What does this mean

[dudewuttheheck]

To me, this just sounds like you're a normal member of this forum.

I came to a weird realization that I'm actually a fairly pathetic member of this forum with only 5 jackets and a current one in one out policy.

One thing that affects how much you sell is how often you wear your jackets. I actually wear my jackets so in the past couple of years I have only sold jackets due to weight loss. I have remained pretty satisfied with most of the jackets that I get because I see them as something to wear, not something to collect.

 

[tmitchell59]

John, I remember we met over a Bill Kelso A2 or something like that in a text message. I lost track long ago of what you got or when you got it. I don't know what happened to that LW Test? I didn't say it at the time, but that was the One I wanted when I ordered mine. Nicest LW I have seen. You burned through some jackets.
I stay away from new stuff for a couple of reasons; too expensive, too easy to buy. Old stuff; I find a lot and a lot less than new stuff. The thrill I had today getting a vintage jacket is something really sweet. You have less anxiety about it. It comes and it stays, it doesn't want to leave. You become satisfied even as your desires grow, satisfied with your pursuits and purchases. A happy man.

 

[Marc mndt]

I have remained pretty satisfied with most of the jackets that I get because I see them as something to wear, not something to collect.

I also wear all of my jackets and I'm certainly not building a collecting. But I do sell and buy 'a lot'. Simply because my taste develops over time. I remember when I joined this forum I saw a San Mateo in the classifieds and I thought: that jacket is way too much, it's over the top. I would never wear it. If you ask me today, I think I might be able to pull it off. It also works the other way around: few years ago I bought a goat suede cafe racer and thought it was the coolest thing in the world, totally badass. Now I have it for sale on grailed. Same holds for sizing/measurements. I had this schott jacket which I really liked. When putting it on after not wearing it for some time, I suddenly realized the sleeve ends were really wide, too wide for my current taste so I sold it. I think my developing taste is the foremost reason for me to buy new and let go of 'old'. I also just like the thrill of something new coming up

 

[Marc mndt]

The thrill I had today getting a vintage jacket is something really sweet.

I do buy used and I would love to buy more vintage, but finding quality vintage jackets here in Europe is quite difficult.

 

[Mich486]

I think a way of curing the symptoms of jacket addition is to become addicted to other items of clothing in turn. Jackets-> boots -> shirts etc and then repeat.

Seriously though, I’m also not interested in collecting so all my jackets that don’t get worn for a year or so I get rid of. As others said my tastes are also constantly evolving although it seems now at a lower pace than when I was younger. I limit myself to 3 or 4 leather jackets which is already too much for the time I actually wear them. Leather is nice but there is plenty of really nice non-leather options.

 

[Downunder G Man]

I wear my jackets in a well timed "cycle". Sometimes if I am "out and in" all day I will wear three different jackets in a day.

However , I am FINISHED ! (Even tho' I have said that before , and before that haha...)

Until recently I always had a few listed for sale on Australian classifieds , that "salved the conscience" some...

 

[Monitor]

I wonder sometimes..... does this hobby enrich my life? Is it adding value to me or anyone? Am I wasting time an energy? Not to mention money, accumulating an trading mens wear that makes me temporarily feel good when I put it on because it looks cool.

Can you think of something else you'd rather be doing that makes you happier? Something that enriches your life to a greater degree? And if so, is this fashion hobby stealing your time & focus from that other thing you'd rather be doing?

If you can't... Who cares? If the jackets make you happy and if spending money on clothes isn't threatening your existence - enjoy doing something you enjoy. Many people can't think of a single thing that makes them feel as happy as we are when we buy something new and even if it lasts for just a little while... What else is there?

Fashion is a beautiful thing. Wearing what you want makes you feel good and that's why you're here.

As for the quitting this forum, I don't see how that'd help. In fact, it is The FL that keeps me in check! Without it, I'd just stray toward other places like the SF, Reddit, SuFu & I'd start piling up that over-hyped pure fashion trash just to see what it's like and I'd just keep falling deeper and deeper. TFL's pure vintage aspect reminds me what I really like, which isn't something that's going to evolve as my preference in fashion always resolves around the same thing and won't likely change so... If anything, this is a good place.

Y'know what else helps? Having extremely bad experience with a maker. For instance, I don't even bother checking eBay notifications for Lost Worlds anymore. And it feels great.

 

[navetsea]

honestly this forum is the only one I open everyday, most other forums I am or was a member of have moved into Discord or some other modern day social media format I don't care enough to rejoin. I just don't buy much, I do like wearing what I have and liking other people's posts and saving all those grains and patina pictures, drooling over zoomed in pictures of some cool hides, sometime or most of time you like things a lot more when you don't own them... and I like to keep it that way

If i'm completely honest. I feel the happiest when contemplating a new jacket, not when I actually bring it home or wear it, maybe I would be happiest again when one day major patina happens creases and grain everywhere, but in between it feels kinda boring.

