Making "Mutt" Work - Style guide to biker jackets

[crazylegsmurphy]

Hey All,

So as many of you know I have recently purchased a "Mutt" Jacket from Wested Leather.

I would really like to get out and wear it, but because I live in a place where cowboys/farmers/bikers are quite prevalent I would like to "dress up" the jacket to avoid looking like the following.

http://www.razmatazentertainment.com/images/biker_dudes.jpg

Or of course the Ramones

http://untossedcoin.files.wordpress.com/2008/04/ramones-pared.jpg

I am wondering if you guys (with and without this type of jacket) would like to help figure out some ideas to "class" the jacket up a bit and make it look trendy and cool. Lets concentrate on the jacket, and any outfits that will go with the jacket. If we can find some ideas for everything from the hat all the way to the shoes, it might be helpful to all of us trying to avoid looking like any of the pics above.

Any ideas?

 

[Papa M]

....ideas to "class" the jacket up a bit and make it look trendy and cool.

Conversely - how about classing the jacket DOWN a bit and avoiding trying to look "trendy and cool" (yuk).

Plain t-shirt, vintage cut denim, un-trendy trainers or good shoes.

PS - Ain't too much wrong with the Ramones in my opinion.

 

[crazylegsmurphy]

The reason being is that there is a huge difference, in my opinion, between wearing really nice jeans/shirt and looking like one of the trailer park kids.

I don't mean to insult anyone one or anything, but I don't want to appear like I'm some kind of slob. You're right, there is nothing wrong with the Ramones from a music standpoint, and their style fits their music, but I am not in a retro Punk band, nor want to look like I am.

I would really like that updated classic look. No ripped jeans, no see through white t-shirt.

 

[crazylegsmurphy]

This is NOT what I mean when I say "trendy"

 

[HatRak]

I'm a bit confused. Why would you choose such an iconic piece of clothing, one that is connected with such a specific look--one might even say is the quintessence of the look--and then reject the look? I mean, isn't the whole point of a black leather motorcycle jacket to look uncivilized? Remember, the Ramones chose it, it didn't choose them. And they chose it because its existing essence conveyed the sense of wanton rebellion expressed in their music. A mutt jacket does not make nice. Why would you want it to?

 

[Daniel Hunter]

I'm somewhat confused as well.

By your line of reasoning that's like wearing an A2 or G1 and hoping people don't think you're a pilot.

 

[Seb Lucas]

It's a hard look to pull off for some people. Wash the jacket on gentle in the washing machine with a little soap. Wear it when it's almost dry and get some wrinkles in it. Being a Wested this could be risky - but all my jackets (non-Westeds) have been washed (it's often done by the A2 crowd) and they look less dorky that way.

 

[scottyrocks]

These are definitely dress-down jackets, and to do much of anything else with them is pretty much 'wrong.'

Jeans, t-shirt, sneakers. In fact, unlike the androgenous anorexic modelling one of these in that picture up there, these jackets dont come into their own until theyve seen some genuine use, and sometimes the rougher, the better.

 

[Tommer45]

Man am I tired of the "Wannabe badass biker look" at so many motorcycle rallies (such as the guys in your first pic). But I gotta agree with these other guys.. why would you by a biker jacket if you don't exactly want that look? Do you ride?

Tommer

 

[crazylegsmurphy]

I don't really agree with you guys regarding the "look".

It's not that I reject what the style represents, its that I don't like how it's associated with certain styles.

Here is an example of what I mean...

The following photo is what I would consider to be a good example of how this style can work when done "classy".

Here is an example of what I don't think looks "cool", yet this is how these jackets are normally represented.

So, what is the difference? What makes one look like a classic "rebel" and the other like someone who lives in his moms basement, listening to Gwar and playing WoW all day?

It's not that I don't want to capture the iconic look, in fact that is exactly what I want to do. However I want to do it in such a way as to capture the "cool" aspects of it, while avoiding what it has become in many places.

We see this all the time with retro clothing. I see many posts on here talk about how, "this style is giving my style a bad name".

I simply want to find an outfit(s) that enhances what the jacket represents, without putting on leather chaps, painting a Hells Angels skull on the back, and riding around on a orange county chopper wearing a skull cap and a bandana. If you get my meaning.

 

[crazylegsmurphy]

Man am I tired of the "Wannabe badass biker look" at so many motorcycle rallies (such as the guys in your first pic). But I gotta agree with these other guys.. why would you by a biker jacket if you don't exactly want that look? Do you ride?

Tommer

No, I don't ride. To be honest if I did I would wear a high tech leather jacket in case I crashed.

I agree, I do not want any association with those "badass bikers". I want that classic 1950's look, with updated style.

Many have said, "Jeans, t-Shirt, Sneakers", but that could mean anything. Acid wash jeans from the 80's will make a huge difference on how that style looks. Chuck Talor shoes are much different than clean white Nike sneakers.

