Your Must-Have Jacket Styles

[Retserrof]

Hi everyone,

If you were putting together a must-haves list for everyday jacket styles, what would your personal list include?

Feel free to provide some background reasoning, good brands of the style, colours, pictures etc. I'll go first:

1. Half belt in brown leather (I think this style can be dressed up and down and looks best in brown).
2. Cafe racer in black leather. Awesome casual option in the best colour for the style.
3. Navy wool peacoat. For those colder days.
4. Trucker denim jacket for a lighter weather option.

 

[Fonzie]

Great selection, you have a lot of bases covered. I would add:
5. A bomber in brown leather type A2, A1 or G1.
6. A cotton or light wool Harrington.
7. Cross zip, in black but tone down, aviator style.

 

[Edward]

I had a cafe racer I got rid of years ago because I couldn't get on with the look of it with collared shirts. I didn't wear t-shirts for years, but now I have a handful that I wear some days in peak Summer, I've become intrigued by the style again. Not sure it'd be worth it for me, though, given when I retreat into a t-shirt it's invariably too hot for leather.

If I had to pare it down to just one leather jacket, a Bootlegger in cordovan would be my choice. Colour works with everything, and of all the jackets I ever had I found that style worked best dressed up or down. I love my leathers in both black and brown, but don't find either colour as flexible. I don't care to mix brown and black, though - if you're good with black leather shoes and a brown jacket (or don't wear one colour or the other), the brown or black is a good option.

A peacoat is a great option for kicking around dressed down in Winter. Over a blazer or a suit, though, I much prefer a below-the-knee overcoat. I've been looking at a cheaper repop of the old West German version of the peacoat (had a couple from the early 60s in my youth. Loved them, but grew out of them and will never be that small again. Gorgeous coats; unlike the repops not quilt lined but lined inside with a second layer of the same wool as the outer shell), less commonly seen than the US style. Looked for a long time at the Schott options, but the UK market 740Ns all now seem to have an exterior, embroidered logo (yuck), and like all schotts they are big money here (about twice the price they sell for new in the US, best as I can make out). Next Winter, I may spring for one of the Pike options, which are about half the price here of the Schott, but equally good. Oddly, Pike call them the 1938 peacoat, but they are the post-war button style (with two fewer buttons on the front), and in black (post 1970, if memory serves). Still, they wouldn't look at all out of place with a much earlier civilian look. Only decision I'd have would be whether to civilianise the buttons.

Bought my first denim jacket in twenty odd years last Summer - one of the Cathcart denim battledress jackets. Great, very practical jacket, though if it came down to it I'd prefer a Harrington style or, ideally, a fully cotton canvas halfbelt style for greater flexibility, were I looking for a minimal wardrobe.

 

[Pandemic]

I have a few other jackets, but my must-have list could easily be parred down to:

Harrington
Peacoat
Denim trucker
Leather half-belt
Mackintosh or waxed rain jacket

This doesn’t include sport coats and office attire.

 

[El Marro]

1. Half belt in brown leather (I think this style can be dressed up and down and looks best in brown).
2. Cafe racer in black leather. Awesome casual option in the best colour for the style.
3. Navy wool peacoat. For those colder days.
4. Trucker denim jacket for a lighter weather option.

5. A bomber in brown leather type A2, A1 or G1.
6. A cotton or light wool Harrington.
7. Cross zip, in black but tone down, aviator style.

Great selections by the both of you. I would add the N-1 deck jacket.

 

[torfjord]

Knowing TFL this will end in a list of 20 must have jackets.

 

[Edward]

Great selections by the both of you. I would add the N-1 deck jacket.

That's another Pike product I have my eye on. I have handled one of those and one of their B15As, and the quality is superb.

 

[TartuWolf]

1 . Black cross zip, pick your flavor (D-pocket, perfecto style, CHP style, minimalist, etc..). Can be substituted with a cafe racer of single rider or CHP if you prefer center-zip styles.
2 . Brown aviator half-belt cross zip. Can be substituted by a half-belt if you like center-zip style more.
3 . Car coat / button up half-belt. Brown/black/burgundy.
4 . N1 for the warm and fuzzy feel when it gets cold and scary outside.
5 . Denim Type 1 or Type 2 for when the nipples start to sweat when it gets hot and suspiciously pleasant outside.
That's my honest list.

 

[unhatted]

Here’s my personal list, narrowed down to 10:

1-6. Black cross-zips x 6, all identical to the untrained eye.

7. Dark wash type 2, heavyweight denim

8. Light wash type 2, lightweight denim

9. Something warm. Since the above are mostly warm enough and this is mostly for travel I might lean towards something modern with down for lightness. But could be a duffle, shearling etc.

10. A packable waterproof for hiking

 

[MrProper]

1. Café Racer in different colours. At least brown and black.
2. short jacket with collar, like HWM, Sheene, Seven or something like that. Also in several colours. And of course brown and black as a minimum.
3. crosszip in.... Black and brown and anything else you like.
4. halfbelt, several natural
5. trucker, brown and black
6. shearling jacket
7. deck jacket
8. harrington
9. field jacket
10th tanker jacket

Unfortunately, I've just realised that I'm still missing something.

 

[Fonzie]

Great selection, you have a lot of bases covered. I would add:
5. A bomber in brown leather type A2, A1 or G1.
6. A cotton or light wool Harrington.
7. Cross zip, in black but tone down, aviator style.

8. Waxed cotton 3/4 length car coat, Barbour style, either brown, black or bottle-green.

 

[Retserrof]

Knowing TFL this will end in a list of 20 must have jackets.

Of course, one for all 20 days of the week right?

 

[Retserrof]

I have a few other jackets, but my must-have list could easily be parred down to:

Harrington
Peacoat
Denim trucker
Leather half-belt
Mackintosh or waxed rain jacket

This doesn’t include sport coats and office attire.

1. Café Racer in different colours. At least brown and black.
2. short jacket with collar, like HWM, Sheene, Seven or something like that. Also in several colours. And of course brown and black as a minimum.
3. crosszip in.... Black and brown and anything else you like.
4. halfbelt, several natural
5. trucker, brown and black
6. shearling jacket
7. deck jacket
8. harrington
9. field jacket
10th tanker jacket

Unfortunately, I've just realised that I'm still missing something.

Is there a specific Harrington jacket you would recommend as the go to for your needs and quality?

 

[MrProper]

Is there a specific Harrington jacket you would recommend as the go to for your needs and quality?

I only have two from Baracuta, the G9 Harrington, and I think they're pretty cool. I once tried one from Merc, but unfortunately it didn't fit me. But I like the Baracuta better anyway.

 

[Pandemic]

Is there a specific Harrington jacket you would recommend as the go to for your needs and quality?

Fred Perry, Ben Sherman and Lambretta are ok. Baracuta is not worth the retail price.

Merc are really good, but do not have the traditional raglan sleeves. Good slim fit with sturdy material.

Jump the Gun are excellent.

My personal favourite (though not authentic styled) is this copy of Tom Ford’s version:

https://www.royalefilmwear.com/shop/p/quantum-bolivia-harrington-jacket-2023

They should do another run fairly soon.

 

[TLW '90]

Gotta have an A2 for fall & spring mornings
A flannel lined denim jacket for the same weather.
A good wool coat like a vintage woolrich 503 or Filson cruiser for the cold winter
A G1 or leather PD jacket with a liner & mouton collar for a winter leather jacket.
A genuine USGI M65 with liner for wet winter weather.

 

[Bfd70]

Combine posts 1&2 and you’re done forever