Breast Pocket Delete on Aero Bootlegger?

[tenerific]

I'm in the process of ordering either an Aero Bootlegger, or possibly a minimalist Ridley, and am thinking about deleting the chest / breast pocket completely.

Essentially I'm going for something like this -

Has anyone done this and regretted it? I'm on the fence and otherwise I wouldn't be asking, ha.

 

[Peacoat]

I think I deleted the chest pocket on one of my Johnson Leather jackets. Never missed it. Don't know that I have ever used that pocket on any of my leather jackets.

 

[torfjord]

Yeah, the thing is the chest pocket on the bootlegger is actually big enough to be useful. I had a bootlegger and I used the chest pocket to carry my phone with me. But the pictured jacket looks great without it.

 

[dlite90]

@Jin431 deleted the chest pocket on his Bootlegger. He seems happy about it. Personally I love jackets with one chest pocket and I’m not sure I’d ever buy one without it (unless it was an A-2), but it’s just an aesthetic thing to me. If you didn’t like the look I don’t think you’d miss it.

In other news I’m planning to stop by the Armoury in NY next month and I want to try on that jacket (in the darker color). I’ll probably just grab a shirt though.

 

[AeroFan_07]

I think it looks great! Clean and minimal. J106/Ridley would require a whole lot of deletions to be as clean-cut. You can see several examples of that model here: https://www.thefedoralounge.com/threads/aero-ridley-j106-repository-thread.101995/

Here is a really good Bootlegger thread with a lot of photos: https://www.thefedoralounge.com/thr...er-v-2-0-cxl-brown.92525/page-14#post-2773840

Welcome to FL by the way!

 

[TREEMAN]

Sometimes the chest pocket zipper makes it protrude too much ...

 

[Pandemic]

Personally, those are pretty minimalist jackets to begin with - I think a simple chest pocket is a nice detail.

Also, Simon Crompton is such an insufferable twat that I would pretty much do the opposite of whatever he is into, so YMMV.

 

[Jin431]

@dlite90 thats true, I don't mind deleting the chest pocket on mine. This is a super trim fit Bootlegger made from tobacco badalassi. Good luck with your order

 

[MrProper]

I like breast pockets because they break up the large area a little. Maybe only with my jackets because I'm quite tall. And if there are no pockets, then at least a seam across the chest. I have two jackets without one and I am missing something visually.

 

[tenerific]

Personally, those are pretty minimalist jackets to begin with - I think a simple chest pocket is a nice detail.

Also, Simon Crompton is such an insufferable twat that I would pretty much do the opposite of whatever he is into, so YMMV.

Thankfully he didn't design that jacket...

 

[tenerific]

@dlite90 thats true, I don't mind deleting the chest pocket on mine. This is a super trim fit Bootlegger made from tobacco badalassi. Good luck with your order

Man, that looks sooo good. How often would you say you use the fur? Is it purely for looks or functional?

 

[Jin431]

Man, that looks sooo good. How often would you say you use the fur? Is it purely for looks or functional?

Thank you. I had the detachable shearling collar added (not done by Aero, it's made by Johnson Leather of San Francisco) for fun lol I've seen jackets here with a detachable collar and I just copied them really. It's a nice touch, I'm so happy I had it added. This is how it looked before

I really like the clean look on mine but you can also look into different pocket placements. I don't really like how the chest pockets are placed in the bootlegger so I went without it. This is from a Levi's x Aero collab, I think the hand/chest pockets are better placed

 

[Sloan1874]

I use the breast pocket a lot, actually. It's very handy in cold weather.

 

[El Marro]

I am a fan of breast pockets although I never use them. I agree with MrProper that they break up the open space at the top of a jacket.
Having said that I think cross zip style jackets, such as the Bootlegger, look just fine without them. I think the diagonal zipper and the folded lapels create enough visual interest to make the jacket feel complete with or without a breast pocket.

 

[Mich486]

I’m with Jin, much better the placement on the Aero X LVC. It looks more balanced to my eye.

I too never use it though so mostly aesthetic for me too.

LOL at Simon Crompton being a twat! I always saw him like a nice guy to be honest. He proposes a very safe/boring style in my opinion and every time I read one of his post at the end I’m like... mmm good... you reinvented the wheel once again.

 

[ton312]

I would retain it, especially if you don't spec an interior pocket. I have always used that pocket on all my jackets as the phone pocket. I dislike interior pockets.

 

[Guppy]

I'm in the process of ordering either an Aero Bootlegger, or possibly a minimalist Ridley, and am thinking about deleting the chest / breast pocket completely.

Essentially I'm going for something like this -

Has anyone done this and regretted it? I'm on the fence and otherwise I wouldn't be asking, ha.

It looks good, it will work. If you like it, go for it.

 

[Edward]

Yeah, the thing is the chest pocket on the bootlegger is actually big enough to be useful. I had a bootlegger and I used the chest pocket to carry my phone with me. But the pictured jacket looks great without it.

I use the breast pocket a lot, actually. It's very handy in cold weather.

This is what I would consider. My Bootlegger was the first Aero I special-ordered new. The mods I got - way back in 2010 - were:

a Throat latch

Two inside pockets

button cuffs like on a 30s Halfbelt.

In practice, with that big chest pocket, two inside pockets - and possibly even any at all - were overkill. I think today I'd probably order one inside pocket for occasions when I have wallet / phone / mp3 player and maybe a couple of other bits to carry (I prefer to keep as little as possible in trouser pockets).

The throat latch is a nice detail, but it's not really seen much, and as I added it primarily for cosmetic reasons, I'd probably not add it now. I do prefer the button cuffs over the standard sleeve; ymmv.

The TL/DR is: to my eye, a Bootlegger looks good with or without the chest pocket; if you're on the fence, consider the practicality of it. If you want to tarry anything in a jacket and delete the chest pocket, definitely consider an inside pocket.

 

[Carlos840]

I went D pocket and no chest pocket on my bootlegger, no zipper on handwarmer, no inside pocket.
I am happy with that configuration, wouldn't change it.

 

[Canuck Panda]

On my way to my first Bootlegger, I came up to this chest pocket or no chest pocket question myself.
I'd like a place to put my phone. So yes. But after looking at my Hooche, I realized that the outside slant chest pocket makes my boobs looks lopsided. And I am more of a two same size boobie guy.
So I found this thread.
This is what I mean, lopsided with outside slant chest pocket (because only one side has the pocket bag and it shows through quite easily)

I would still need a place to put my phone. And since I can't take the single boob look, my only other option is to do two inside pockets right? So they will even out.

Lost some sleep last night going down this chest pocket rabbit hole so I thought I write it out here to get it off my mind. Thanks for reading.

Has anyone ever attempted at putting in an aftermarket symmetric horizontal slant chest pocket on the inside of the other side? So on the outside there is only one chest pocket but the look of two boobs because the other side has a equal bag on the inside.