Minimum Annual Usage

[zebedee]

I try not to duplicate styles. My goatskin Aero 50s HB is seeing a lot of wear at the moment- I find that it's an ideal length and weight (and I'm strongly tempted to get an external zipper picket added to it). My likely travel companions will be the Maxwell and the Cafe Racer. The first for Shanghai winter and the second to remind me to keep my weight down... The goat I'm going to take for random days.

 

[zebedee]

I haven't sold any jacket yet, if I wanted to, I might have one or two... I think.

Most of my jackets were planned for quite a while before being ordered, so I rarely feel like selling any. There are some I wear very little, some I couldn't wear because I had gained weight - I can now and am wearing them such as my Thedi CR.

I tend to focus on a few jackets for a while then move to others. What I wear on the bike tends to be different to what I wear in other occasions.

It is funny, as I tried on a really nice cashmere overcoat, fit was as good as it gets and at a good price to boot... I didn't get it. Simply because whenever I could wear it, I would chose one of my leather jackets instead. To me as well leather jackets are the only ones that count.

This is interesting- I also don't spend as much on non-leather jackets (which I only really wear for formal occasions). I'm happy with overcoats from Hawes and Curtis, Brooks and the like, and only have one of each. I have a Carhartt Detroit which sees a little wear and some tailor-made coats from years ago. I really like the Pike Bros. Deck Jacket, but I doubt I'll buy one in the coming year unless I get rid of some other stuff. I think I have it in my head that leather is so much more durable that it's somehow an almost permanent choice. If I could find a cloth that was as resistant, I'd get a jacket in it.

 

[Seb Lucas]

This is interesting- I also don't spend as much on non-leather jackets (which I only really wear for formal occasions). I'm happy with overcoats from Hawes and Curtis, Brooks and the like, and only have one of each. I have a Carhartt Detroit which sees a little wear and some tailor-made coats from years ago. I really like the Pike Bros. Deck Jacket, but I doubt I'll buy one in the coming year unless I get rid of some other stuff. I think I have it in my head that leather is so much more durable that it's somehow an almost permanent choice. If I could find a cloth that was as resistant, I'd get a jacket in it.

Yeah - the key thing about leather for me is it doesn't need cleaning or ironing and looks good the older it is. You can't say that about many fabric jackets - it almost applies to corduroy or tweed (which is probably why I like these) or denim, cotton duck, waxed cotton maybe... Thankfully I don't need to dress for work, so I pretty much wear the same style all the time.

 

[navetsea]

i hate to iron anything, at best I only iron collar if must.

 

[dan_t]

Interesting question posed at the start of this thread.

I live in Sydney Australia, so we do have a winter, but in all honesty it's only really cold enough for heavy leather jackets for around 10 weeks or so. Most year's this is the time of year that my Wife and I select to have a holiday, so that window is reduced to around 7 weeks or so of cooler weather.
I typically never wore a leather jacket to the office, so really, only had a Fri or Sat night out to take advantage of my jackets.
So yeah..... that's somewhere between 7 & 14 wears in year.... let that sink in.

I've currently got 9 jacket's around home & couldn't possibly wear them all properly.

So I'm certifiably mad, clearly.

On the flip side, this horrible Covid environment has meant that the workplace has turned decidedly casual (compared to pre-Covid). I've had more opportunities to wear jackets this winter than ever before.

One other point, anyone who buys a 'used' jacket from me should know that it's not really that 'used'...

'TFL Effect' in full flight.

 

[ton312]

One other point, anyone who buys a 'used' jacket from me should know that it's not really that 'used'...

High five Dan. Same with me.

 

[dan_t]

High five Dan. Same with me.

Yeah, but you've got a special kind of manic obsessive disorder

Spending THAT much time on the most minute details to create the 'perfect' artisan piece & then moving it on five minutes after taking ownership......
Well, you sir are in a whole other league !!

Love ya!

 

[Benny Holiday]

I'm lucky I feel the cold, I get just about 5 months wear out of my jackets. I've only got 3 leathers, two of which are Aeros and the another a locally-made black cross zip Brando-style jacket. I do have a couple of gab jackets and wool jackets I also wear and a 'varsity jacket'. The latter hasn't seen any wear this winter. I guess the leathers normally get worn 20-25 times each during the season, maybe more if the crazy weather here turns cold later in the year. I'm into the whole vintage-style thing so I love 'em and have no plans to sell any. the cross zip I've had for 25-odd years and my Halfbelt for 16 or so.