 

[Will Zach]

I stay away from new stuff for a couple of reasons; too expensive, too easy to buy. Old stuff; I find a lot and a lot less than new stuff. The thrill I had today getting a vintage jacket is something really sweet. You have less anxiety about it. It comes and it stays, it doesn't want to leave. You become satisfied even as your desires grow, satisfied with your pursuits and purchases. A happy man.

Bingo. I am nowhere near the class of Terry, but it is also the thrill of the vintage hunt for me. The filter preventing me from amassing too many jackets is that my criterion is a quality (and I mean quality) vintage jacket for less than $200. Those are few and far between to say the least, so I have not been buying lately, just hunting. New stuff I try to stay away from. $1000 for a jacket does not make sense to me. Different if you ride, it becomes absolutely necessary safety equipment, but for daily wear, nah. It is just a jacket, and a cool cheap vintage is good enough for me. Try to keep the count around 8.

 

[J Leather Investigater]

John, I remember we met over a Bill Kelso A2 or something like that in a text message. I lost track long ago of what you got or when you got it. I don't know what happened to that LW Test? I didn't say it at the time, but that was the One I wanted when I ordered mine. Nicest LW I have seen. You burned through some jackets.
I stay away from new stuff for a couple of reasons; too expensive, too easy to buy. Old stuff; I find a lot and a lot less than new stuff. The thrill I had today getting a vintage jacket is something really sweet. You have less anxiety about it. It comes and it stays, it doesn't want to leave. You become satisfied even as your desires grow, satisfied with your pursuits and purchases. A happy man.

I still have that test terry an its staying. I have burned through some jackets just like a bunch of members. I love to look at vintage so cool, I know there is vintage that is nice an will fit but its harder to find then to order exactly what I want , but it cost more. Alot of vintage has short sleeves an boc -hem measurements, thats my hang up. I believe the ticket is the second hand market its cheaper an if your patient you can get some killer jackets, seems like when i pull the trigger a nicer/better one comes along..... or maybe I think its nicer/better because I don't have it an in my stubbornness I don't know what I have till its gone, an its impossible to fulfill my futile desires. Im still at this party though so today let us buy, try,fly, flip, keep,trade, drool, post, an feign because tomorrow isn't promised.....

 

[Bushman]

To me, this just sounds like you're a normal member of this forum.

I came to a weird realization that I'm actually a fairly pathetic member of this forum with only 5 jackets and a current one in one out policy.

One thing that affects how much you sell is how often you wear your jackets. I actually wear my jackets so in the past couple of years I have only sold jackets due to weight loss. I have remained pretty satisfied with most of the jackets that I get because I see them as something to wear, not something to collect.

Heh, I'm the same way. I see clothes in a utilitarian way: they're not decorations, they're meant to be used. I collect far too many other things that leaves too little money and too little space to begin collecting clothes I won't wear.

 

[Claybertrand]

Like Terry and Will Zach, I only buy old vintage (with the exception of 2 lightly used Aeros I got second hand that I need to sell due to fit). Don't get me wrong. The new production jackets from various makers are truly droolworthy pieces of craftmanship and art. I love seeing what other members are having made and buying. But to echo Terry and Will Zach, new jackets are pricey and as simple to buy as opening your wallet. Nothing wrong with this. I certainly have thousands of dollars in jackets tied up myself but this number is due to sheer volume mainly. I did a count this morning and I have 74 jackets. This is actually down from a high of 81 though!!!!! So I guess I'm getting better??

I think there are two totally different philosophies though as I see myself as more a collector than a fashion forward guy with perfectly fitting and awesome, modern, bespoke creations. Part of that is that I live in coastal Southern California and wear flip flops for half the year at least. I don't ride and the weather in general rarely calls for a leather jacket as a practical garment choice. Sometimes, I really envy Members living in the cooler climates. I wonder what it would be like to NEED to wear a garment for warmth and to be able to wear my different jackets for an actual reason.

I've loved leather jackets since I was a teenager probably and really always wanted one because I saw them in the movies over the years. Most would be jackets with patina worn by hero characters who would wear them without coddling them or worrying about hurting them as they engaged in shoot outs, got thrown through windows, were dragged from trucks or whatever.

