Ricky Jackets

[Benny Holiday]

Cool purchase John! I had a similar experience to yours a few years back when I sold some 50s sportscoats to a friend. I got a good price on them, but I've regretted it ever since - one was a lemon yellow Elvis-style jacket with a light brown fleck, the second was a light cream-grey with black flecks and he last was baby blue with grey and dark blue flecks. I kicked myself later on!

I hope this jacket is the one you've been waiting for!

 

[Gene]

I'm having serious jacket envy. That is what I picture my dream jacket to look like!

I want one so bad, but I'm waiting to just find one at a thrift store for 5 bucks.


Gene

 

[DoubleXX]

Here are but a few of the 50s gab jackets I've had over the years:

 

[YETI]

Nice gab jacket. I had a similar one in chocolate brown with a white and yellow cross-hatch print. I've been collecting gabardine jackets for a long time...have had them in every print...thunderbird, argyle, two-tone, atomic, etc. I'm down to just two at the moment.

Did you get this one off of ebay? That's normally a $200-$300 jkt.

Shucks, I'm only down to one(but in the process of acquiring another gab jacket soon). I had more than 20 gab jackets both the hollywood and "Ike" type at one point. All were XL-XXL sizes too.

 

[Edward]

What is it that pushes up the price on these? I'm assuming a big part of it with the originals is simple rarity value.... but a lot of the repros seem very expensive for what they are too (compared to something like, say, a Baracuta G9). The Aero option is around GBP200, which is just a bit north of what I'd b comfortable paying. Is it to do with the gab cloth (I did read somewhere that it is expensive to produce / acquire / source the correct 50s style gaberdine)? There was someone else in London on eBay a few months back had a whole bunch of this style of jacket (plain both sides, though, not patterened), selling at around GBP100 new. They had a whole line of what looked like pretty good fifties repro stuff, but then they disappeared right and quick. Shame, given that men's repro vintage is much harder to find than women's, in my experience.

 

[DoubleXX]

What is it that pushes up the price on these?

Well, like anything old, rarity is a big factor. In this case, the printed gab jackets (like the ones above) are very desirable because they reflect the 50s rock & roll era, which some of us are trying to keep alive in some way. Gab jkts in large sizes and in pink & black are particularly rare and can fetch prices up to and beyond $1000.

 

[thunderw21]

Here are but a few of the 50s gab jackets I've had over the years...

Those are amazing.

 

[Marc Chevalier]

What is it that pushes up the price on these?

They have become iconic. Deservedly or not, they're now perceived as strong visual symbols of the early Rock & Roll era -- symbols whose "power" you gain by wearing them. (Very anthropological, this.)

.

 

[PADDY]

Sleepless nights...

Those patterns would keep me awake all night!! haha. Atomic Kitten? can't say that I am. Each to their own though, as it would be mighty boring if we 'all' liked exactly the same things!

 

[Gene]

Thanks, flat_top, as I now have to clean all the drool up off my keyboard.

 

[dakotanorth]

Gabardine jackets- Ricky be damned!

Flat-Top, you have (or had) some amazing ones for sure!
Someday I'll have to post pictures of my collection- it ranges from basic solid colors all the way to two-tones and reversibles, including two Davey Crockett jackets....

 

[mattfink]

Hey, I owned the one with the acorns in Flat_Top's post at one time...that exact jacket! LOL!!!

 

[repeatclicks]

Beautiful jackets!

My all time favorite was this one, which sold last week on the bay for $186 (a steal really), its not reversible, but you dont see too many with the side panels... did this one go to a lounger?

 

[repeatclicks]

The jacket you bought sold over here in the UK as well (same exact colors and all) but was a bit worse for the wear.

 

[DoubleXX]

Hey, I owned the one with the acorns in Flat_Top's post at one time...that exact jacket! LOL!!!

Is that right, Matt? Small world, LOL. Well, the high end gab jackets do change hands among collectors every now & then. I have had a lot more, but don't have digital pics of them, unfortunately.

 

[YETI]

the sole survivor

I believe I sold this hollywood jacket to a fellow lounger

 

[DoubleXX]

Nice jackets Yeti. I had a similar print to the first one you posted...got it from mattfink on here. It's somewhere in the UK now...

 

[flat-top]

I have a huge collection of these jackets (not all reversible) that I never wear anymore but don't have the heart to sell.
If the market was booming I might have to put a few on eBay, but I don't think it is.

 

[mattfink]

I think flat-top and flat_top are so similar it's becoming bizzaro!!!

 

[dakotanorth]

I have a huge collection of these jackets (not all reversible) that I never wear anymore but don't have the heart to sell.
If the market was booming I might have to put a few on eBay, but I don't think it is.

PM sent.