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Life with ONE great Leather Jacket vs. Life with MANY Leather Jackets

Windstorm81

One of the Regulars
Messages
147
Location
New York
So, Its probably safe to say that most of us here are Leather Enthusiasts and as such are always looking for that perfect leather jacket...In this hunt, we have added several Leather jackets of different animal hides to our collection...But at times, I actually ENVY that one guy, who buys a single great Leather Jacket and makes it his everyday companion ! .... in rain or sunshine, that leather ages, collects memories and adds on Character as it lives through ALL moments with its owner.....Having collected multiple leather jackets myself, it is definitely a privilege to be able to choose among the different fabulous hides BUT sometimes I wish I could choose just that ONE jacket and just wear it all the time as opposed to making time for ALL the different ones.

Its like living with multiple Beautiful Wives but the experience of spending your life with that ONE special other half is something else :) I know its just leather jackets but I feel the analogy works well...lol..

I don't know...anyone of you gentlemen share the above thought or sentiment ?
 

nick123

I'll Lock Up
Messages
6,370
Location
California
Much admiration to anyone who can settle with one. But at the same time, the fun is wanting/buying more. My question is, theoretically if someone wears his/her leather jacket every day, all day, will one of these last a lifetime? I'm thinking you need 2+ for insurance.
 

Dumpster Diver

Practically Family
Messages
952
Location
Ontario
If I had only one, It would easily be worn out.

Have to have many to rotate them all, I wear bags and Ride bikes and Get thrown out of Moving Cars..you know, casual wear.
 
Messages
11,184
Location
SoCal
I had it narrowed down to one! But the bug bit and I bought another, only to be disappointed when it showed up...so off it goes and I'm down to one again. And what a beauty she is!
 

frussell

One Too Many
Messages
1,409
Location
California Desert
I think I could be that "just one" guy if I found one that I was really happy with. Our winters here are pretty damn short, this one seems to be over already, and we're in the 70s every day since around Christmas. Don't ride motorcycles, just the occasional horse, and I'd look silly with my Teamster on a horse anyway. I put wear on my jackets, cloth and leather alike, but I haven't worn one out since I moved from Texas in the late 80s. If I got one that looked like my Aero, and fit just right, I believe I'd be able to make that one last for a long, long while. I sure do love looking at leather jackets though, so if I come into a windfall, I'd probably be as prolific as some of our members. Frank.
 

trapp

Practically Family
Messages
546
Location
bay area, ca
Definately one for insurance :)

Though, to be honest, I share that basic thought and sentiment, Windstorm. For me, there's a certain romantic note about someone (or the idea of someone) who owns and wears one or two great leather jackets and sticks to them for years and years. Probably because, right or wrong, it's the way I envision guys in past generations wearing their jackets.
 

Superfluous

My Mail is Forwarded Here
Messages
3,995
Location
Missing in action
One GREAT leather jacket > Many leather jackets

Many GREAT leather jackets > One GREAT leather jacket

While it would undoubtedly be rewarding to live in one jacket, and wear it like a second skin, my OCD and insatiable desire for variety preclude me from pursuing this noble path. I have never been able to stop at one. Hence the reason I am a sober drug addict/alcoholic.
 

dudewuttheheck

I'll Lock Up
Messages
4,496
Right now, I am that guy with the one great leather jacket. I have to say that right now I am pretty darn happy having just the one. Of course I am always looking at others, but having just one leather means I get to wear it a lot! That along with my jeans and my clarks are basically my uniform. I always have felt like I should first make sure I have that one great outfit that if I had to be a TV character and have just one set of clothes, I wanted to make sure they were perfect.
 

Glenville86

Familiar Face
Messages
68
Location
Reston, VA
I think back in the day, most average folks did not have the disposable income like we do now to own multiple coats, boots, hats and such. They made do with what they had, took care of it and only replaced it when necessary.

Getting back to our time - I have at least 12-15 leather jackets with hides from horse, goat, lamb, steer and cow. I honestly have too many. I do rotate and wear them all. It has come to the point that if I get a new one, I give one to charity. About a 3rd of them were bought pre-owned. Some are heavy hides for Winter, some medium and some lighter.

To be honest, I could go down to 2 jackets. One heavy and one lighter. Don't think one jacket would be good for year round wear.

As far as finding the one perfect jacket - I have a G&B Expedition in Goat that I would keep if only allowed to have one.
 

Damo

A-List Customer
Messages
467
Location
Canada
Well i will be going from 0 leather jackets to 3 hopefully within the next month if my orders come in. I guess its obvious which side im on... Think its difficult to find that one jacket for riding, casual, formal and different seasons. If only having multiple wives could be the same price as having multiple leather jackets :)
 
Messages
16,916
Ideally, what I want is to have just one, perfect jacket I would be wearing all the time. The idea of having a wardrobe full of leather jacket was never quite appealing to me. However, if I could find that perfect one, I wouldn't be happy until I bought two of 'em, at last. Same as Nick, just for insurance, I'd love to say but we all know that's just the good, old OCD.

Superflouos is right, though, no matter what I want, I don't think I could ever quite settle with just one and forget about the whole jacket business, because I truly do enjoy wearing jackets. I feel good in 'em but the problem with that is, I keep thinking about it and how cool it would be to have this jacket, or that jacket... One day it's the Perfectos, Cafe Racers the other, then comes the time for flight jackets, bombers, half belts, etc. So it never really stops. But that's how it goes. One day at a time, eh. XD

I am fairly certain that the guys who wear the hell out of just one leather jacket, have never really given that much thought into the matter. That's the thing, once you get into it, you can forget about sticking to only one leather jacket...
 

zebedee

One Too Many
Messages
1,916
Location
Shanghai
I reckon that, if I absolutely had to have only one jacket ever, it would be a Teamster in battered tan hide. The colour would go with anything, and...

Oh, wait- that was the one I haven't got yet. :D
 

Sloan1874

I'll Lock Up
Messages
8,427
Location
Glasgow
I like different styles/periods/weights, and I can't think of one that would see me right through the year or be suitable for every occasion. Monitor is right, though: once you're into them, you can easily rationalise having an ever-expanding wardrobe of jackets.
 

zhz

Practically Family
Messages
890
Location
China, London and Coventry UK
I think I will end up with at least 3 leather jacekts...one A2, one half belt, one Buco j24 style jacket. I know I cant just have one, even I know it is perfect, because what should I do if I want to try another style?
I am glad I already have an A2 and a half belt, and both are perfect for me...so I can wear them in turn...
 

EmergencyIan

Practically Family
Messages
918
Location
New York, NY
I own one leather jacket. It's a GW Bronco in horsehide. I received it in September of 2010. It's really superb. I have a number of vintage jacket and coats along with some very good reproductions. But, the GW A-2 is the only leather jacket that I need and truly have the desire to own, at the present.

- Ian
 
Messages
15,563
Location
East Central Indiana
To be honest...I think that I could sell my other Aeros (Stuart..HB..Hwymn..A2s) and be quite happy with only my brown FQHH zip sleeve BootLegger that I now wear the most. However..I'd sure keep my easy to wear Enfield,though. So I guess I could be happy with two. After acquiring these last two jackets,luckily,I seem to have cured my new leather jacket enthusiasm for the past few years...and actually..I'm fine with that and probably even a little relieved...:D
HD
 

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