The challenge of finding true vintage that fits and is in decent condition is the thrill for me. I think the most I have paid over the years is in the $450 range for a single jacket. I aim for jackets under $350 in general. I thought I was in remission so to speak having not bought anything for a few months but recently I got bored---for some reason looked at Craigslist and the gods served up a killer vintage Horsehide jacket I got in the mail 2 weeks ago. One of the best I jackets I own!!!!!! I enjoy the treasure hunt. I love finding old things that were made by a previous generation FOR a previous generation; Things that have survived time; Things that few others can have because they are no longer around in large numbers; Things they just don't make anymore.

You guys in here are the only ones who understand. If I talk about it with non Loungers, it's usually awkward and I feel the need to quickly change the subject when the questions start coming, "Soooo do you like.....WEAR these jackets??" "When do you wear leather jackets??" "Wait, you have MORE leather jackets in THIS closet too?!?!?!?!?!?" "Just HOW MANY leather jackets do you have anyway???".

I think many of us have had these reflective inward looking questions about ourselves and our jacket addiction. I think I need to pick my top favorites and start selling the others. I thought I was doing better but after doing a count today, I'm feeling like I may have a mental problem. Time for a little Soul (and closet) searching. This thread really hit home with me. We're all in this together boys......

 

[tmitchell59]

I still have that test terry an its staying. I have burned through some jackets just like a bunch of members. I love to look at vintage so cool, I know there is vintage that is nice an will fit but its harder to find then to order exactly what I want , but it cost more. Alot of vintage has short sleeves an boc -hem measurements, thats my hang up. I believe the ticket is the second hand market its cheaper an if your patient you can get some killer jackets, seems like when i pull the trigger a nicer/better one comes along..... or maybe I think its nicer/better because I don't have it an in my stubbornness I don't know what I have till its gone, an its impossible to fulfill my futile desires. Im still at this party though so today let us buy, try,fly, flip, keep,trade, drool, post, an feign because tomorrow isn't promised.....

Keep that Test. Haven't seen a better one. I was on a jacket high last night! Being into Vintage can be lonely. Things must flow.

 

[Claybertrand]

Keep that Test. Haven't seen a better one. I was on a jacket high last night! Being into Vintage can be lonely. Things must flow.

You're not alone Terry!!!! Our Asylum has many rooms..........(most of them filled with Leather Jackets)

 

[nick123]

This hobby...hmm. An awful lot of wasted money, grief, doubt, guilt, waiting, second-guessing, hiding new purchases, draining credit cards...

but it keeps life interesting and my heart beating. Also, TFL can hold its own against most any other bathroom reading. I still love getting my morning coffee wearing a leather jacket, though.

 

[Claybertrand]

We need to have some In Person Swap Meet Ups!!! At least perhaps---regionally. We can bring our TRADABLES and geek out with like minded jacket addicts. We can even have guest speakers who give full speeches on topics such as Zippers, and where a hem is supposed to fall in relation to one's waistline!!! This would attract tons of hot chicks too!!!!!!...........

OK, perhaps a bit too optimistic on the Hot Chicks part

Still sounds like good time to me tho

 

[tmitchell59]

Sometimes, I really envy Members living in the cooler climates. I wonder what it would be like to NEED to wear a garment for warmth and to be able to wear my different jackets for an actual reason.

Yes, there is plenty of Jacket weather in Illinois. Jacket wearing is coming like the fall.

I did a count this morning and I have 74 jackets. This is actually down from a high of 81 though!!!!!

I've had a peek in your closet, you pulled out a beauty.

 

[AeroFan_07]

Like Terry and Will Zach, I only buy old vintage (with the exception of 2 lightly used Aeros I got second hand that I need to sell due to fit). Don't get me wrong. The new production jackets from various makers are truly droolworthy pieces of craftmanship and art. I love seeing what other members are having made and buying. But to echo Terry and Will Zach, new jackets are pricey and as simple to buy as opening your wallet. Nothing wrong with this. I certainly have thousands of dollars in jackets tied up myself but this number is due to sheer volume mainly. I did a count this morning and I have 74 jackets. This is actually down from a high of 81 though!!!!! So I guess I'm getting better??

This is an insightful post here Claybertrand - and indeed so much of what you state here applies to my life as well. Growing up in Illinois and the general Midwest, I have had jackets on my back nearly all the time except when wearing shorts.


Around High School timeframe, I became interested in leather jackets. However, I faced another challenge - my family. My parents wanted me to have no part of any type of leather jacket while I was in High School. Looking back, I realize it was due to the fact I was growing, and my folks did not want me to have to put out good money on something I would just outgrow in a year or two. I bought one my sophomore year in college and they did not object at all.