 

[torfjord]

Interesting question posed at the start of this thread.

I live in Sydney Australia, so we do have a winter, but in all honesty it's only really cold enough for heavy leather jackets for around 10 weeks or so. Most year's this is the time of year that my Wife and I select to have a holiday, so that window is reduced to around 7 weeks or so of cooler weather.
I typically never wore a leather jacket to the office, so really, only had a Fri or Sat night out to take advantage of my jackets.
So yeah..... that's somewhere between 7 & 14 wears in year.... let that sink in.

I've currently got 9 jacket's around home & couldn't possibly wear them all properly.

So I'm certifiably mad, clearly.

On the flip side, this horrible Covid environment has meant that the workplace has turned decidedly casual (compared to pre-Covid). I've had more opportunities to wear jackets this winter than ever before.

One other point, anyone who buys a 'used' jacket from me should know that it's not really that 'used'...

'TFL Effect' in full flight.

I’ll be honest, I’ve been chuckling reading about everyone in this thread living in some of the warmest places on Earth. Why would you need even one leather jacket?!

But I thought about it some more and realise that it’s not that different. Sure, the climate where I live allow me to wear my jackets more. But I still don’t need 8 of them! One or two would maybe be a “normal” number for a normal person that likes wearing leather. By 8, I’ve certainly passed into the realm of obsessive-compulsive hoarder collecting mentality anyways.

I do get disgusted with myself when I haven’t worn a jacket in a long time. “You idiot, you spent that much money on that thing and now you don’t even wear it?!” I think that’s why I sell them when they don’t get worn.

 

[Harris HTM]

fear not to damage/sweat a vintage/expensive jacket.

Good point here. I feel the same about my shell cordovan pairs, I never wear them when there is the slightest hint of rain (and we have a lot of this in the NL).

 

[Seb Lucas]

I’ll be honest, I’ve been chuckling reading about everyone in this thread living in some of the warmest places on Earth. Why would you need even one leather jacket?!

But I thought about it some more and realise that it’s not that different. Sure, the climate where I live allow me to wear my jackets more. But I still don’t need 8 of them! One or two would maybe be a “normal” number for a normal person that likes wearing leather. By 8, I’ve certainly passed into the realm of obsessive-compulsive hoarder collecting mentality anyways.

I do get disgusted with myself when I haven’t worn a jacket in a long time. “You idiot, you spent that much money on that thing and now you don’t even wear it?!” I think that’s why I sell them when they don’t get worn.

It is funny, but while I live in one of the warmest places on earth with 48 degree summers, a winter day is 4 degrees to 14 degrees. Melbourne also has severe wind chill. I can easily wear a jacket 4-5 months of the year, including mornings and evenings as it gets warmer. In my state we have snow and blizzards too.

For some people, jackets are for searching and obtaining, not so much for wearing. They are objects of beauty to collect and marvel over.

 

[torfjord]

For some people, jackets are for searching and obtaining, not so much for wearing. They are objects of beauty to collect and marvel over.

Well put! The point I’m trying to make is that it holds true for all of us regardless of climate or annual number of wear days.

 

[Marc mndt]

I’ll be honest, I’ve been chuckling reading about everyone in this thread living in some of the warmest places on Earth. Why would you need even one leather jacket?!

But I thought about it some more and realise that it’s not that different. Sure, the climate where I live allow me to wear my jackets more. But I still don’t need 8 of them! One or two would maybe be a “normal” number for a normal person that likes wearing leather. By 8, I’ve certainly passed into the realm of obsessive-compulsive hoarder collecting mentality anyways.

I do get disgusted with myself when I haven’t worn a jacket in a long time. “You idiot, you spent that much money on that thing and now you don’t even wear it?!” I think that’s why I sell them when they don’t get worn.

Looking at your beautiful jacket collection, I don't think you are hording at all. They are all very very different in terms of style, color and material. I would call it hording if you had 5 black leather cafe racer style jackets for example.
I think your collection is perfectly explainable to anyone, leather jacket aficionado or not. Its like having 8 pants: two jeans, a chino, dresspants, shorts etc.

