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Car coats - are they out of fashion now?!

moktabe

One of the Regulars
Messages
233
Location
UK
I don't think they're out of fashion per se, maybe more of a case of being old fashioned.

A couple of years ago I scored one from ebay. Aero Leather in FQHH, Aero dated it from the label and it's now around 40 years old.

Had a great deal of wear prior to me getting it and was grubby but has cleaned up well. I'd say it's a Cheyenne although the current model has hand warmer pockets.

To say it's heavy is an understatement and as you see below, still quite happy to stand up by itself.

Definitely an old fashioned style however, to me, that's a big part of its appeal....especially with me being old :)
 

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RDS

A-List Customer
Messages
334
I don't think they're out of fashion per se, maybe more of a case of being old fashioned.

A couple of years ago I scored one from ebay. Aero Leather in FQHH, Aero dated it from the label and it's now around 40 years old.

Had a great deal of wear prior to me getting it and was grubby but has cleaned up well. I'd say it's a Cheyenne although the current model has hand warmer pockets.

To say it's heavy is an understatement and as you see below, still quite happy to stand up by itself.

Definitely an old fashioned style however, to me, that's a big part of its appeal....especially with me being old :)
It’s a good looking jacket but I’m not sure it’s 40 years old and probably won’t be any older than 24 (that’s assuming it hasn’t had a change of label)

According to an issue of Aero Style Review, their short lived in-house magazine, that particular label wasn’t introduced until 2001
IMG_3376.jpeg
 

moktabe

One of the Regulars
Messages
233
Location
UK
Information ref age came directly from Aero themselves..

Pics of the jacket and labels were sent in to them.
 

RDS

A-List Customer
Messages
334
Information ref age came directly from Aero themselves..

Pics of the jacket and labels were sent in to them.
That’s fair enough but in the following thread from 5 years ago Hide’n’seek (from Aero Leather) also said:
‘ “Airmen with Propeller” dates from around 2000, replica of Aero Leather Beacon NY’s post war civvy label’

 

moktabe

One of the Regulars
Messages
233
Location
UK
If you wish to argue the point re something that Aero themselves told me then please feel free.

However, from hereon in you're going to be arguing with yourself.
 

El Marro

My Mail is Forwarded Here
Messages
3,980
Location
California
If you wish to argue the point re something that Aero themselves told me then please feel free.

However, from hereon in you're going to be arguing with yourself.
Now, Now! There’s nothing I hate more than to see a man arguing with himself, if need be I would be happy to stand in on your behalf and carry on the argument.
In all seriousness, though, it is possible that whoever replied to your query at Aero was mistaken. Unlikely but possible. I remember calling Vanson not long after Constantine left the company and it became clear to me very quickly that I knew more about Vanson and their jackets than the person who I was speaking to on the phone did.
 

Jon Crow

One Too Many
Messages
1,349
Location
Alcalá De Henares Madrid
Now, Now! There’s nothing I hate more than to see a man arguing with himself, if need be I would be happy to stand in on your behalf and carry on the argument.
In all seriousness, though, it is possible that whoever replied to your query at Aero was mistaken. Unlikely but possible. I remember calling Vanson not long after Constantine left the company and it became clear to me very quickly that I knew more about Vanson and their jackets than the person who I was speaking to on the phone did.
Yep there goes someone quoting the company literature, I've had that myself in the past
 

ABCD

I'll Lock Up
Messages
7,710
Why do you say that? Not long enough?
Because it's a halfbelt.
How do you find the height of the armholes and the upper arm diameter. I’m between 2 sizes. 1 i suspect the sleeves will be too long and 1 i’m afraid the upper arm will be too tight
I'd say the armholes are normal, neither high nor low. I'm in between sizes as well (42-44), I bought the 42 and I don't feel any restrictions in the pits even when layering. When new the jacket felt slightly restrictive in the shoulders but that's gone now that the leather has become more supple.

Upper arms are also good but the sleeves could be slightly wider at elbow height. If I would order this jacket custom I'd opt for rayon lined sleeves instead of wool.
 

RDS

A-List Customer
Messages
334
Now, Now! There’s nothing I hate more than to see a man arguing with himself, if need be I would be happy to stand in on your behalf and carry on the argument.
In all seriousness, though, it is possible that whoever replied to your query at Aero was mistaken. Unlikely but possible. I remember calling Vanson not long after Constantine left the company and it became clear to me very quickly that I knew more about Vanson and their jackets than the person who I was speaking to on the phone did.
Perhaps the member was disappointed to learn that their jacket may not be quite as old as they’d been led to believe, but I don’t know why they felt they had to try and shoot the messenger.
It was pretty clear in both posts that the information regarding the date of the label design in their jacket wasn’t just plucked out of the air but actually came from Aero Leather themselves; either in a page of the Aero in-house magazine or the post regarding Aero Leather labels from Hide’n’seek (AKA Denny Calder, a Director of Aero Leather)
The age of the jacket is obviously important enough to the member for them to throw their toys out of the pram but if they really want a definitive answer rather than having a pop at those trying to help they might be better off contacting Aero Leather again, and this time include a copy of the relevant page from Aero Style Review and also Hide’n’seek’s post.
 

moktabe

One of the Regulars
Messages
233
Location
UK
For what reason?

As I've already stated, the age of the jacket is irrelevant to me. I contacted Aero as interested to find out the age of it to satisfy my own curiosity.

I'm not the one who appears to have a point to prove.
 
Last edited:

Edward

Bartender
Messages
26,264
Location
London, UK
View attachment 750736
The coat, I like, the price almost induced a migraine..................£5,175.00
https://www.ralphlauren.co.uk/en/sh...bkFuqnazuduttOUfwz_-pyZPXR38ikoBoC-dsQAvD_BwE

Ouch, yes. I used to wear a couple of jackets like this that I picked up in charity shops in the 90s when you could buy them for about 50p. Typically 70s revivals of earlier styles. I'd still have them if they hadn't somehow shrunk in the wardrobe since I was in my 20s. Great for kicking about in. Better lower back coverage than an Irvin, too, for those days when the cold really makes that matter.

To me this is a long halfbelt, not a car coat. Car coats do not have a belted back.


Double Helix carcoat

View attachment 750788 View attachment 750789

Nice.

The delineation between the styles is interesting. I know I have a firm idea of what's a coat and what's a jacket, without really being able to give a set definition. I suppose for me in part it's length, though for this sort of mid-length crossover style, I think where I draw the line is that a jacket is more suited to being worn open, and tends to fit more like a blazer rather than having the space to layer I'd expect with a peacoat or another overcoat.

I like the design touches on this one, the small nods to a more Western style.
 

Jon Crow

One Too Many
Messages
1,349
Location
Alcalá De Henares Madrid
Ouch, yes. I used to wear a couple of jackets like this that I picked up in charity shops in the 90s when you could buy them for about 50p. Typically 70s revivals of earlier styles. I'd still have them if they hadn't somehow shrunk in the wardrobe since I was in my 20s. Great for kicking about in. Better lower back coverage than an Irvin, too, for those days when the cold really makes that matter.



Nice.

The delineation between the styles is interesting. I know I have a firm idea of what's a coat and what's a jacket, without really being able to give a set definition. I suppose for me in part it's length, though for this sort of mid-length crossover style, I think where I draw the line is that a jacket is more suited to being worn open, and tends to fit more like a blazer rather than having the space to layer I'd expect with a peacoat or another overcoat.

I like the design touches on this one, the small nods to a more Western style.
The classic Del Boy coat :D
 

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