Pre Fedora-Lounge days, I was a scavenger of jackets. I would find little, "run down" motorcycle shops while on road trips and walk in, ignoring the motorcycles and walk toward the back of the shop where the clothing and (typically) jackets could be found. I found many a nice jacket, even some vintage or "good used" jackets this way. However, fit was typically marginal at best, sometimes the jackets smelled like an old oily shop rag, but in nearly every case, I could turn and sell the jacket at a small profit or at least break even.


In those days (early 2000's) the Goodwill’s, Salvation Army stores and even the occasional consignment shop often were loaded with leather jackets, however most of them were Leather Loft - Wilson's (mall) quality. Even in those days, the difference was apparent. You rarely find this today.


Perhaps one of my most prized "leather jacket" memories was taking a friend from my church up to the Excelled leather store in Kewanee, IL. He had always wanted to find a good leather jacket himself, but being smaller of stature, he never could find one that fit. There in the back part of their store, was a row of heavy, thick cowhide motorcycle jackets between a 36 - 40 in sizes. They probably had been assembled 10+ years prior. He found a Cafe Racer that he loved, with a price tag of $75. He did not even take it off to check out, the lady in the store simply cut & scanned the tags on it. I seriously think he lived in that jacket for the next two years until he moved out of state, I never saw him without it.


That to me is something that makes this whole, odd, crazy, mis-understood, mostly harmless, yet highly strange addiction worthwhile! I have changed lately in my perspective a bit, and am living with and loving have just three jackets for the time being. It is indeed nice to be understood, and once in a while, when a stranger askes about your jacket out of sincere interest and not being condescending - that's just the icing on the cake!

 

[Sockeye]

I have oscillated between guilt and thrills with jackets new and old. It has been as enriching to be part of TFL to Know that I’m not crazy..or at least to know I’m in good company when I’m staring at the wrinkles on my sleeves, intercepting a UPS box in the driveway, or walking around my house in shorts and a leather jacket with the AC on.

Everyone on this forum has been very inclusive and accepting, which is again at least half the reason I tune in as much as I do.

 

[Claybertrand]

This is an insightful post here Claybertrand - and indeed so much of what you state here applies to my life as well. Growing up in Illinois and the general Midwest, I have had jackets on my back nearly all the time except when wearing shorts.


Around High School timeframe, I became interested in leather jackets. However, I faced another challenge - my family. My parents wanted me to have no part of any type of leather jacket while I was in High School. Looking back, I realize it was due to the fact I was growing, and my folks did not want me to have to put out good money on something I would just outgrow in a year or two. I bought one my sophomore year in college and they did not object at all.


Pre Fedora-Lounge days, I was a scavenger of jackets. I would find little, "run down" motorcycle shops while on road trips and walk in, ignoring the motorcycles and walk toward the back of the shop where the clothing and (typically) jackets could be found. I found many a nice jacket, even some vintage or "good used" jackets this way. However, fit was typically marginal at best, sometimes the jackets smelled like an old oily shop rag, but in nearly every case, I could turn and sell the jacket at a small profit or at least break even.


In those days (early 2000's) the Goodwill’s, Salvation Army stores and even the occasional consignment shop often were loaded with leather jackets, however most of them were Leather Loft - Wilson's (mall) quality. Even in those days, the difference was apparent. You rarely find this today.


Perhaps one of my most prized "leather jacket" memories was taking a friend from my church up to the Excelled leather store in Kewanee, IL. He had always wanted to find a good leather jacket himself, but being smaller of stature, he never could find one that fit. There in the back part of their store, was a row of heavy, thick cowhide motorcycle jackets between a 36 - 40 in sizes. They probably had been assembled 10+ years prior. He found a Cafe Racer that he loved, with a price tag of $75. He did not even take it off to check out, the lady in the store simply cut & scanned the tags on it. I seriously think he lived in that jacket for the next two years until he moved out of state, I never saw him without it.


That to me is something that makes this whole, odd, crazy, mis-understood, mostly harmless, yet highly strange addiction worthwhile! I have changed lately in my perspective a bit, and am living with and loving have just three jackets for the time being. It is indeed nice to be understood, and once in a while, when a stranger askes about your jacket out of sincere interest and not being condescending - that's just the icing on the cake!

This is so on point!!! I had the same experience with my parents!!!!!!!!!!!!!! And Thrifting i.e. going to Thrift Stores and SCORING cool stuff REALLLLLY ain't what it used to be. Its mostly all picked over crap these days IMO.

