Leather jackets colours...

[red devil]

I have been lurking here for quite a while and most of the jackets I see are either a shade of brown (that includes tan) or black.
There have been a few mentions of midnight blue and maybe red, but these remain minor.

So I was wondering what is the general outlook regarding colours. Is having a black or brown jacket essential?

What do you think of other colours? And what would you get if you had decided to get something different?

 

[Harris HTM]

Hello.
Well, the three most popular colours are black, brown and cordovan. Indeed every now and then a different colour pops up, such as midnight blue, natural, green. etc.
If you are looking for your first leather jacket I would recommend black or brown, classical, stylish and for every occasion.
I've seen some beautiful green from Thedi Leather (Thessaloniki Greece). Great colour and not extravagant at all.
You can also find deep red, white, pink, etc leather jackets but imo you would look like a poser rock star!

 

[Justhandguns]

My suggestion, see what sort of shoes you wear most. If you have more browns, get a brown jacket, if you have more blacks, get a black jacket, if you wear mainly trainers/sneakers type of shoes, it does not really matter I guess.

 

[sweetfights]

Thurston Bros have some exceptional non conforming colors. If this is your first high end leather jacket get an all purpose all occasion jacket. Classic style and color that you can wear with anything. Having said that, navy blue leather would be extremely nice. It is not just the color but the type of leather that matters. Lost World's use to have some nice navy horsehide but no longer carry it.

 

[Hypoxic]

My leather Armeé de l'air jacket is blue/gray.

 

[red devil]

Let me just say that I already own a few jackets, but I see the colours as a way of justifying getting new ones

@Harris HTM , just checked the green one at Thedi leather, and I am thinking that I would wear it, and I believe you would as well?

@Justhandguns , that's a very good suggestion, I am currently breaking burgundy engineer boots to use daily, and wearing mainly a pair of grey sneakers the other days (when going for day to day stuff). So I guess any colour would go with this.

 

[red devil]

@sweetfights thanks! Will check their page.

@Hypoxic , any pics?
I was thinking of either grey or blue most, but not a combination, that sounds really cool

 

[Hypoxic]

@sweetfights thanks! Will check their page.

@Hypoxic , any pics?
I was thinking of either grey or blue most, but not a combination, that sounds really cool

At work right now. I will try to post one later for you. Guess I should have wrote that different, the jacket is the traditional French blueish-gray.

Edit: here is a photo I found online. My jacket looks the same, the fur and liner are removable and there is a pouch inside with an orange nylon rescue vest.

 

[Harris HTM]

Let me just say that I already own a few jackets, but I see the colours as a way of justifying getting new ones

@Harris HTM , just checked the green one at Thedi leather, and I am thinking that I would wear it, and I believe you would as well?

@Justhandguns , that's a very good suggestion, I am currently breaking burgundy engineer boots to use daily, and wearing mainly a pair of grey sneakers the other days (when going for day to day stuff). So I guess any colour would go with this.

I would definitely wear it with my more casual clothing. Since you wear mainly sneakers I think it would look nice.

 

[nick123]

At work right now. I will try to post one later for you. Guess I should have wrote that different, the jacket is the traditional French blueish-gray.

Edit: here is a photo I found online. My jacket looks the same, the fur and liner are removable and there is a pouch inside with an orange nylon rescue vest.

Gibson and Barnes right? Sadly one of the first models they purged from their catalogue a few years ago. Wish I could go back in time.

 

[Monitor]

I have a red jacket and I love it but it's just that I don't feel like wearing it every day. I wish I did, though! I would wear red, green and blue jackets much rather than black or brown but most days I just can't get myself to leave the house in that jacket.

 

[Harris HTM]

I have a red jacket and I love it but it's just that I don't feel like wearing it every day. I wish I did, though! I would wear red, green and blue jackets much rather than black or brown but most days I just can't get myself to leave the house in that jacket.

Like Michael Jackson in Thriller??? Gosh....

 

[Hypoxic]

Gibson and Barnes right? Sadly one of the first models they purged from their catalogue a few years ago. Wish I could go back in time.

Yep, G&B and a real shame it's gone now as it's a really nice jacket, it really exceeded my expectations when I received it. Got it on clearance when they were liquidating stock and once the guys in my shop saw it in person, they snatched up the remaining sizes. I regret not nabbing their Luftwaffe jacket at the same time.

