That happened to a friend of mine. He wore the "Captain America " style gear when he had a sport bike. Then he bought a Harley and flipped to a very low key style. You wouldn't know he had a bike.
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How has your taste in leather jackets changed over the years?
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When they ask it usually means what hangar do you keep your plane because they want a ride. Quite a few pilots ride motorcycles to the airport.
Lol. I have yet to get asked "where is your aircraft carrier" while wearing my N1 deck jacket at least.
Just say "how did you know....."Lol. I have yet to get asked "where is your aircraft carrier" while wearing my N1 deck jacket at least.
Interesting conversation regarding gear and function. In Europe I was never asked if I had a bike while wearing a crosszip. I would need to be wearing something like this, and then it would be rather "what do you ride?"
Actually with this one, it would be rather "which model do you ride?"
In the US, I did ask whether I were a biker with a crosszip on. I suspect it is because these types of jackets are used more often for riding there and you have some states where the helmet is not mandatory. At least it is the best explanation I have come up with.
As with @Zoro , it was the metal scene that got me into that style, purcasing my first crosszip at 14.
Coming back to the main question, it has been an exploration for me, I will write some more detailed thoughts a bit later
Actually with this one, it would be rather "which model do you ride?"
In the US, I did ask whether I were a biker with a crosszip on. I suspect it is because these types of jackets are used more often for riding there and you have some states where the helmet is not mandatory. At least it is the best explanation I have come up with.
As with @Zoro , it was the metal scene that got me into that style, purcasing my first crosszip at 14.
Coming back to the main question, it has been an exploration for me, I will write some more detailed thoughts a bit later
Madhouse27
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I started with a (mall level) black cross zip during my heavy metal years as a teen in the 1980’s. As I got a little older, I became enamored with the British rocker scene of the 1950’s so I bought a Triumph Motorcyle and upgraded to a real Schott Perfecto. Since joining TFL I’ve experimented with some other styles and bought and sold quite a number of jackets. It’s a fun hobby as it combines some research and the hunt itself. Despite all the new information and interest, stylistically not much has changed. I still prefer (and feel most comfortable in) a black leather cross zip. The budget has gone up. More horsehide these days and added the D pocket style, but the look has been pretty consistent for the past forty years. At some point I might experiment with brown leather.
As mentioned earlier, I got my first jacket at 14, influenced by the rocker / metal scene. I later used it on bikes as I got older—until it was stolen. It was a Perfecto with a cool painting on the back. A heavy jacket—at least it felt that way back then, though I’m not sure how it would feel now—most likely made from cowhide. By that point, I had fallen head over heels for leather.
My next purchase was a functional riding jacket with armour, which was a game changer for bike use.
The next step was an Italian fashion leather jacket. Yes, I fell into the trap of believing that lighter, softer leather meant higher-end quality—a myth that fashion brands have been keen to perpetuate.
I also ventured into getting custom leather jackets made in Asia. Two that stand out were a blue straight-zip jacket with a fox fur collar and a grey shearling jacket for colder weather. Both tore with use, though I still remember the tailor’s face when I asked for something other than black or brown for a men’s jacket!
My longest-serving jacket is a brown one—cowhide, I think—which I used for over a decade. It aged beautifully over time.
At that point, a friend introduced me to the repro scene. Back then, I didn’t see the point of exact reproductions. I can understand the appeal now, but it’s still not my thing. I prefer using older jackets as inspiration and coming up with my own versions. In any case, that’s when I joined TFL!
Now that I’ve written all of this, I realise I still haven’t really answered your question—or attempted to, at least.
Well, I came here and started exploring makers, leathers, colors (an interest I already had, as mentioned earlier), and most importantly, styles. I began with basics, like the brown Suburban from LW:
dabbled in cross-zips:
British crosszips:
Tried some inventive designs from Thedi, which was a revelation at the time:
I discovered ’70s-style jackets during a visit to the Freewheelers shop:
continued my exploration in this direction:
experimented with different leathers, and now I’m currently exploring leather trousers, among other things. That’s more or less where I am at the moment:
So, how do I answer you, OP? The best I can say is that I’m still exploring. I have very few, if any, regrets about the jackets I’ve bought. They all have a story.
My next purchase was a functional riding jacket with armour, which was a game changer for bike use.
The next step was an Italian fashion leather jacket. Yes, I fell into the trap of believing that lighter, softer leather meant higher-end quality—a myth that fashion brands have been keen to perpetuate.
I also ventured into getting custom leather jackets made in Asia. Two that stand out were a blue straight-zip jacket with a fox fur collar and a grey shearling jacket for colder weather. Both tore with use, though I still remember the tailor’s face when I asked for something other than black or brown for a men’s jacket!
My longest-serving jacket is a brown one—cowhide, I think—which I used for over a decade. It aged beautifully over time.
At that point, a friend introduced me to the repro scene. Back then, I didn’t see the point of exact reproductions. I can understand the appeal now, but it’s still not my thing. I prefer using older jackets as inspiration and coming up with my own versions. In any case, that’s when I joined TFL!
Now that I’ve written all of this, I realise I still haven’t really answered your question—or attempted to, at least.
Well, I came here and started exploring makers, leathers, colors (an interest I already had, as mentioned earlier), and most importantly, styles. I began with basics, like the brown Suburban from LW:
dabbled in cross-zips:
British crosszips:
Tried some inventive designs from Thedi, which was a revelation at the time:
I discovered ’70s-style jackets during a visit to the Freewheelers shop:
continued my exploration in this direction:
experimented with different leathers, and now I’m currently exploring leather trousers, among other things. That’s more or less where I am at the moment:
So, how do I answer you, OP? The best I can say is that I’m still exploring. I have very few, if any, regrets about the jackets I’ve bought. They all have a story.
I notice "fake" fasteners, buckles, buttons and snaps more. I don't want to see them on a jacket if they are not functioning. Trucker/ western jackets often grab my attention. More often than not the person wearing it can not fasten the bottom snap or two. That is with the side cinch in the wide open position. Gives me the impression they outgrew it a long time ago. If it has adjusters I want to be able to use them. If the jacket is so tight they can't be fastened, I put that in the fake category and would rather see them removed from the waistband, since they aren't doing anything. Except perhaps scratching the back of a chair or saddle. If you can tighten the side cinch, you can also let it out for layering or venting. Here are a few pictures of a pinacle jacket I just got, with everything fastened. I realize this look is opposite of what most folks go for. Buckles and snaps that can't buckle an snap just bug me.
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