Where are the Classic Brown Leather flight jackets now..

[alfyman]

I haven't seen any Brown leather flight jackets lately as in the 70's and 80's, where are they and who is still wearing them...

 

[The Good]

Well, I'll be receiving one as a birthday gift in a couple of days. For the record, it's a modern Sporty's Pilot Shop reproduction G-1. I'll have to see how it fits.

I have to say, I admire brown leather jackets far more than black ones, for some reason. Perhaps it's because there is more color variation, and they can show their age better. Black leather jackets can still look good though.

 

[Diamondback]

I'm checking around on a replacement for my dead A-2, but then again I also dress like a "Mini-Me MacArthur" every day anyway.lol (Well, aside from the modern cold-weather coat anyway...)

 

[ron521]

I've got two...a Berman's which I've owned for more than 25 years, and a Schott which I've owned for about 17 years...both great garments.
I wear them regularly when weather allows.

 

[Vornholt]

You must not be looking in the right places. lol

I have a closet full from various manufacturers; some stock, a few custom.

Check out the Vintage Leather Jacket forum - no end of them there.

 

[Peacoat]

You must not be looking in the right places. lol

I have a closet full from various manufacturers; some stock, a few custom.

Check out the Vintage Leather Jacket forum - no end of them there.

And here is the link to the VLJ forum:

http://www.vintageleatherjackets.org/index.php

 

[JohnnyLoco]

They're Around-- 71 Star G-1 and Cooper A2

Just bought a couple from craigslist: a 1971 G-1 and a Cooper A2 1995 commemorative. The former is nice but has been modified (new cuffs), and the latter, despite what I have read around here, is practical in that it is lightweight and great for beating around. Great prices too from great people who had just grown out of these American jackets.

 

[Bebop]

I guess if you live in American Canyon you won't see a lot of jackets at all.
They are all over the place. I think the market is flooded with them and that's why they are a lot less expensive than they used to be. Just search on ebay.

 

[Fletch]

I will say this as a (brown) flight jacket geek: I can go for months at a time out in society without seeing anyone in even a mall-cut, "pseudo" A-2 or G-1.

Even the so-called mainstream FJ look represents a fraction of a minority of men out there (and literally zero women).

 

[Machine Ager]

I have a Cooper A-2 that I got about 15 yrs back I still wear when it is chilly.... with my Indy Jones Fedora

 

[Fifty150]

Although I still wear mine, I think that it's a trend that isn't so trendy at the moment. The last time that they were really popular, Tom Cruise wore one in Top Gun, and Ken Wahl wore one in Wiseguy. Billy Gardell got a leather bomber jacket for Christmas on Mike & Molly, so maybe fat guys will start wearing them again.

 

[Fifty150]

 

[The Good]

I wear a darker brown, seal, G-1 leather jacket. It's by the company I mentioned above. While it's a modern type of fit (kind of loose arms and in the chest, but there's a V-shape), it has seen and continues to see plenty of wear. I rarely wear my hats with it though. Maybe these days if anything, it'll be the Open Road. I'm trying, maybe a bit hard, to stay away from Indiana Jones stereotype comments, although I like the style.

 

[ButteMT61]

I guess it could be argued that Cruise's jacket turned Ms. M. away from men!
I like it, and don't care what others think. Most don't even know what military jackets are. They just see patches and make assumptions.

 

[Bassman]

I've grown out of my size 42 early '80s Avirex G-2 and shearling B-3 which are both for sale

 

[kampkatz]

I guess it could be argued that Cruise's jacket turned Ms. M. away from men!
I like it, and don't care what others think. Most don't even know what military jackets are. They just see patches and make assumptions.

Who is Ms. M?

 

[Michael Carter]

Kelly McGillis. Never found her very attractive myself.

I wear my issue Cooper A2 frequently along with Nomex issue and several others. I'm a jacket hound though.

 

[ButteMT61]

Who is Ms. M?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kelly_McGillis

 

[Fifty150]

You're right about the "Indiana Jones" thing. It's either that, or some of us think of the judge from Night Court. Come to think of it, leather jackets were all over sitcoms and other 80's pop culture.

I'm more of a modern kind of guy. I think the A-2 & G1 jackets look good with a baseball cap. Sometimes I wear mine with a stevedore cap.

Come to think of it, longshoremen were also known for their leather jackets. They even had a longshoreman's leather jacket design style that Aero still carries.

 

[alfyman]

Thank you all for your input ; It is Good to know that people today are still wearing them, I Grew up in a Large Big City and moved to a very small town with few people now, But the look seems to be going when I go out and about to visit, I hope we can bring the style back..