 

[nick123]

Yep, G&B and a real shame it's gone now as it's a really nice jacket, it really exceeded my expectations when I received it. Got it on clearance when they were liquidating stock and once the guys in my shop saw it in person, they snatched up the remaining sizes. I regret not nabbing their Luftwaffe jacket at the same time.

The Luftwaffe models springs up on ebay from time to time, but the French one I think I've seen once in the past three years. They have some issued actual models but they're not the same. :lol:

 

[red devil]

here is a photo I found online. My jacket looks the same, the fur and liner are removable and there is a pouch inside with an orange nylon rescue vest.

That looks really good!

 

[red devil]

@Monitor
Nice looking Cafe Racer!
I am thinking that the cafe racer is an ideal design to have in different colours because it's not too busy.
As for red colour, it looks cheap if the leather is low quality, I am thinking a CXL red cafe racer could look really good

Edit: Does red CXL exist?

 

[Hypoxic]

The Luftwaffe models springs up on ebay from time to time, but the French one I think I've seen once in the past three years. They have some issued actual models but they're not the same. :lol:

Me and a French pilot did a side-by-side comparison between the G&B model and the real thing. The G&B is made of a noticeably superior leather and zipper, the issued Armeé de l'air jacket has an oval shaped sleeve pocket. Other than that G&B hit it pretty close.

 

[Superfluous]

I hate to be the killjoy but, IMHO, primary and secondary color jackets look more fashion oriented. They are also too bright, and attract too much attention, for my taste. I prefer leather jackets that are more subdued and blend in, as opposed to snapping the necks of anyone within eyesight.

Separately, I tend to match my leather. In other words, if I am wearing a brown leather jacket, my belt will be brown and, if my shoes are leather, they also will be brown (canvas shoes are a different story). I don't have any red or green belts or leather shoes.

Separately, while I am fully aware that all leather is dyed, brown and black leather nevertheless have a more "natural" appearance to me. Black and brown seem more consistent with the origin of the leather, namely the hide of an animal. In contrast, red and green seem more disconnected to the original hide. I have never seen a green horse or cow.

Separately, brown and black leather jackets are much easier to match with clothing and, therefore, have greater utility.

I recently debated colored jackets with Dave Himel. Notwithstanding that his current jackets are all brown, black or white, he advocates colored jackets and plans to offer colored leather in the future. He confirms that colored leather has historical origins.

The bottom line is that I am not there . . . yet. For the time being, I am sticking with different shades of brown and black. If you see someone walking down the street in a bright green leather jacket -- and snap you neck to take a gander -- it ain't me.

 

[skydog757]

Hello.
Well, the three most popular colours are black, brown and cordovan.

Glad to see a mention of cordovan. I have a niece who is an attorney and requested a briefcase or attache in that color. Her reasoning was that it would be appropriate with whatever color of business attire that she wore. And she was right, she uses it almost daily and she always looks great. I have a 3/4 length Gordon & Ferguson in the same color.

 

[Edward]

I've often wndered when "coloured" leather started being used in jackets. Very hard to find examples, of course, becasue of B&W photography back in the day. I have, howeve,r seen just about any shade you care to mention of brown, tan, white, cream, red, black, blue.... on leather seats in vintage cars gonig back to the 20s, so the idea of a range of colours of leather is certainly not a new one.

Aero did a nice petrol blue version of their Aeromarine, with slash pockets, for a forumites at a time here, though I on't know that they ever did another. Blue was the hip colour in these parts for a bit, but it seems to have died out before anyone else actually bought a jacket in it! I'm liking the midnight blue FQHH Aero have now; I'd love to see that in a classic bike jacket of some sort - perhaps the Original 59er Highwayman. Or the Elvis... I'd also very much consider a green jacket in the hue monitor posted - I'd love to see that in a Perfecto style, or perhaps an A2. With really full-on colours like bright red, then, yes - simplicity of design is a bonus, not too busy. I did at a time want a copy of the cafe racer Brad Pitt wears in the headlight-smashing sequence in Fight Club, but it wouldn't match any of my aesthetic nowadays. I do have an Aero Bootleger in Cordovan, and that has been one of the most flexible jackets I've ever owned. I do tend to match leathers, thought with a blue jacket I suspect I'd just stick to black. Green would work with either brown or black in the right shade. Always liked that shade of green you commonly see in 30s-50s long, leather overcoats made in Germany.