The Story of my First Leather Jacket

[Khilij]

Hi all,

I just wanted to share the story of how I came here and purchased my first quality leather jacket, a Vanson Chopper.

When I was a kid visiting my grandfather back in India, he would always take me places on his motorcycle, a Triumph. He had this old leather jacket, I don't know the brand, that he would wear to work every day. This thing was heavy. When he wasn't looking, I would put on his jacket that was way too large for my 5 year old self, and pretend I was him. That was the moment I knew I wanted to eventually ride a motorcycle like my grandfather, in addition to just wanting to be him.

For a few reasons, I have never been able to realize my dream as of yet. However, I wanted to at least have a cool jacket just like my grandfather. I was immediately drawn to the Vanson Chopper and began saving for one at the beginning of last year. I liked the weight and toughness of the competition weight leather, and the styling. But most importantly, it vaguely reminded me of the jacket my grandfather wore.

I recently achieved a milestone professionally, so i thought I could finally afford to spend the money. I found a chopper in my size available from Thurston Bros and took the plunge. It arrived today and I am overjoyed. This jacket reminds me of my grandfather even more than I thought it would. I feel like I have a connection with him that I can carry with me every day and even pass down to the next generation, as he passed his wisdom down to my brother and I. I am so happy I lurked here for about a year trying to find the perfect jacket. It has been a wonderful experience and I now have another way to remember my grandfather as I live by the principles he taught me.

Thank you for bearing with me through this rather long post. Do you all have any personal stories tied to any of your jackets? I'd love to hear them.

Thank you,
Khilij

 

[TooManyHatsOnlyOneHead]

Awesome. Glad you got that connection. Nice thread idea.

Well, my first leather jacket that I remember was a cheap rip off of a Top Gun (patches and all) G1 that I bought when I was probably like in 7th or 8th grade. Was a growing boy so didn't really get to wear it much.

But more recently, around January 2020, right before pandemic hit, my father was passing away from pancreatic cancer. Made me realize life is short. I'd been wanting to buy a really nice leather jacket for years, but for whatever reason would always cheap out and buy an Andrew Marc or All Saints or similar style mall type brand. They're actually both really good brands not to knock them too hard, but obviously the leather is more fashion style and nothing that's going to evolve much.

So my first "real" leather jacket was a little more than a year ago. Schott 519. Bought it at the Los Angeles store. Cost me more than all the other jackets I had bought previously combined LOL. Went and tried it on about 4 days before he passed. Bought it about a month later. Every time I see it or wear it, I think of him, and at the same time to just enjoy life and do what makes me happy.

 

[Pandemic]

^
Thank you both for sharing these wonderful stories!

 

[Will Zach]

Hi all,

I just wanted to share the story of how I came here and purchased my first quality leather jacket, a Vanson Chopper.

When I was a kid visiting my grandfather back in India, he would always take me places on his motorcycle, a Triumph. He had this old leather jacket, I don't know the brand, that he would wear to work every day. This thing was heavy. When he wasn't looking, I would put on his jacket that was way too large for my 5 year old self, and pretend I was him. That was the moment I knew I wanted to eventually ride a motorcycle like my grandfather, in addition to just wanting to be him.

For a few reasons, I have never been able to realize my dream as of yet. However, I wanted to at least have a cool jacket just like my grandfather. I was immediately drawn to the Vanson Chopper and began saving for one at the beginning of last year. I liked the weight and toughness of the competition weight leather, and the styling. But most importantly, it vaguely reminded me of the jacket my grandfather wore.

I recently achieved a milestone professionally, so i thought I could finally afford to spend the money. I found a chopper in my size available from Thurston Bros and took the plunge. It arrived today and I am overjoyed. This jacket reminds me of my grandfather even more than I thought it would. I feel like I have a connection with him that I can carry with me every day and even pass down to the next generation, as he passed his wisdom down to my brother and I. I am so happy I lurked here for about a year trying to find the perfect jacket. It has been a wonderful experience and I now have another way to remember my grandfather as I live by the principles he taught me.

Thank you for bearing with me through this rather long post. Do you all have any personal stories tied to any of your jackets? I'd love to hear them.

Thank you,
Khilij

Great story. You started with quality as your first leather jacket, mine was a crap lambskin Polo. Only after I joined the TFL a couple years ago I got a first quality jacket, a vintage Harley Davidson Sportster Cafe Racer. Since then I got another Sportster, a Sears square pocket, a Score CR, and a 1940s Spiegel cross-zip, my favorite so far. I like vintage jackets better than new.

