prices. Throughout the days and many times each day, it vacillated from sunshine to rain and wind, and it was hard to adjust to what was needed for wear at any given point in time, which is when I had finally gained an understanding for the mixed clothing types seen in the same photo from June 1944, which can also be applied to other geographic regions.

As an aside, having gone to Normandy many times in June since, the most authentic weather to June 1944 seems more in the past than the last 12 years or so; it's often now warmer there than it is here in New Jersey for the same date, which was far more the exception than the rule years gone by.

 

[tonypaj]

Normandy is not cold, it's just often windy and damp. June should easily be 20+ C. But windy and damp

Anyway, the weather is weird these days, I'm in the Geneva region, +15 C, no snow, flowers on the grass of my garden, pollen (thanks...), like end March, early April usually.

So no B-3 (well, I have not had one for couple of years), no Irvin, no B-6 (which I do have). A-2 or G-1, and a shirt. I don't mind...

 

[bobm]

I have a B3 made by Cockpit, bought from Orvis a few years ago. Extremely well made and very, very warm. Blocks the wind and the lambskin is an incredible insulator. It's my favorite cold weather jacket and look forward to wearing it when the temps allow it. It's even warmer than the Filson Packer coat I'm wearing in my avatar. Must be taken off immediately when I go inside, way too warm a jacket for that. While this may not be the jacket for everyone, depending on what else you wear it with, you won't look like you are wearing a costume. I have never felt that way; not even for a second and have gotten compliments and if there were raised eyes or snears, I have never seen them and frankly couldn't care less.

Timeless, classic jacket.

 

[Dumpster Diver]

My favourite B-3 Jacket comment I ever got was:

DUDE DID YOU LIKE, BOMB POLAND IN THAT THING!!!

(me) ...it was a Christmas present

YA FROM WHEN.. LIKE 1942!!!


...What a total ba***rd It was in good spirit I guess.

 

[rocketeer]

I have a B3 made by Cockpit, bought from Orvis a few years ago. Extremely well made and very, very warm. Blocks the wind and the lambskin is an incredible insulator. It's my favorite cold weather jacket and look forward to wearing it when the temps allow it. It's even warmer than the Filson Packer coat I'm wearing in my avatar. Must be taken off immediately when I go inside, way too warm a jacket for that. While this may not be the jacket for everyone, depending on what else you wear it with, you won't look like you are wearing a costume. I have never felt that way; not even for a second and have gotten compliments and if there were raised eyes or snears, I have never seen them and frankly couldn't care less.

Timeless, classic jacket.

Ok so these are not for the purists but OK by me as a go anywhere, do anything warm jacket. As I said in an earlier post, the original B3 design is not for everybody with it's asymmetrical look

 

[mr_lits]

Rocking my B3 today as the temps have dropped up here. Got a compliment on my way to the office at the coffee shop. An older gentleman asked if it was an original.

 

[HPA Rep]

Normandy is not cold, it's just often windy and damp. June should easily be 20+ C. But windy and damp

Not in 1994 and 1999. The night of June 5, 1994 was really cold; we were shivering with steam coming from our mouths, so I bought the Pea Coat the next morning and all was well again.

 

[Dumpster Diver]

I busted out my older B-3 Style Jacket I wore in highschool to find that its starting to Dry out and busting a bit. (its a poor excuse for a good thing) Its cut Like a D-1 And Its Ready for a dogs bed Just about, Gettin preeety Scrappy and mingy. But I wouldnt get rid of it because of the Paint Job I gave it. Its got a pair of american Wings and a White and Red Star across the back with a ball turret and a few Mission Bombs painted. I will have to take photos for you next chance I get. I look like a true Sad-Sack in it...especially with Disgusting and ratty shredded Combat pants and boots, ear muffs and my home-made B-1 squadron hat.

It has a dozen or so leather patches all over it holding it together, I prettymuch wore it like it was stolen.

 

[heron163]

can't wait to see the pictures...

I busted out my older B-3 Style Jacket I wore in highschool to find that its starting to Dry out and busting a bit. (its a poor excuse for a good thing) Its cut Like a D-1 And Its Ready for a dogs bed Just about, Gettin preeety Scrappy and mingy. But I wouldnt get rid of it because of the Paint Job I gave it. Its got a pair of american Wings and a White and Red Star across the back with a ball turret and a few Mission Bombs painted. I will have to take photos for you next chance I get. I look like a true Sad-Sack in it...especially with Disgusting and ratty shredded Combat pants and boots, ear muffs and my home-made B-1 squadron hat.

It has a dozen or so leather patches all over it holding it together, I prettymuch wore it like it was stolen.

 

[Dumpster Diver]

The Other sleeve has a Repro AAF patch with Wings. This Jacket is my *lucky* jacket, Ive been wearing it lately in town, but its kinda falling apart now, also note the slash pocket on the right was removed to make patches, installed a zip on the right with a pocket from a pair of 1950s Wool US issue Army pants. (I still use the pants) Anyway It was 25% off from new because it was made with leftover scraps, basically they knew it would fall apart on me. The main Zip is a Talon Zip from a Canadian Military parka.

 

[Schwa]

We're in for record lows tomorrow in Boston, and I'll be wearing my RMNZ B3 as I venture out. I don't think I wore it once last winter, but I don't think I'll be called "silly" for wearing it tomorrow.

I always wanted a "real" bomber jacket, but owning one has proved to be a challenge as they are rarely practical on terra firma.

I'm looking forward to being nice and warm on a crazy cold day.

 

[Edward]

I have a B3 LW and an ELC Irvin both. Most folks here can't tell the difference... Put it this way, both get called a "Biggles coat" regularly...

I've got a couple of gut inches to lose again before I get back in 'em, but when I fit both get a lot of wear between November and February here in London. I wear 'em with everything, from jeans and sweaters up to and including over the top of a three-piece suit, less the jacket.

 

[bwchase]

Old B-3 repro gets worn almost daily if less than 45 degrees when walk my dog. Best wind protection, warm from door to door. Throw it on over t shirt, looks good with any hat IMHO.
Never really had it soaked, light rain ok. Milo and I stand out a bit, wearing leather coat and nice hat contrasting all the brand logos, spandex, poodles, and ear bands running around.
Or the worn out bathrobes and pajama uniform people wear, to go outside with their dogs.
I get the "nice coat", more often than they get "nice bathrobe."
Life is great!

 

[rocketeer]

Tend to wear mine everywhere rather than military or retro/vintage events. You know, supermarket, sweeping up, putting rubbish out and maybe a little dog walking But if I head off o the NSRA swap meet at Arena Essex I may wear it, well thats a kind of retro event, but it gets damn cold!

 

[Marv]

it's currently 0 C (32 F) at present which I'm guessing should warrant wearing my ELC Irvin but no, can't seem to bring myself to wear it so I have currently been switching between a G1 and a B-10 (wearing a G1 this morning) and it was a bit chilly.

 

[Edward]

Throw it on over t shirt, looks good with any hat IMHO.

I love the look of a fedora with a big sheepskin collar, though with my Irvin / B3 I tend more often to wear a tweed cap, simply because the cold and thed wind tend to come hand in hand here, and it's easier not to have to dedicate one arm to holding that hat on whenever I step outside. I also love the look of a B2 cap with a B3. One I stopped thinking about it (probably the first time it got cold enough to pull the flaps over my ears), it felt the most natural thing. I'd love a B5 helmet as well, but I rather suspect I'd keep that one for wearing with a different coat...