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What Jacket Are You Wearing Today?

alish

One of the Regulars
Messages
110
Time to double down on my vintage hunt. These jackets always, without fail, exceed my level of joy vs new.
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Inspired by ton's statement that vintage jackets always exceed the level of joy vs. new for him, I decided to go for it on this 1940s horsehide(?). In fact, I had just recently been thinking about maybe ordering a semi-custom from 5* and was also looking at a couple of very lightly worn ones on ebay. Then I came across this one and took the chance on an old hide instead! Spent the last few days cleaning, reshaping the collar, and conditioning. Still needs to re-hydrate a little bit more in a few areas, but figured I'd put it on for a pic to share.

Mainly wanted to post here with the hopes that someone might be able to help me ID it. It was sold as horsehide, but it is so soft and supple I wonder? I've never had a jacket in HH, and I've never had a jacket older than the late 60s, so don't really have much to go on. I got it from a vintage shop in England, but who knows if it's original to the UK or was brought in during or after WWII. Talon sunrise main zip; Talon chest zip. No labels of any kind anywhere in the jacket. Cotton flannel body lining, and I think rayon in the sleeves. Flannel hand-warmer pocket lining. Chest pocket has same lining as sleeves.

I'd love to hear if anyone has any idea who the maker may have been, or any other info / thoughts on it. Thanks so much!!

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dudewuttheheck

I'll Lock Up
Messages
4,496
Dude, I love the jacket...but...we know you cut the hair off over 2 months ago. :p
haha I know. I have to edit the pics, download them, and then actually get them onto imgur which is really annoying. You will almost never see the jacket I wear "today" on the same day thanks to how annoying it is to get images on a forum :D
 
Messages
11,183
Location
SoCal
Inspired by ton's statement that vintage jackets always exceed the level of joy vs. new for him, I decided to go for it on this 1940s horsehide(?). In fact, I had just recently been thinking about maybe ordering a semi-custom from 5* and was also looking at a couple of very lightly worn ones on ebay. Then I came across this one and took the chance on an old hide instead! Spent the last few days cleaning, reshaping the collar, and conditioning. Still needs to re-hydrate a little bit more in a few areas, but figured I'd put it on for a pic to share.

Mainly wanted to post here with the hopes that someone might be able to help me ID it. It was sold as horsehide, but it is so soft and supple I wonder? I've never had a jacket in HH, and I've never had a jacket older than the late 60s, so don't really have much to go on. I got it from a vintage shop in England, but who knows if it's original to the UK or was brought in during or after WWII. Talon sunrise main zip; Talon chest zip. No labels of any kind anywhere in the jacket. Cotton flannel body lining, and I think rayon in the sleeves. Flannel hand-warmer pocket lining. Chest pocket has same lining as sleeves.

I'd love to hear if anyone has any idea who the maker may have been, or any other info / thoughts on it. Thanks so much!!

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Congratulations on your acquisition! This is a real beauty, and it’s definitely an American jacket going by the hardware. My Ralphs-pugh has those same buckles on your cuff-straps. Bill Kelso has a similar looking one in the Archive line-up, but with higher cinches:
https://billkelsomfg.com/shop/product/raglan-half-belt-jacket/
I like yours better.
 
Last edited:

alish

One of the Regulars
Messages
110
Congratulations on your acquisition! This is a real beauty, and it’s definitely an American jacket going by the hardware. My Ralphs-pugh has those same buckles on your cuff-straps. Bill Kelso has a similar looking one in the Archive line-up, but with higher cinches:
https://billkelsomfg.com/shop/product/raglan-half-belt-jacket/
I like yours better.

Thanks for the info and kind words! Interesting, that Bill Kelso jacket is very similar. I do like the back on mine better; but his three-piece sleeves plus cuffs are nice - probably gives more pre-bend and taper than mine has. And I like the slightly steeper pocket angle on mine as well. I wonder which jacket (make / model) he's modeling his after? The raglan sleeves seem pretty unique, especially together with the back design.
 