 

[Yamahana]

Hi all,

I just wanted to share the story of how I came here and purchased my first quality leather jacket, a Vanson Chopper.

When I was a kid visiting my grandfather back in India, he would always take me places on his motorcycle, a Triumph. He had this old leather jacket, I don't know the brand, that he would wear to work every day. This thing was heavy. When he wasn't looking, I would put on his jacket that was way too large for my 5 year old self, and pretend I was him. That was the moment I knew I wanted to eventually ride a motorcycle like my grandfather, in addition to just wanting to be him.

For a few reasons, I have never been able to realize my dream as of yet. However, I wanted to at least have a cool jacket just like my grandfather. I was immediately drawn to the Vanson Chopper and began saving for one at the beginning of last year. I liked the weight and toughness of the competition weight leather, and the styling. But most importantly, it vaguely reminded me of the jacket my grandfather wore.

I recently achieved a milestone professionally, so i thought I could finally afford to spend the money. I found a chopper in my size available from Thurston Bros and took the plunge. It arrived today and I am overjoyed. This jacket reminds me of my grandfather even more than I thought it would. I feel like I have a connection with him that I can carry with me every day and even pass down to the next generation, as he passed his wisdom down to my brother and I. I am so happy I lurked here for about a year trying to find the perfect jacket. It has been a wonderful experience and I now have another way to remember my grandfather as I live by the principles he taught me.

Thank you for bearing with me through this rather long post. Do you all have any personal stories tied to any of your jackets? I'd love to hear them.

Thank you,
Khilij

Thanks for sharing your story it was quite touching. I may not have the same connection to my father or grandfather via of leather jackets but it did give me pause to reflect on how I am connected and influenced by them. I could picture in my mind your grandfather, you and his one leather jacket well used and worn. I’d love to see a picture of your grandfather with his jacket as well as one of you and your new and prized leather jacket.
He obviously had a great influence on his grandson as it should be. Here’s to your journey in your Vanson to being as successful and rewarding as was your grandfathers.

 

[navetsea]

wonderful story, but as a comic and manga fan... I needs some pictures to truly connect with

 

[Khilij]

I'm not sure I have a picture of my Grandfather around here, but here's one of me in my new Vanson. It doesn't fit perfectly as I'm still in the process of losing weight, but I'm still quite happy with it.

 

[handymike]

Congratulations on your jacket! It looks great on you. That thing should last you many many years, and develop it’s own story and character as you find many adventures.

 

[JMax]

I'm not sure I have a picture of my Grandfather around here, but here's one of me in my new Vanson. It doesn't fit perfectly as I'm still in the process of losing weight, but I'm still quite happy with it. View attachment 318479

If that doesn't fit perfectly, then I've been doing it wrong for a long time. Looks awesome, congrats.

 

[dannyk]

Beautiful story. I really appreciate it. One of my favorite things about TFL is not just seeing the jackets but what they mean. My second jacket was a chopper in CW. It’s moved on now. When you hang around here too long...it becomes an addiction and half the fun is the chase, trade and sale. The jacket itself was fantastic.

Growing up my dad had a jacket and a vest. Both real leather but unlabeled from thrift stores. By the time I was born he barely wore them and I would play with them. I’d dress up like my heroes Joe Strummer, Lou Reed, Elvis...I’ve grown up with enough to survive but not thrive.

Finally 5-6 years ago I reached a point in my career I could start affording these things. Not a lot and I don’t spend big, but enough to have my own. So I bought a Schott 618HH as my first. Which is the only jacket I still have. It’s far from my best jacket I’ve had. I bought it because of the companies history and those that wore them or in some cases supposedly wore them ha. Now I’ve added blacked out stars and all my punk rock badges and pins. This one will never leave me. It’s the one jacket I can put on and feel like my heroes. It’s the jacket that shows all my dads hard work growing up and the life he sacrificed and his time and money to make my life and other working/middle class heroes survive and maybe thrive. No politics here and I won’t. I’ll just say my dad was a 30 year union steward for CWA 1122 here in Buffalo NY. He worked for Verizon. Now I’ve done my time in political work but as of March 6th my birthday I’m now a 2 year veteran of CWA 1168(nursing not Verizon but same city and same union) here in Buffalo. When I put on that jacket I feel the history of struggle and the power of change.