This is what I am getting at. I'm not a total dolt, but I thought it would be nice to discuss what a high quality white t-shirt would look like opposed to the $5.00 3 pack that is so thin you can see your nipples.

 

[HoosierDaddy]

I wear a traditional MC jacket somewhat like yours(among others)because I do like that style. Weather permitting, I am on my motorcycle as well. I usually also wear a sleeveless shirt or T shirt...jeans..riding boots. I've become accustom to that way of dress because it seems best suited for changing weather while riding. However..I'm a fairly clean-cut guy..and don't try to be something or someone that I'm not. I rarely wear a MC type jacket when not out on the road..however..if I slip one on for a quick trip somewhere..I'm most often not too concerned with how I'm dressed at the time. Probably because I am usually in jeans and some kind of casual shirt. I don't care for sneakers with a traditional MC jacket...but that's just me.
If you're going to just wear it as a fashion statement..I certainly wouldn't suggest wearing it with slacks and a tie. In fact..I can't think of any style hat that would work well with that type jacket...not even a newsboy,IMO. In my view..this type jacket seems to work best with denim and a more casual workwear type appearance.
HD

 

[crazylegsmurphy]

I wear a traditional MC jacket somewhat like yours(among others)because I do like that style. Weather permitting, I am on my motorcycle as well. I usually also wear a sleeveless shirt or T shirt...jeans..riding boots. I've become accustom to that way of dress because it seems best suited for changing weather while riding. However..I'm a fairly clean-cut guy..and don't try to be something or someone that I'm not. I rarely wear a MC type jacket when not out on the road..however..if I slip one on for a quick trip somewhere..I'm most often not too concerned with how I'm dressed at the time. Probably because I am usually in jeans and some kind of casual shirt. I don't care for sneakers with a traditional MC jacket...but that's just me.
If you're going to just wear it as a fashion statement..I certainly wouldn't suggest wearing it with slacks and a tie. In fact..I can't think of any style hat that would work well with that type jacket...not even a newsboy,IMO. In my view..this type jacket seems to work best with denim and a more casual workwear type appearance.
HD

I couldn't agree more. I would never wear it with dressy stuff or a newsboy. I can't for the life of me think of a hat what would work at all with it besides perhaps the Brando hat...but that is a bit much.

I agree with you about the sneakers. Sneakers in my opinion shouldn't be worn anywhere but in the gym. I'm trying to think of some cool casual shoes or something that would go well with it.

I have been looking online for jeans and there are some darker wash, slimmer fit ones that I think would complement it well. Even a bit of a rolled cuff would work well if the shoes were right.

What I would like to find is a white or gray t-shirt that is a little nicer. In the Indiana Jones movie the Mutt character wore a gray t-shirt with a black collar, and I liked the look of that. What other shirts could be worn with it is the question.

 

[scottyrocks]

No, I don't ride. To be honest if I did I would wear a high tech leather jacket in case I crashed.

I agree, I do not want any association with those "badass bikers". I want that classic 1950's look, with updated style.

Many have said, "Jeans, t-Shirt, Sneakers", but that could mean anything. Acid wash jeans from the 80's will make a huge difference on how that style looks. Chuck Talor shoes are much different than clean white Nike sneakers.

This is what I am getting at. I'm not a total dolt, but I thought it would be nice to discuss what a high quality white t-shirt would look like opposed to the $5.00 3 pack that is so thin you can see your nipples.

Quite frankly, I think youre making a big deal over nothing. Wear what you like. if you dont want to wear thin t-shirts, then buy better t-shirts. If you dont want the latest basketball shoes, buy some retro converse all-stars, or whatever else floats your boat. If your hair'll take a pomp-n-DA, and you like it, do it. if something doesnt feel 'right' to you, find something that does make you feel right. You apparently already have a basic idea of what that is. It doesnt always appear right before your eyes, but if you look, youll know it when you see it.

 

[reetpleat]

Well, I have a vintage langlitz and I love that while it has a certain patina, it is still stiff and heavy with a certain hard sheen you just don't get anymore. Why i stress this is with this style, where itfits kind of sstiff, you can do something cool by wearing it with a dress shirt, but one that looks thirties and a thirties tie. Back in the 30s and 40s this was not a rebel jacket. it was a jacket for motorcyclists, and they often wore it this way. Tie the tie short like 30s and wear it with vintage slacks or vintage style denim. if you want, roll the sleeves of the shirt up to the bicep rather than the elbow, with about an inch roll. It looks really vintage. The goal is to look like an engineer at the Triumph factory doing a test drive in 1940.

or wear it with a vintage cut white snug t shirt with vintage slacks or jeans. the trick is to wear the jacket snug like a 40s style, Loose and you look likee a slovenly biker.