 

[Benny Holiday]

It is funny, but while I live in one of the warmest places on earth with 48 degree summers, a winter day is 4 degrees to 14 degrees. Melbourne also has severe wind chill. I can easily wear a jacket 4-5 months of the year, including mornings and evenings as it gets warmer. In my state we have snow and blizzards too.

For some people, jackets are for searching and obtaining, not so much for wearing. They are objects of beauty to collect and marvel over.

You hit the nail on the head with wind chill, Seb. When it snows down at Thredbo you know it in Sydney, the wind chill will take a 16 degree day (Celsius) and turn it to 10 easy. I miss Melbourne. It's been 2 years since my last visit, what a great city. Stinking virus will keep us at home for some time yet, it seems.

 

[torfjord]

Looking at your beautiful jacket collection, I don't think you are hording at all. They are all very very different in terms of style, color and material. I would call it hording if you had 5 black leather cafe racer style jackets for example.
I think your collection is perfectly explainable to anyone, leather jacket aficionado or not. Its like having 8 pants: two jeans, a chino, dresspants, shorts etc.

Thanks! That’s what I keep telling myself as well to justify keeping all of them.

 

[Monitor]

Looking at your beautiful jacket collection, I don't think you are hording at all. They are all very very different in terms of style, color and material. I would call it hording if you had 5 black leather cafe racer style jackets for example.
I think your collection is perfectly explainable to anyone, leather jacket aficionado or not. Its like having 8 pants: two jeans, a chino, dresspants, shorts etc.

Agreed.

 

[Bfd70]

1 Black leather
1 Brown leather
1 denim
1 waxed cotton
1 insulated deck jacket
1 navy peacoat
Temps here go -5 F to 99 F. The above selection covers all bases. Everything else is because you jerks keep posting cool stuff.

 

[Turnip]

I´ve currently got 11 jackets/coats

1 Rain
2 Summer
4 Spring/Fall
3 Winter
1 Marriages/Funerals
0 Leather

As I don’t have to follow a specific dress code at work I can show up there in an Arctic Traditional if I like, so I wear all jackets and coats in seasonal rotation, per daily mood.

Spring/Fall/Winter are equalizing more and more here so i consider the real Winter stuff less and less last years.

One Spring/Fall jacket might possibly have to leave for the Leather to arrive one sunny day.

The one that I wear least is certainly the Marriage/Funeral overcoat.

Cheers

Turnip

 

[Superfluous]

I’ll be honest, I’ve been chuckling reading about everyone in this thread living in some of the warmest places on Earth. Why would you need even one leather jacket?!

So true, and my obsession with cold climate clothing does not stop with outerwear. Notwithstanding that I live desert adjacent (my car recorded 113 degrees today), I have an obscene number of flannels, hoodies, sweatshirts, and long sleeve shirts. Cold weather clothing is just more interesting and diverse. Fortunately, my wife wants to move to the beach where the climate is much cooler and presents more opportunities for outerwear and the like. Looking for a house this weekend.

 

[Logician]

Is 0 an acceptable answer?

Indeed I have several brand new LW jackets that I have never worn. Some date from 2012, 2014, some are newer. Why don't I wear my expensive leather jackets? Because I always end up wearing the same old jackets (i.e., Canadian army field jackets similar to the M65). I have several of them: khaki green, desert beige and black. I have removable linings and can wear them all year round.

I guess I'm more of a collector. I don't get out much. I don't get that many opportunities. And when I go out I usually wear a car coat (in horse hide of course!). I also have several of them I rarely wear. For work the army provided me with my uniforms.

When I retired last year, for a few months I wore jeans, T-shirts, shirts and jumpers. I promised myself I would wear my leather jackets more often. But because of COVID-19, I was called back to active duty (I'm an epidemiologist and a CRBR specialist). So I'm back in uniforms again; and no, I'm not only wearing hazmat suits!

Superfluous has already encouraged me to wear my leather jackets more often so that I can enjoy them. Believe me, I tried. I suppose the lesson to be learned from this is that I must try harder. I think there's many like me who have much more leather jackets than they have opportunities to wear them. What a pity!