SO, first off, I grew up going to Catholic School where we of course, were required to wear uniforms . I recall being in 6th grade when I hit the first of the many CLASSIC MOTHER LEATHER JACKET BLOCKS (nod to A Christmas Story ). Mom throws the, "You don't need a leather jacket!!! You have your school jacket!!" As if a bright red nylon jacket with my school name on it was gonna fill the need here! CMON MAN!!!!! Then came the, "You grew out of your Levi's jacket already. I'm not buying a leather jacket for you to grow out of in a year!!" Next, "Your Dad doesn't have a leather jacket." Dad chimed in with, "Shit-- how many times a year do ya even NEED a regular jacket??? I never wear one!!!! It doesn't even get cold outside!!! You have sweatshirts!!! I don't even know ONE GUY who wears a damn leather jacket!!!!"

Finally a couple of years later the perfect storm was forming--- I was in 8th Grade and we had a neighbor who worked at Nordstrom and got a decent discount there. Now my family would NEVER set foot a Nordstrom department store. Not if our lives depended on it. We were SEARS/PENNYS and dare I say KMART people TO THE BONE. It was around Christmas time though and my family was at the local mall. Me and my younger brother were allowed to stray off on our own for an hour or so and we wandered into Nordstrom. It wasn't long before I happened upon a bomber style jacket that to my young eyes, was exactly what I had seen in movies. Hero gear. The dude who gets the chicks attire. What I always dreamed of wearing........

So I hatched a plan to convince the parents to buy this jacket for me. My two pronged approach was that one, the jacket was an XL (and I was in 8th grade) so I reasoned that this was a great Selling point because I could "GROW INTO IT".... This would assuage the parents' lamenting buying an expensive item for a growing yute (or YOUTH if you will---nod to My Cousin Vinny). Secondly, this jacket was ON SALE!!!!!!!!!!!!! My mother had long trained us to understand that if something was NOT "on sale" we would not be purchasing that item. ON SALE meant something could actually, mayyybe, possibly, potentially be purchased in my family. This was an absolute prerequisite for most purchases even food items.

After the initial gawking---to preserve the possibility of my being able to own this garment, I did what I thought was prudent: I whisked it away from the outerwear racks and over to a corner of the store I figured saw less traffic. There, I buried it in a rack of Old Man Nautica "jogging suits" hoping to retrieve it for purchase once I had convinced the folks. (You may recall George Costanza years later performed this same little trick on Seinfeld in order to purchase an on sale suit--size 40 SHORT---I think we all know this "trick"......)

After several rehearsals in the bathroom mirror, I hit up my mother ONLY. My Dad would have barely looked up from the TV to say, "I don't think so son." So I start with my Mom and spell out that the size being XL is something I can grow into AND that this jacket is on sale ANNNNNNDDDDDD maybe Barbara the neighbor can even get a discount on it!!!!! The notion wasn't immediately dismissed and my foot was in the door baby!!!!!

Long story short, Barbara the neighbor got us a discount but it was still $225---and for a KMART family----in 1987---this was a significant amount of money (it actually still is a fair amount for a jacket--but I digress). Being that my birthday is very close to Christmas time, I was able to play the angle that this jacket would represent a Christmas AND BIRTHDAY Gift!!! So the cost should be considered a 2 gift price!!!! Brilliant (I thought)--I was pulling out ALL the stops on this jacket. And somehow, for some reason I have never fully understood--it worked. My mother bought it for me and told me to make sure it didn't get ruined because it was the most expensive gift she had bought for anyone etc. And when my Dad saw it or anyone else saw it, before they could comment, my mother would say, "That's a birthday AND Christmas gift combined!" She clearly didn't want to start a precedent of purchasing high end clothing at the begging behest of her kids.

I STILL own this jacket today. I STILL have not grown into this jacket and considering its been 33 years--it's looking like I am never gonna. It's still got the cuffs folded up because the sleeves were/are too long. I've worn it about 5-6 times IN MY ENTIRE LIFE (so far). Its a TOTAL MALL JACKET----a distressed Luis Alvear Bomber STYLE lambskin jacket. Like a MORON (or a typical idiot teenager) I actually put fighter wing pins in the collar thus immediately rendering an overpriced mall jacket even less desirable.

Alas, I would be remiss to regale the Lounge in my lame story of (what seemed at the time to be) jacket glory without including a couple of pics of THE INFAMOUS MALL JACKET THAT STARTED IT ALL (for me, anyway). So here it is.........

Note--Disturbingly, while digging out My First Leather Jacket for this unique photo opp, I found 7 more jackets that I had forgotten about and neglected to count so this brings my overall count back to 81 including this Mall Jacket Gem---my Patient Zero.

Why are they NOT working on a vaccine for Leather Jacket addiction!!!!!!!!!!!

Sorry for the long post. I really only feel normal in the Fedora Lounge.