Messages
11,183
Location
SoCal
Did we ever resolve if BK actually has the jackets on-hand? At one point someone thought he just scanned the photos from The book. Would love to know if the archives are from real jackets or not.
 

navetsea

I'll Lock Up
Messages
6,900
Location
East Java
Nice, I like the raglan sleeve.

last 3 days I haven't wore jackets, I was working on my bicycle, replacing parts, lacing my spoke etc... as a person who have never do bicycle modding before and only using youtube for guides, and everyone on youtube has garage and tool racks as if they do it for living.. while I only have some pliers, some screwdrivers, and wrenches from my car toolkit, so naturally I was sweating and complaining .. particularly if the bicycle is 10 years old chinese cheap steel frame mountain bike and some parts were just plastic and some bolts were just soft slightly corroded soft metal that strips once touched by a screwdriver or a wrench... , I bought this cheap bike as new, it was the only one with peel-able stickers, and all the more expensive ones are very loud in graphics and colors, was fine when new, but in 10 years of short distance casual commuting I can really see the parts are rubbish except for the frame which is just steel and heavy, incredible how much knowledge a totally noob can learn and do just from youtube alone. so I spent 2.5 x the price of the original bike in essential parts alone to make it a decent single speed commuter with coaster brake.
 

Mrfrown

One Too Many
Messages
1,673
That looks great on you and what seems to be a nice unbroken cxl. Looks great. When will you get your JL remake?

Thanks man. I intend to wear this one down to the ground.

The JL remake arrived too but my time with it was interrupted. Version 2.0 fits a zillion times better, I got a few shots in but only just now had time to go through them.

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@Mrfrown What dude said. That PHWM looked like it was a custom jacket just for you. And that CXL! How do you like them Hookless zipper?

Yes i do feel very lucky with the fit.

My only other CXL piece is my JL Ryder vest so the full jacket is a very different experience. I quite like the feel and look in my brief time with it.

I only zipped it once, and was very careful! Here’s to many more successful zippings!
 

Jin431

Call Me a Cab
Messages
2,912
Location
Bay Area CA
Thanks man. I intend to wear this one down to the ground.

The JL remake arrived too but my time with it was interrupted. Version 2.0 fits a zillion times better, I got a few shots in but only just now had time to go through them.

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Yes i do feel very lucky with the fit.

My only other CXL piece is my JL Ryder vest so the full jacket is a very different experience. I quite like the feel and look in my brief time with it.

I only zipped it once, and was very careful! Here’s to many more successful zippings!


Wow! That is so clean and it does look so trim now. Classic look and no wonder they will make this a standard offering now! Congrats
 

torfjord

Call Me a Cab
Messages
2,835
Location
Sweden
Thanks man. I intend to wear this one down to the ground.

The JL remake arrived too but my time with it was interrupted. Version 2.0 fits a zillion times better, I got a few shots in but only just now had time to go through them.

View attachment 348386 View attachment 348387 View attachment 348388




Yes i do feel very lucky with the fit.

My only other CXL piece is my JL Ryder vest so the full jacket is a very different experience. I quite like the feel and look in my brief time with it.

I only zipped it once, and was very careful! Here’s to many more successful zippings!

That remake looks amazing!
 

Mrfrown

One Too Many
Messages
1,673
Dang, Man!! I just knew it would be perfect for you! Like the pattern very much myself and LOVE how you wear it. Sell all the rest, break it in, case closed ("Roma locuta, causa finita!").

Thanks Tom! I can see it quickly becoming an easy go to jacket, and I do like the zip sleeves rather than the button / storm cuffs. Consider me a full convert to the highwayman club!

That remake looks amazing!

Thanks Torfjord! Honestly it feels a little "basic" compared to some of the more unusual designs coming out of JL recently but I really like it.

At this point I feel like I really have my internal checklist for essentials covered, perhaps I'll look towards a more spicy custom from JL or a Thedi or something in the future. Of course there's always the green sheep Lewis Leathers too. And I'll probably outmuscle my Schott Duke soon....
 

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