First Leather Jacket

[Cole]

My first leather jacket was a highwayman knock off (as I know today) from a company called Gipsy. I bought it around 1997 / 98 when I was in my early twentys

The second leather jacked was a custom made Vanson HH jacket that I still wear on a regular basis.

Right now I got 6 leather jackets in the closet, 2 in the mail on their way to me and one on order (if I spend one more € for leather jackets this year my wife will kill me ).

 

[Mark]

My first leather jacket was a paper thin bomber style jacket i brought in Turkey in the early 80's. Not sure what the hide was, maybe lamb as it was so thin and tore easily. Lost in the mists of time now. Never got another leather jacket until some 20 years later, a Mall jacket! Have since learnt the error of my ways and now own an Aero Highwayman, Cirrus Irvin jacket and have a Cirrus A2 on order.

Mark

 

[jksu]

my dad had a old leather jacket in his closet when i was growing up. he rode motorcycles in his youth -- had some bad crashes too so never wanted me to learn to ride.

undoubtedly i eventually did later in adulthood. so i when i started to ride, being a bit more mature and not the reckless type, i bought a decent textile armored jacket and full face/modular helmet. but in the back of my mind i kept wanting a leather jacket.

the first leather jacket was 3-4 years ago, a joe rocket honda logo'd one. the size 40 fit me great and the leather seemed decent quality but what did i know. likely china or pakistan source, but i didn't even check back then to be honest. stiff at first, but after 1 ride caught in the rain it felt great. but i was too much of a power ranger look so eventually i sold it as much as i liked it. next i tried an alpinestars leather jacket that had subdued logo'ing. still too power ranger and just didn't do anything for me. i wasn't excited to put it on. sold that one. then i started thinking maybe leather wasn't meant to be and moved on to some nicer armored textiles from revit (bronx) and alpinestars (verona air).

but in my heart i still yearned for leather...there had to be something out there. time passed....

at that point, i also thought, well, maybe i'll just keep armored textiles for riding and get a nice leather for casual wear. so next came a schott 641. but too loose in shoulders/torso and short in the sleeves. ok leather and construction but because of poor fit, i sold it.

kept reading about fox creek and a grayson popped up on ebay in my size. great fit! nice long sleeves for riding, cafe racer styling, pockets for armor, full sleeve liner, pockets, etc. super thick leather, yet supple. it's become my favorite riding jacket for 50-80 deg. hardly wear my textiles any more, except for super cold/rainy weather or >80 deg i'll use the my alpinestars verona air mesh jacket.

after a few months, the leather bug in full effect after the fox creek success for on the bike, i started looking for a brown jacket (the fox creek is black) for casual wear. i picked up a schott 520 brown utility wool lined. great for cold months, walking the dog in the am, etc. it was cheap and so i use it all the time not worried about messing it up.

picked up a dainese stripes somewhere along the way, since i had always heard good things about their jackets for riding. decent for sure, but to be honest nothing functionally superior over the fox creek. may sell it -- would look great for someone riding a ducati.

found this forum late last year and learned about aero... seemed like the ultimate maker. i saved up my pennies and won oldcrow's auction for his brown oil pull fqhh highwayman. and of course, i love it! the only horsehide jacket i own. it got me infatuated with horween tanned goods leading to wolverine 1k mile boots.

 

[Oxford]

My first jacket was Avirex LTD. Top Gun G-1 brown antique lambskin. I purchased it in 2001 when I was in my twenties and 100% hooked on Avirex brand. I don't have it anymore because I sold it because this one was made in Korea and wanted to purchase one made in USA. Now I have two TOP GUN's made in USA, two TOP GUN made in Korea (again) and one A-2 classic antiq.lambskin made in USA.

 

[ButteMT61]

My first jacket was Avirex LTD. Top Gun G-1 brown antique lambskin. I purchased it in 2001 when I was in my twenties and 100% hooked on Avirex brand. I don't have it anymore because I sold it because this one was made in Korea and wanted to purchase one made in USA. Now I have two TOP GUN's made in USA, two TOP GUN made in Korea (again) and one A-2 classic antiq.lambskin made in USA.

Well, if you still have it, Top Gun II is coming!! lol

 

[oneterrifichog]

My first leather jacket was a suede sportcoat styled jacket with patch pockets I picked up just before I left for the Mardi Gras in 1968.Three of us went down to New Orleans and crawled every place down there for the next week and a half; at some point I was carrying a wine sac around my neck(for about 3 days) and manage to soak the bloody thing completley. No matter I cleaned it all off and wore it for the next 3 years whenever I was away from the base in Germany where I had been assigned after having to go into the Army for spending tooooo much time down in New Orleans and coming home to find out I was out of school and drafted. I kept using the jacket after I got out in 1971 and letting my hair grow out (down to the middle of my back) and letting "my freak flag fly"!!!!! By now though the jacket was slicker than a baby's butt and had some excellent patina when I left it at someone's place one night never to find it again (short term memory loss). I have been searching for the "perfect jacket" ever since.

