Vintage Photos of Leather Jackets

[Iron Horse]

 

[Stearmen]

The guy holding the gas nozzle is Keenan Wynn. He was an actor, he also got several big names into motorcycle racing, Lee Marvin, James Coburn and Steve McQueen, among others! He also started FART, (Famous Actors Racing Team.)

 

[Iron Horse]

I did not know that, very cool.

 

[Doctor Damage]

Great photos, esp the one of Marvin in a shearling.

These old photos are great for me, since they show that one can wear a short leather jacket, even a motorcycle jacket, with normal clothes not the now-universal cliche of skinny jeans, chuck taylors, and t-shirt... aka ramones.

 

[Stearmen]

An amazing period photo! Can't tell you much, other then the fact he is standing in front of an early P-40 Tomahawk, His mix of military high altitude gear, with white coveralls and a civilian leather jacket, suggest he was a Curtiss test pilot.

 

[regius]

Something's definitely holding those shoulders up and I don't think it's just Brando. This is why most people end up being disappointed in their quest to look like him. It's not just the matter of buying a Perfecto and you're suddenly a member of B.R.M.C. I'm still willing to bet my money on Durable. They had such shoulders to waist drop, at least judging by the photos.

Then again, pretty much all extras in this film wear jackets that fit insanely well.

"shoulder to waist drop?", may I ask if this is a good thing or bad? sorry, genuine question, not quite sure what you mean? I can see the shoulders are wide on him, and the front hem dropped down. I find the front hem to drop to be desirable (and should drooping...).

 

[Monitor]

"shoulder to waist drop?", may I ask if this is a good thing or bad? sorry, genuine question, not quite sure what you mean? I can see the shoulders are wide on him, and the front hem dropped down. I find the front hem to drop to be desirable (and should drooping...).

I mean, this triangle, V-look thing that Johnny's jacket has going on. Wide shoulders with a sharp fall toward the bottom hem. It's not a bad thing at all. I mean, there's a whole science behind this thing called the Adonis ratio which is basically that, a shoulder to waist drop... But what I'm saying, it's a little bit exaggerated on Brando there - or Brando's jacket to be precise. It's obvious his shoulders got a little help to hold the shoulder line of the jacket straight.

Many people who go for a Brando look mess up by getting a slim fitting jacket. Which Brando's jacket isn't. He's really got a ton of room in that jacket everywhere except in the waist. Not many makers still make a Perfecto like that and certainly not Schott. Schott barely even bothers with a shoulders to waist drop anymore...
Worth noting is that Aero does it right but only on their MC jacket.

 

[Tommy-VF51]

Wartime A-2s appear not to be as bulky. The jacket’s interior, “spun silk lining”,
probably didn’t have the layer of insulation like modern jackets.

Wartime A2s, mostly russet colors.

What's the green field jacket guy on the far left is wearing?

 

[Doctor Damage]

I mean, this triangle, V-look thing that Johnny's jacket has going on. Wide shoulders with a sharp fall toward the bottom hem. It's not a bad thing at all. I mean, there's a whole science behind this thing called the Adonis ratio which is basically that, a shoulder to waist drop... But what I'm saying, it's a little bit exaggerated on Brando there - or Brando's jacket to be precise. It's obvious his shoulders got a little help to hold the shoulder line of the jacket straight.

Many people who go for a Brando look mess up by getting a slim fitting jacket. Which Brando's jacket isn't. He's really got a ton of room in that jacket everywhere except in the waist. Not many makers still make a Perfecto like that and certainly not Schott. Schott barely even bothers with a shoulders to waist drop anymore... Worth noting is that Aero does it right but only on their MC jacket.

YES, this, a most excellent post. Looking at Schott's measurements I shake my head, I'm not fit but heck, I have a bigger drop than 2". Most men's suits are 6" drop, and I'm a 4" drop. Who is Schott making for? Men with generous midsections I can only guess, or maybe men who wear motorcycle jackets like hipsters or Ramone-istas or "I'm too cool" types, i.e. never zipped up or buckled.

 

[regius]

Not many makers still make a Perfecto like that and certainly not Schott. Schott barely even bothers with a shoulders to waist drop anymore...
Worth noting is that Aero does it right but only on their MC jacket.

AGREED, good point good point. To this point, Lost World's Trojan is the other end of the extreme, a size 44 (my size), has a flare-out waist line and a tight upper chest.....WTF??? The upright triangle body type? Schott, yea, they just slim all over, and for the 613 and 618, flares out at the waist too.

Aero's MC cinch at the waist???? That's great to know, I was scared to try because I can't tell from their photos.