Me, I wear it only to ride, and wear it with jeans boots and a black or white t shirt fitting snugly, or a classic sweater such as a british green or black wooley pulley.

 

[HoosierDaddy]

I agree with you about the sneakers. Sneakers in my opinion shouldn't be worn anywhere but in the gym. I'm trying to think of some cool casual shoes or something that would go well with it.

I have been looking online for jeans and there are some darker wash, slimmer fit ones that I think would complement it well. Even a bit of a rolled cuff would work well if the shoes were right.

What I would like to find is a white or gray t-shirt that is a little nicer. In the Indiana Jones movie the Mutt character wore a gray t-shirt with a black collar, and I liked the look of that. What other shirts could be worn with it is the question.

I take it that you don't wear jeans often...as I do. I wear Levis..or Arizona(Penneys) original cut jeans in various degrees of fade...simply because they fit my slim build best. Of course I have a couple of drawers full of Harley T shirts in various colors. I also wear "Henley" type longsleeve or ribbed longjohn type tops in cooler weather as well. Chambray and denim shirts work...as well as plaid flannel shirts. I have a pair of black bullhide Justin..and also black Lucchese western boots that I have worn with the MC jacket on occassion. I would say...just keep it on the more rustic side of casual.
HD

 

[Dinerman]

How about like these guys?

 

[rgraham]

If you're not riding a motorcycle, then wearing one of these jackets is going to make you look like a wanabe. Wanabe biker, wanabe rock star, wanabe standing out in a crowd, or on a street corner. They work great for riding, and the design is more for function than style. There are far better choices in the leather jacket market that are more comfortable, and convey less connotations when worn as simply a fashion item.

I wear mine riding, but I would never wear it otherwise. But that's just me.

 

[Edward]

It seems to me that unless you can get past the obvious 50s associations, or you're happy to look in some way like Brando, (or Joey....or Alice...), then this would be an odd choice of jacket to begin with. Not least it being sold as specifically a Mutt jacket - a repro of that worn by a character who was clearly doing his best to emulate Brando's turn as Johnny Strabler. Course, that film was really based on events which took place in 47, was made in 53 and thus its pre-rock and roll style is pretty indicative of the really old school bad-boy biker look. The striped tshirt worn by Lee Marvin in that film was, as legend has it, later purchased by Sonny Barger and worn to a number of high profile rallys with the Angels. If you want to avoid the 'bad boy' look altogether, eschewing the Brando denims and t-shirts look, Dinerman's images and Reetpleet's suggestions as to how to wear it in a much more 30s/40s style are spot on. As you already have the jacket that palces certain limits - if you were looking to buy this styl new but avoid certain connotations the first thing I would say would be go for brass-coloured hardware, not chrome plated - and even better, go for a brown jacket in an early pattern version of this style. Even with black and chrome, the images above show a way to wear one ofv these jackets which looks superb. Much the same way as a lot of foks round here wear an A2, really. The black leather and chrome works with this look to my eye - a little more unusual perhaps (partly to do with the vintage community's thang for WW2 and related items, partly to do with it simply being a style that one sees much more often nowadays), but it adds something of a villainous edge to it that I like.

Conversely - how about classing the jacket DOWN a bit and avoiding trying to look "trendy and cool" (yuk).

Plain t-shirt, vintage cut denim, un-trendy trainers or good shoes.

PS - Ain't too much wrong with the Ramones in my opinion.

lol Bravo on all counts!

If you're going to just wear it as a fashion statement..I certainly wouldn't suggest wearing it with slacks and a tie. In fact..I can't think of any style hat that would work well with that type jacket...not even a newsboy,IMO. In my view..this type jacket seems to work best with denim and a more casual workwear type appearance.
HD

I think this is going to vary wildly with personal opinions. While myself I don't care for a very wide brim with one of these, I have found a variety which work - important to me, as I never leave thed house without a hat, irrespective of what jacket or coat I am wearing (or none). I've worn a pork pie, also any 50s-style fedora with a 2" brim or smaller, all work great. My default option with mine is actually a grey herringbone pattern newsboy, a look of which I am very fond. Sometimes I go a little more creative:

I only did that once, though.

Great place to look for ideas on how to wear one of these in a retro fashion is the rockabilly/psychobilly community, which tends to be a very separate animal from much of the rest of the retro scene - at least in my experience anyhow. Newsboys seem pretty common there, and the overall vibe is very much casual and workwear. If, however, you go beyond that and, as I've said already, look to how these were worn in the very early days (i.e.: They're not something that was invented in the 50s, so don't automatically mean they only work with fifties or later clothes), there are plenty of options. Be creative!

 

[H.Johnson]

Surely different styles, from a different era and worn by (very) different types of people?

How about like these guys?