Brown or Cordovan for my Aero Highwayman?

[Mark]

Hi

Need some help..just put in my order for a new Highwayman in FQHH but cannot decide on the colour. I am familiar with Aero's regular brown but cannot find a great deal of info or pics for their cordovan. Can anyone help with a few pics/links so I can see for myself? What are the differences between the two colours (aside from the obvious) in respect of softness, graining, patina that they develop, if any. I know brown gets to be very beautiful over time but what about cordovan. How purple is it? Would'nt want it too bright.
Appreciate any comments.
Cheers

 

[schitzo]

maybe you could try Cherry? It's a good colour and not many about

 

[Edward]

Cherry isn't a good idea if you want to avoid a jacket that is too bright. I considered it back when but was advised against it for my Bootlegger. It looks grand on a sample, but it is different in jacket-size. Cordovan is sort of a burgundy...

This was taken at night, but it's fairly close to correct. Burgundy, more red than purple. Close to a good claret...

 

[Edward]

Or this is close to natural, in (slightly augmented) daylight:

 

[wdw]

Here's a shot of two cordovan jackets against a vintage black. I'd say the cordovan is more brown than burgundy, unless in direct sunlight. Before anyone starts, I've not experienced bleeding and think it might be down to an older batch of leather.

 

[Sloan1874]

I think the cherry comes closer to a burgundy. The cordovan has beautiful depth of colour to it though.

 

[eggleman]

I found that the cordovan developed a nice patina quicker than the standard brown.
Have you thought about a brown oil-pulled hide ?
They also develop character quicker than the standard brown hide.
Unfortunately neither the cordovan or oil-pulled hides are easy to photograph.

 

[Edward]

Here's a shot of two cordovan jackets against a vintage black. I'd say the cordovan is more brown than burgundy, unless in direct sunlight. Before anyone starts, I've not experienced bleeding and think it might be down to an older batch of leather.

Jinkies... the one on the right I'd never have realised.... The one on the left definitely is close to mine. I suppose there's bound to be some variation from batch to batch. Mine (built April 2010) experience a little bleeding here and there, on light coloured shirt collars. Only ever when I was wearing the jacket outside all day, especially the sort of day when it was too cold to be out of it, but being on the move worked up a bit of a sweat. Nothing that didn't come out with one low-temperature cycle in the machine. I've not heard much round here of anyone having that problem more recently, so maybe Ken / Horween have found a fix.

 

[wdw]

Edward, the two jackets come from the same batch and are identical in the flesh.

It just shows how photos don't always tell the truth.

 

[schitzo]

Cherry isn't a good idea if you want to avoid a jacket that is too bright. I considered it back when but was advised against it for my Bootlegger. It looks grand on a sample, but it is different in jacket-size. Cordovan is sort of a burgundy...

I've had a couple of Cherry jackets and basically, no, it's not bright. It's not exactly a dull shade either but I'd say it's more dull than it is bright. Develops a very nice patina if you have the patience and is not a bad match at all for Horween Shell Cordovan #8

 

[Highwaymanman]

You want to think about your skin and hair color a bit. For example, if you've got red hair and pale skin with pink undertones do you really want to wear a blazing cherry leather jacket? Maybe not. If you've got dark hair and sallower skin it might really work though.

Cordovan looks fantastic but again, I would have think about how it would be integrated into your overall look, both your physical appearance and your wardrobe.

 

[nick123]

Be sure to also note that Aero uses several varying shades of regular brown FQHH, from light to a dark that can look like cordovan in certain lighting conditions.

 

[simonc]

May I suggest you consider footwear before your order; do you have brown boots and or shoes? Do you have cordovan?

 

[blazerbud]

I cannot choose. They all look so good. I have a pair of Redwing Iron rangers. I wanted Amber Harness, but the store only had brown. Being my first pair I wanted to try them on in person rather than order. Turns out, they look just enough Amber Harness like in certain light to really look good. I prefer the versatility of the brown.
I think that I would go for a brown that had the red tint in certain lighting. This was mentioned earlier.
I feel like we are choosing redheads, blondes, strawberry blondes, brunettes. How can you choose? I like them all.

 

[simonc]

You have answered wisely, and when you get a pair of cordovan boots or shoes you know what to do.