I’ll have 100 more jackets and now as I said if you hang out here too long you too will have 100 more. But there’s always a story. The vintage jackets have stories to tell. Who owned them and what did they do? The new ones have stories of ours to fill in. Most of them don’t last. But there’s usually that one jacket. The future is unwritten, keep this jacket and your grandfather never dies...he will live on in that jacket.

 

[Jin431]

Congrats to you and may it be the first of many! Thanks for sharing such your story here. Wear it well, sir!

 

[J Leather Investigater]

I'm not sure I have a picture of my Grandfather around here, but here's one of me in my new Vanson. It doesn't fit perfectly as I'm still in the process of losing weight, but I'm still quite happy with it. View attachment 318479

Very cool jacket. I have to ask, did you go through Thurston bros?

 

[ton312]

What a great post! I love it. For me, the memory of my grandfather (on my Mom’s side) and his clothes is tied to a super thick, beige, shawl collared cardigan sweater. He would pick me up from school (when I was 5-8 years old) in a diesel powered silver Mercedes Benz. The car stunk to high heaven, it blew black smoke everywhere but he couldn’t have possibly been any cooler. His name was Clarence but everybody called him Buzz. He was a gifted athlete, worked in a brewery, if I recall correctly, and lived in Peoria, IL (which is a small river town in Central IL). I remember he was larger than life. Insanely tall, crazy thick curly hair (I sadly did not inherit), incredibly kind and gentle. Absurdly handsome.
He and my grandma (Mildred) still kept horses on their property which seemed totally normal to me at the time but looking back at the neighborhood and the times (early 80’s) was actually quite unusual if not insane. They did not live on a farm but they refused to change their lifestyles. Even in old age they where incredibly independent and obstinate (that I did inherit).
I remember him picking me up from school and taking me to a place called Kings along the river. My after school snack was crawfish and frog legs.
He was like a God to me. I haven’t thought about Buzzy in a long time. Your post made me look back and I’m grateful for it. Your jacket looks superb man. Wear it in good health and preserve it for your grandson!

 

[ton312]

This was long before I came along but this was Buzz.

 

[TooManyHatsOnlyOneHead]

This was long before I came along but this was Buzz.
View attachment 318662

Urban Cowboy. Amazing!!!

 

[Khilij]

I'm glad I could help bring up some good memories for everyone. I might be new here and not have much experience, but I think I'm starting to think that's what this hobby is all about. May we all have many adventures and tales to tell future generations, and if we leave them with a cool jacket or two, I certainly don't think they would complain.

 

[ton312]

I'm glad I could help bring up some good memories for everyone. I might be new here and not have much experience, but I think I'm starting to think that's what this hobby is all about. May we all have many adventures and tales to tell future generations, and if we leave them with a cool jacket or two, I certainly don't think they would complain.

Man you made me tear up. I’m looking through old photos...I appreciate this post. Sometimes you have to slow down and remember in this world that moves so damn fast it forces you to unwillingly and unknowingly forget.

 

[Jin431]

What a great post! I love it. For me, the memory of my grandfather (on my Mom’s side) and his clothes is tied to a super thick, beige, shawl collared cardigan sweater. He would pick me up from school (when I was 5-8 years old) in a diesel powered silver Mercedes Benz. The car stunk to high heaven, it blew black smoke everywhere but he couldn’t have possibly been any cooler. His name was Clarence but everybody called him Buzz. He was a gifted athlete, worked in a brewery, if I recall correctly, and lived in Peoria, IL (which is a small river town in Central IL). I remember he was larger than life. Insanely tall, crazy thick curly hair (I sadly did not inherit), incredibly kind and gentle. Absurdly handsome.
He and my grandma (Mildred) still kept horses on their property which seemed totally normal to me at the time but looking back at the neighborhood and the times (early 80’s) was actually quite unusual if not insane. They did not live on a farm but they refused to change their lifestyles. Even in old age they where incredibly independent and obstinate (that I did inherit).
I remember him picking me up from school and taking me to a place called Kings along the river. My after school snack was crawfish and frog legs.
He was like a God to me. I haven’t thought about Buzzy in a long time. Your post made me look back and I’m grateful for it. Your jacket looks superb man. Wear it in good health and preserve it for your grandson!

Now this! Thanks for sharing an intimate memory of your gramps. A toast to Buzz

 

[Brandrea33]

Your smile says it all Khilij ... congratulations, you wear it well

 

[Khilij]

Your smile says it all Khilij ... congratulations, you wear it well

Thank you very much!
If you can believe it, I took about 15 or so pictures. This was the only one where I wasn't grinning like a complete fool.