Leather jacket advice: Please help

Snidely Whiplash · Mar 15, 2019

I’m upgrading my personal style and want to acquire a vintage leather jacket. Frankly, I don’t know what I’m doing, which brought me here.

Any advice on a starter leather jacket? I’ve done a little research — enough to decide I’d prefer a bomber or similar make over a motorcycle jacket with all the trappings. Budget is $200 or less.

Any tips, recommendations, suggestions for further reading welcome. Apologies if this duplicates an existing thread; did a quick search but didn’t see a recent one along these lines. Thanks.

Boyo · Mar 15, 2019

figure out your size..
(measure a jacket that fits how you want a leather jacket to fit { measure across chest, shoulders, down the back and sleeves})
Download the ebay app.. and start trolling

belfastboy · Mar 15, 2019

I was in your situation a few years back. Check out the threads here for styles that appeal to you. There are a ton of A2 jacket pics here. If an A2 bomber appeals to you the good news is that there are lots of them for sale on Ebay at great prices. The bad news is that the fit is all over the place. I have a near new Schott that I paid $300 and is a great jacket. The fit is very roomy. I also have a goat skin Orchard A2 that I paid $150, like new condition. It is a more classic fit, much narrower cut and it took me a long while to get comfortable wearing it. There are usually, depending on size, lots of LL Bean A2 style jackets on the Bay for great prices. The leather and workmanship usually good. They too are a more roomy cut like the Schott. I have a like new US Wings G8, $250 on the Bay. I have a Schott Café Racer $50. Also a Schott mall style bomber jacket in goat, $60

So if you get clear on what you want and are patient there is no shortage of suitable jackets to be had within your budget.

Doctor Strange · Mar 15, 2019

Buying used jackets on eBay can be a crapshoot. Sellers often don't know what they have, don't know how to measure correctly, describe things wrong, etc. There's no question that you can do great, folks here do it daily... but it can require patience and attention. Also luck.

If you decide to go for something brand new rather than vintage, I recommend this under-$200 WWII-style A-2 flight jacket that I recently got:

https://www.thefedoralounge.com/threads/what-price-glory-replica-a-2-review.96597/

For its low price, it compares favorably with mid-range jackets from US Wings, US Authentic, Legendary, Cockpit, Schott, etc. that go for considerably more $.

ton312 · Mar 15, 2019

Welcome!

barnabus · Mar 15, 2019

ton312 said:
Welcome!

laugh!

Sloan1874 · Mar 15, 2019

At this sort of price point, a bomber jacket's probably your best bet in terms of size and quality. I know $200 may *feel* like a good sum (and elsewhere it is) but in this niche you can go upwards of $2,000 for some Japanese made jackets and the average price is around $500-$700 mark. This bunch make an okay jacket for your price point: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Men-A-2-...042e:m:ma4ekAuMAJtG3I1JniES4Xg&frcectupt=true

Guppy · Mar 15, 2019

$200 won't buy you much, but maybe a decent used mid-range jacket like Cooper or Willis & Geiger, Gibson & Barnes.

Snidely Whiplash · Mar 15, 2019

Thanks for the quick replies.

Yeah, I figured sizing will be an issue. I'm about 6 foot 2, 190 pounds with long arms, which usually translates to a 44L in suit jackets but no idea how that will carry over here.

What should I be looking for in terms of lining, etc.? I live in the Southeastern U.S. and would prefer to find something I can wear at least three seasons out of the year.

GregO · Mar 16, 2019

Uh oh. Another victim. Welcome to the group.

My name is GregO. And I’m a jacket-holic.

Seb Lucas · Mar 16, 2019

Good question. I would have saved several grand if at the start of this someone had told me to work out my measurements first. Get a fabric jacket that fits well and is a similar cut and style and measure it. This isn't 100% accurate but it remains your best bet in getting the fit right.

I am around your height and weight. I take the following measurements 23 pit to pit, 26 sleeves, 19 shoulders, 26.5 back length in just about every leather jacket I have owned. A variation of half an inch here and there makes almost no difference.

If you are after something with knits at the bottom you may need 28 inches length.

You could get a cool Brooks cafe racer size 44 (my size) at about that price.

Peacoat · Mar 16, 2019

Caution that the P2P measurement of a fabric jacket will be different from the P2P measurement of a leather jacket. In fact my leather jackets of different weights all have different measurements. But it is a starting point. Another good starting point is your standard suit size. A 44 long may well be what you need, if you can find a long size.

You will need to tell the seller the correct way to measure the jacket. The most common mistake is the sleeve measurement. Below are images of the proper way to measure.

JMax · Mar 16, 2019

If you expand your options to MC jackets then you may get lucky and find a used Bates, Cal or Vanson for a bit more, say $300 or so. Maybe less if you are really patient and lucky.

Edit— I have seen some Bates jackets in the style you prefer go for around $200. I was tempted but prefer MC jackets. Beautiful stuff though.

nick123 · Mar 16, 2019

You may score finding a pre-D series G-1 too (not to say a D-series is at all a bad jacket). They're out there.

nick123 · Mar 16, 2019

JMax said:
If you expand your options to MC jackets then you may get lucky and find a used Bates, Cal or Vanson for a bit more, say $300 or so. Maybe less if you are really patient and lucky.

Edit— I have seen some Bates jackets in the style you prefer go for around $200. I was tempted but prefer MC jackets. Beautiful stuff though.

Off topic, but JMax, that Cal you just got is not the one I thought I'd handled. Meaning, it's still out there for me.

JMax · Mar 16, 2019

nick123 said:
Off topic, but JMax, that Cal you just got is not the one I thought I'd handled. Meaning, it's still out there for me.

Do it. I wore mine today and if that one is any better then it truly is a unicorn. My local leather guy was drooling over the one I have here. If you do, or just see it in the store, pics would be welcome.

karlito · Mar 17, 2019

nick123 said:
You may score finding a pre-D series G-1 too (not to say a D-series is at all a bad jacket). They're out there.

"Pre- D"?

Sent from my MotoG3 using Tapatalk

nick123 · Mar 17, 2019

karlito said:
"Pre- D"?

Sent from my MotoG3 using Tapatalk

Like pre-late 60s. 1967ish. There's a way to date G-1s via the tag. Normally there's a year listed too. It was around 1970 that G-1s changed; in some cases using a synthetic mouton mouton collar as well as being made from embosseed cowhide.

That said, There's a 1969 "D" on the classifieds right now I'd totally go for. You can see the "D" right before the (WP) on the label denoting the series.

robrinay · May 2, 2019

And it started so well and looked genuine too.....

Leather jacket advice: Please help

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