 

[regius]

Bate's Terminator jackets still look athletic though.

 

[2jakes]

What's the green field jacket guy on the far left is wearing?

It might be a variation of the M-41 field jacket.

 

[Doctor Damage]

^ That's exactly what it is. Non-aircrew wore them, although some aircrew did too as being warmer than an A2. You can get a good repro from At The Front.

 

[Monitor]

YES, this, a most excellent post. Looking at Schott's measurements I shake my head, I'm not fit but heck, I have a bigger drop than 2". Most men's suits are 6" drop, and I'm a 4" drop. Who is Schott making for? Men with generous midsections I can only guess, or maybe men who wear motorcycle jackets like hipsters or Ramone-istas or "I'm too cool" types, i.e. never zipped up or buckled.

Since the 80's, Perfecto completely fell off the radar for over a decade and the only guys who'd still wear 'em were riders, most of whom had a bit of... padding around the belly. So Schott adjusted. All truly vintage Perfectos have that awesome V drop, I'm guessing because people were a bit thinner in the past but obviously, that changed as the 90's to 2010 ones are just straight leather tubes. So when recently leather jackets became fashionable again and the whole hipster biker thing hit the fashion scene, Schott, being late to recognize their new customer base just went on with the 90's patterns, designed for gentlemen with generous midsections. And disappointed many in the process. That's why crap companies like TOJ soared in popularity, because they were doing what people wanted - an extremely slim fitting, tailored (although not really) leather biker jacket. Like the stuff in another thread.
lol whenever people complained about the fit of the Perfecto, Schott would just drone on about how their jackets are designed to fit actual riders but eventually they started adjusting again, with more slim fit (and lightweight) models on their website than the standard ones.

 

[Monitor]

AGREED, good point good point. To this point, Lost World's Trojan is the other end of the extreme, a size 44 (my size), has a flare-out waist line and a tight upper chest.....WTF??? The upright triangle body type? Schott, yea, they just slim all over, and for the 613 and 618, flares out at the waist too.

Aero's MC cinch at the waist???? That's great to know, I was scared to try because I can't tell from their photos.

Aero's MC jacket has a HUGE drop. I could barely buckle up a size 42, even though I was swimming in the rest of the jacket as I wear a sz. 40 in jackets. It's also very short, the way this jacket's supposed to be. It's just right. The lack of shoulders is why I'm not a big fan of their Premium line...

 

[regius]

Aero's MC jacket has a HUGE drop. I could barely buckle up a size 42, even though I was swimming in the rest of the jacket as I wear a sz. 40 in jackets. It's also very short, the way this jacket's supposed to be. It's just right. The lack of shoulders is why I'm not a big fan of their Premium line...

Would you mind listing which MC jacket by Aero has the drop? this is really interesting, visually they all look boxy, except the more obviousl Buco repros. I had a Daytona made in goat, it's just a long tube with horizonal shoulder, not to my liking...

 

[Monitor]

Would you mind listing which MC jacket by Aero has the drop? this is really interesting, visually they all look boxy, except the more obviousl Buco repros. I had a Daytona made in goat, it's just a long tube with horizonal shoulder, not to my liking...

http://www.aeroleatherclothing.com/product-detail.php?id=65
Aero MC jacket. That one I'm sure of as I've had two (in fact, the very jacket in the photos above was made for me ) and they were both crazy athletic. Very V shaped and just right - not 80's style, with shoulders hanging over the elbows. It's a bit boxy if you mess up the size but otherwise it fits closest to Brando's jacket that I've seen.

http://www.aeroleatherclothing.com/product-detail.php?id=64
KOTR as well. I think they're made from the same pattern but I'm not 100% sure.

Daytona is same as J106 and they're both completely different than the MC jacket. It's nice but retrospectively, I much prefer the fit of the MC jacket.

 

[regius]

wow, good to know, so i have the shoulder and chest of 44, and if i buy a 44, the wasit would be like for a 40? my actual waist circumferencec (these days) is 36.

 

[regius]

there is a steerhide blanket lined MC on ebay, been eying it for a while 44, thunderbay label

 

[Monitor]

Reg, mate... I'd rather you try the jacket beforehand. It worked for me, might not for you - at least not the way it did for me and I don't want you cursing me for having wasted three bills on a jacket that don't work. See how HWM are all over the place with the sizing? It's a damn fine jacket in any case. Honestly, I don't even know why I sold mine... Oh, right. Didn't quite have the reach on the bike. Not a Ducati friendly jacket I'll tell you this much.