 

[HoosierDaddy]

My first leather jacket was a suede sportcoat styled jacket with patch pockets I picked up just before I left for the Mardi Gras in 1968.Three of us went down to New Orleans and crawled every place down there for the next week and a half; at some point I was carrying a wine sac around my neck(for about 3 days) and manage to soak the bloody thing completley. No matter I cleaned it all off and wore it for the next 3 years whenever I was away from the base in Germany where I had been assigned after having to go into the Army for spending tooooo much time down in New Orleans and coming home to find out I was out of school and drafted. I kept using the jacket after I got out in 1971 and letting my hair grow out (down to the middle of my back) and letting "my freak flag fly"!!!!! By now though the jacket was slicker than a baby's butt and had some excellent patina when I left it at someone's place one night never to find it again (short term memory loss). I have been searching for the "perfect jacket" ever since.

Far freeckin out..Maaan! I think I saw that same jacket on some hippy chick in 'Static,Tenn' in the fall of '72..just after Uncle released me! Well..I'm pretty sure it was a chick. :hippie:
HD

 

[Oxford]

Well, if you still have it, Top Gun II is coming!! lol

But jackets have better character than the actor that made them famous for sure

 

[green papaya]

my first leather jacket was from WILSON's Leather in San Francisco 1980

it was a short waist length jacket with plastic zippers on the sleeves, kind of a Saturday Night Fever style jkt people use to wear at the Disco

it only cost around $79

 

[Fanch]

My first leather jacket was a G-1 issued to me in 1967 while I was in the US Navy and stolen in 1970. It was a size 44 that would still fit me today. I do recall the sleeves being too short even then, and the single rib rack knits at the waist being too loose, although that was the way that the G-1 fit then.

 

[rocketeer]

My first leather I bought when I was around 20 years old a bit of an old un really as people on the Rock n Roll scene always had leathers but I just got by with what I had. It was an un named black, straight zip Motorcycle jacket for riding my Matchless 650. Bought from Marc Robinson(Buddy Holly tribute artiste for those familiar with him) was a second hand jacket with an un quilted red silk or rayon lining with zip and popper cuffs with short tassels which I cut off.
This was around 1979, I damaged the zip doing some work and part exchanged it in a newly discovered shop known as The Thrift Shop in Battersea for a cafe racer type jacket.
The discovery of this shop run by a certain Mr Calder, led to other things.............To be continued.

 

[Aerojoe]

My first leather jacket ever was a G-1. I purchased when a was 14 or so, I always have been dressed in leather, in a good sense.

This jacket was a mall market made in Korea for a british or american brand, not sure. I purchased a size way too big for me because there were not sizes for kids. It is a true 42 size.

Back then I guess I looked funny with a jacket so big for me but right now it still fits me more or less and I keep it for sentimental reasons.

It has 8th force logos and a b-29 pinted on the back, and I don't wear it anymore.

Then I purchased a Perfecto and Highwayman that I still keep for sentimental reasons too.

I went to purchase the Perfecto with a friend of mine and he got one too. At some point he decided to sell his jacket and he has been regretting it since then.

Sometimes selling a leather jacket is like selling a piece of your life

 

[ButteMT61]

I think the A-1 was just being retired when I was 14 lol

 

[Dinerman]

Beat up '60s kids leather jacket- got it at a yard sale- had it from when I was about 5 to 7.

 

[rocketeer]

Sometimes selling a leather jacket is like selling a piece of your life

Not leather but i still have my Drape jacket from my 1970s Teddy Boy days. Cost me £70 in 1978 Bespoke, and my wage was around £18.50p a week as an Apprentice engineer.
My Mrs tells me to get rid of it as I'll never wear it again, but I tell her it is like a photo album into my lost youth.
Still have my first A2 from Aero in 1981-82........as I said, to be continued.
J

 

[Fanch]

I think the A-1 was just being retired when I was 14 lol

ButteMT61, according to info in the Aero website, "the A-1 could still be found in limited use during WWII and was finally taken out of duty on September 29th 1944, after stocks were exhausted." I didn't realize you wuz that old LOL! Sorry guys but couldn't resist; must have some levity with our obsession with leather jackets.

 

[Grayland]

ButteMT61, according to info in the Aero website, "the A-1 could still be found in limited use during WWII and was finally taken out of duty on September 29th 1944, after stocks were exhausted." I didn't realize you wuz that old LOL! Sorry guys but couldn't resist; must have some levity with our obsession with leather jackets.

Rumor has it that his SSN is 117.

 

[Fanch]

Rumor has it that his SSN is 117.

Let us now conjugate the Verb "am old:"
I am old.
You are old.
We is all old.

I think that I was 27 years old back in 1967 when my US Navy G-1 was issued; so you guys do the math. Although that particular G-1 was stolen, my best fitting jacket is a size 46 Cooper regulation Navy G-1 that is a perfect fit since it has folded over knits at the waist rather than the single layer of rib-rack that never seemed to fit snugly at the waist.

 

[ButteMT61]

Rumor has it that his SSN is 117.

LM*O! You guys kill me. Can't believe Van hasn't chimed in. You gotta laugh while waiting on the good weather!

 

[Dumpster Diver]

I badly wanted one, and the best thing I could get was a locally made B-3 looking Repro (Just a regular looking old Knock-off but at least it was real sheepskin) gotten as a christmas gift.

I am still wearing it, I guess Its been there for me about half my life now, Still hanging on, patched and probly on its third zipper now.

Got a nice Heavy stock Lightning zipper off a Canadian Army parka, Does well to match.

then I will wear a G-1 Jacket around on occaison too rare, Still, wear em If you got em.