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

[trapp]

I'll bite!
Here's my ONE:

http://www.thefedoralounge.com/showthread.php?78755-My-new-Goodwear-quot-Imperial-quot/page6

Doh! That jacket is amazing. I hadn't seen the fit pics until now and it is indeed the perfect leather jacket. If you're only going to own one, that's one to own.

Man, you can just retire in ease knowing you have that one in your pocket. It looks a lot better on you than in the period ads, where the jacket looks too short and...geometrical. Enjoy.

 

[handymike]

Thanks Trapp, it will be incredibly difficult for another maker to beat that GW.

 

[Justhandguns]

One of the things which I think is different is that, now paying so much for good repros, people tend to baby them having shelled out so much moolah for the things. Whereas to get that excellent patina you really have to wear the sh!t out of the thing and not worry too much about it.

And I think that there is a tendency to do this not just with milspec repros but a lot of high end leather.

TBH I'm fairly horrific with my leather jackets and they seem to look so much the better for it.

Yes, of course, imagine that you are issued with a GW jacket for free! I am pretty sure most people would at least nurse their spanking new jackets for a short while until they start to get several scratches or rubs. Even though we call our jackets milspec repros, they indeed can be considered as high end fashion items.

I think you are absolutely right about leather jacket care (and other leather products such as shoes and bags), you really have to wear them from time to time at least, otherwise they will dry up and crack.

 

[Spitfire]

I totally agree, Smithy. An old VOLVO ad pops up in my mind.
The headline said it all: "Drive it like you hate it!"

 

[Smithy]

I totally agree, Smithy. An old VOLVO ad pops up in my mind.
The headline said it all: "Drive it like you hate it!"

Perhaps the tagline then for us leather jacket wearers here should be: "Wear it like you hate it!"

 

[Justhandguns]

Perhaps the tagline then for us leather jacket wearers here should be: "Wear it like you hate it!"

This reminds me of this TV advert

[video=youtube;RgGfvkaoGpc]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RgGfvkaoGpc[/video]

 

[handymike]

Although now they recommend NOT washing them as often ;-)

 

[ProteinNerd]

Although now they recommend NOT washing them as often ;-)

LOL, how times have changed! Now people purposely don't wash them for months (or years!) and put them into the freezer to get rid of any smells.

That wouldn't be as interesting an add though, some guy rugged up sitting in a freezer shivering.

 

[Mark Ricketts]

No matter what it is made from, or the quality of materials, I have never had a jacket last more than 10 years before it died from overuse. As the old saying goes, the answer is serial monogamy.

 

[zhz]

Although now they recommend NOT washing them as often ;-)

Well, YOSHIYUKI HAYASHI, the former designer at DENIME, and now the founder of RESOLUTE, suggests to wash the jeans every week. Because in this way, your jeans will last much longer.

 

[Spitfire]

LOL, how times have changed! Now people purposely don't wash them for months (or years!) and put them into the freezer to get rid of any smells.

That wouldn't be as interesting an add though, some guy rugged up sitting in a freezer shivering.

There are other ways
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2RKp1P2S2qs&spfreload=10

 

[Damo]

That's a really great thought provoker.... one vs many. Sort of like what the catholic said to the fundamentalist Morman or dare I say it the Muslim.
When I was 18 I saved up and bought a harley jacket, when they were made in AMerica. It was a shade small from the start, but in a small town harley dealership, they used to get one shipment a year, and there was no online buying to be had. I thought I had hit the jackpot. I would love to be like Fonzie or Kevin Arnold with his Jets jacket. Sadly( or maybe not) the more I investigated this jacket malarkey, the more options of not just style or cut, but a variety of leathers, linings, purpose built jackets for mc, flying, getting laid etc just keep on coming up....
It's become a genuine hobby or passion, a bloody expensive one I might add. I could never have imagined spending over a grand on a jacket, on line, without trying it on etc...but, that's the way it is.
I'm hoping that in a couple of months I will be able to relax and be happy enough with my small collection for a little while, because I've developed a pretty serious boot problem along the way....
But to answer the original question, I would love to have a singular go to casual leather jacket that works with everything, and another one for my motorcycle...I must say though. I really enjoy the research, and dream building of the jacket game. The more I learn, the more I want, the more jackets I flip for half what I paid, and the circle of life continues....great question, great food for thought.

It's funny you mention boots too. Currently im also caught up into boots. I would like to get a pair from each maker, red wing, wolverine, william lennon, oak street. Then eventually maybe some wescos and whites but id like to think the original 4 makers i mentioned would be enough.
I was into shoes/sneakers a lot when i was younger and i was able to curb it for a few years but now my footwear problem has resurfaced.

 

[Aether]

Well, YOSHIYUKI HAYASHI, the former designer at DENIME, and now the founder of RESOLUTE, suggests to wash the jeans every week. Because in this way, your jeans will last much longer.

That's why I actually wash my jeans (other than not enjoying wearing stinking, filthy clothing!).

I wonder why all of these denim company suggest not washing them really?!

"No, no. You musn't wash them ever. The fades will be amazing...they may fall apart after a year..but they'll look great!".

 

[Justhandguns]

That's why I actually wash my jeans (other than not enjoying wearing stinking, filthy clothing!).

I wonder why all of these denim company suggest not washing them really?!

"No, no. You musn't wash them ever. The fades will be amazing...they may fall apart after a year..but they'll look great!".

Yes, this has be debated within the denim community for a long long time. There was the good old time when people didn't give darn about selvedge/selvage, fading, 21oz. IMHO, washing is a must to get great fading patterns on the jeans, although, I wouldn't be washing my jeans every single week of wear.

 

[zhz]

Yes, this has be debated within the denim community for a long long time. There was the good old time when people didn't give darn about selvedge/selvage, fading, 21oz. IMHO, washing is a must to get great fading patterns on the jeans, although, I wouldn't be washing my jeans every single week of wear.

I was one of those try not to washing your jeansas much as you can guy...and now I am washing it every month. Every week is too much IMO...

 

[trapp]

Yes, this has be debated within the denim community for a long long time. There was the good old time when people didn't give darn about selvedge/selvage, fading, 21oz. IMHO, washing is a must to get great fading patterns on the jeans, although, I wouldn't be washing my jeans every single week of wear.

Well, to be fair, during those good old days all denim was high quality selvedge. So giving a darn wasn't even part of the landscape, people by default had a great denim.

 

[HoosierDaddy]

Lets see...these days some suggest not machine washing denim jeans yet propose that throwing a leather jacket in the wash is quite appropriate. Something about spider web fades and broken-in grainy grain. Kinda comical if you really think about it.
HD

 

[Edward]

:lol: You're not wrong there, HD. Urban legends and mythology.... I remember a time when 'they' said your CDs would sound better if you put them in the freezer overnight... When it comes to leather, I'm a big proponent of 'just wear the damn thing', but as forf denim..... sometimes I think I#m the only one who leaves it alone when it's clean, and washes it when it's dirty..... surely not a radical suggestion?

 

[Sloan1874]

 

[dudewuttheheck]

I usually go at least 6 months before washing my jeans, but they honestly never smell bad (and I know when I/my shirts smell bad) and I have yet to get a crotch blowout. I think part of the reason is that I am a desk jockey right now and am not always wearing jeans and can get away with taking longer to wash. In addition, I have two pairs of denim with a third on the way plus a pair of selvedge chinos so my rotation keeps things cleaner for longer.

I do wash everything eventually, but I like to hold off as long as possible. Not really for "sikkk fadez", but mostly to keep them darker for longer.