 

[Mark]

Thanks guys, I am very impressed by the pics, the Cordovan looks fantastic. Not sure though that I am any the wiser as to what to go for! It has been suggested a dark brown may show some burgundy highlights, kind of best of both brown and cordovan.
I have not thought about what I would be wearing with the jacket, its a good point though. I nearly always wear jeans, s.shirt and brown chukas (Timberland boot company, Horwean leather, very nice). Highwaymanman raised another good point as to hair colour/skin tone, again something i'd not considered, I'v regular brown hair and fair skin.
Thanks again for all the info, look forward to hearing some more.

 

[smoz]

Here are a few pictures that I posted a couple of months ago on another thread, they are of a vintage cordovan Highwayman which is about two years old, link here for more details

http://www.thefedoralounge.com/showthread.php?72176-A-Highwayman-in-the-highlands

As others have suggested it is a difficult colour to capture in a photo, all these pictures were taken in natural daylight and I would say they are all a fair guide to the colour of the leather in that light, it's just that the colour varies so much.

 

[Edward]

The Cordovan really does age beautifully.

Edward, the two jackets come from the same batch and are identical in the flesh.

It just shows how photos don't always tell the truth.

Jinkies, no... Mine has looked like either of those in different lighting conditions, but it's interesting that happened in the one photo.

I've had a couple of Cherry jackets and basically, no, it's not bright. It's not exactly a dull shade either but I'd say it's more dull than it is bright. Develops a very nice patina if you have the patience and is not a bad match at all for Horween Shell Cordovan #8

I'm sure it looks grand - was just much lighter than I was after. Be interesting to see some jackets in that hide, though- I think I've only seen one or maybe two posted on here before.

May I suggest you consider footwear before your order; do you have brown boots and or shoes? Do you have cordovan?

Good plan... FWIW, I find my cordovan jacket looks just fine with black shoes/boots (though I tend to wear burgundy with it. Tempted by a pair of burgundy engineer boots, if I could find an affordable pair...). I've never tried to pair it with brown, though, so I don't know how well that would work.

I feel like we are choosing redheads, blondes, strawberry blondes, brunettes. How can you choose? I like them all.

Not at all the same. Fewer people round here would disapprove of you having multiple jackets.... and the other jackets don't get jealous either.

Ba-DUM-tssssssss Eyethangyew, I'm here all weekend...

Thanks guys, I am very impressed by the pics, the Cordovan looks fantastic. Not sure though that I am any the wiser as to what to go for! It has been suggested a dark brown may show some burgundy highlights, kind of best of both brown and cordovan.
I have not thought about what I would be wearing with the jacket, its a good point though. I nearly always wear jeans, s.shirt and brown chukas (Timberland boot company, Horwean leather, very nice). Highwaymanman raised another good point as to hair colour/skin tone, again something i'd not considered, I'v regular brown hair and fair skin.
Thanks again for all the info, look forward to hearing some more.

Another thing I might drop in just to consider..... Do you want something that's a bit distinctive, a bit different from what everyone else has? The Highwayman is Aero's most popular model. I think quite a lot of us have one here, but with the exception of Smoz's above, afaik we all have them in either black or brown. might be nice to have it in something different. One of the reasons I opted for cordovan for my Bootlegger was because I fancied having a jacket that was distinct from all my other brown and black jackets.

 

[wdw]

Edward, the jacket on the left in my triple pic above is a HWM. There's pics of me wearing it somewhere here.

As for footwear, I've worn black, brown, beige and burgundy with cordovan and all work well. The beauty of cordovan to me is its versatility and the subtly changing colour.

I still think Edward's grave pic is the best cordovan shot on the board, by the way.

 

[simonc]

I would agree Edward Cordovan can be worn with black at a push, but cordovan boots would be ideal with a cordovan jacket or shoes - http://www.life-time-gear.com/2013/05/boot-of-day-175-whites-oxford-shoes.html . And that's it really, there is no better colour, brown, black etc in a jacket its what you can pair it with as far as your feet are concerned. you can wear whipchord, chino, denim, tweed whatever you like in between but it is always ideal if the leather matches up at both ends, always. I have a brown jacket arriving monday and I only ordered it in brown as I just purchased some lovely brown boots earlier this year. I would love, I mean love a cordovan biker jacket with brass fittings but for me I'd need some biker boots to match, and that is exactly what I am going to next - after I sort out an order for a new Bronco, just need some heavy 50 momme silk to line it with, maybe in gold, or purple, or red, argh I'm sick, I need help...