Calling on all AERO "Happy Days" Jacket owners...

[Sloan1874]

Seal vicenza with seal knits is a nice combo. I'm thinking of seal with caramel knits for my A-2, though I'm also tending towards dark seal for slightly more contrast.

 

[Dagenham Dave]

Cheers Fanch.

With Seal Brown or Mid Brown knits?

Personally I would match seal brown knits with seal Vicenza but either would work equally well. Berry knits would, I think, give even more contrast.

Seal vicenza with seal knits is a nice combo. I'm thinking of seal with caramel knits for my A-2, though I'm also tending towards dark seal for slightly more contrast.

Denny from Aero said "I personally would go for Mid Brown knits with the Seal Vicenza and Seal knits if you choose the Dark Seal Vicenza, but really it is personal choice . Either combination would be like some of the examples of vintage jackets below, but personally I prefer the knits not to be darker than the leather."

I definitely prefer Seal Vicenza to Dark Seal.

And I actually think that most of the vintage 50s civilian jackets that I have seen (examples below) do actually have darker knits than the leather. And as I want mine to look like a deadstock original early 50s civilian A-2 with slash pockets like the examples below, I'm thinking the Seal knit would look more traditional/authentic than the lighter (more contrasting) Mid Brown knit with Seal Vicenza.

Thoughts?

 

[Seb Lucas]

Sounds good. Are you having epaulettes? I personally would leave them off.

 

[Dagenham Dave]

Sounds good. Are you having epaulettes? I personally would leave them off.

Thanks Seb, but I really like the epaulettes.

They're on some of the vintage ones, and I think they look great.

 

[xmr]

Cheers Fanch.

With Seal Brown or Mid Brown knits?

View attachment 26540

The knits on this picture look lighter as they actually are. I have both knits at home (mid brown and seal) and they are darker. Aero can send you samples as well.

 

[Dagenham Dave]

Seal vicenza with seal knits is a nice combo. I'm thinking of seal with caramel knits for my A-2, though I'm also tending towards dark seal for slightly more contrast.

The knits on this picture look lighter as they actually are. I have both knits at home (mid brown and seal) and they are darker. Aero can send you samples as well.

I actually think that most of the vintage 50s civilian jackets that I have seen (examples above) do actually have darker knits than the leather (in contrast to the many of their versions of authentic military A-2s, which mostly appear to have a lighter knit than the leather). And as I want mine to look like a deadstock original early 50s civilian A-2 with slash pockets like the examples below, I'm thinking the Seal knit would look more traditional/authentic than the lighter (more contrasting) Mid Brown knit with Seal Vicenza.

 

[HoosierDaddy]

Personally I think the darker knits make a nice contrast especially as the hide becomes more broken in and weathered somewhat.
HD

 

[Dagenham Dave]

Personally I think the darker knits make a nice contrast especially as the hide becomes more broken in and weathered somewhat.
HD

I still keep coming back to the mid-brown of Aero's Front Quarter Chromexcel Horsehide - I love the colour...




So it's either BROWN Heavy Front Quarter Chromexcel Horsehide with SEAL knits as pictured below:




Or SEAL Vicenza Italian Veg tanned FQHH with a SEAL knits:




Arrggh! I cannot decide. Which would look more authentic early 50s? Please help!!!

 

[Edward]

Both are great leathers, but my suggestion would be to go with the Vicenza. It's that bit softer than FQHH (it's more of a midweight), and much closer in weight and drape to the original jackets you're looking. Also, I personally think a 'softer' leather works better with knits in general. Leave the FQHH for when you decide you need a halfbelt too....

 

[Fanch]

Both are great leathers, but my suggestion would be to go with the Vicenza. It's that bit softer than FQHH (it's more of a midweight), and much closer in weight and drape to the original jackets you're looking. Also, I personally think a 'softer' leather works better with knits in general. Leave the FQHH for when you decide you need a halfbelt too....

+1 (everything Edward said). Personally I would leave off the epaulettes on a Happy Days jacket, once again my preference is for a simple, understated look.

 

[Sloan1874]

+1 to Edward and Fanch.

 

[Seb Lucas]

+ 2

 

[Fanch]

OK Dave, it's settled: Vicenza HH with no epaulettes. You pick the colors for the Vicenza and the knits.

 

[Dagenham Dave]

Ok. It's settled. I will go for Vicenza in Seal with Seal knits. But I still think I like the epaulettes.

Thanks so much guys. I'll order tonight after work.

 

[Fanch]

Well, I was getting ready to say "Nooo Dave"


However, I just saw that Aero's Happy Days jacket comes with epaulettes


So ... think you have a fantastic jacket soon to be in the queue.

 

[Dagenham Dave]

Well, I was getting ready to say "Nooo Dave"
View attachment 26636

However, I just saw that Aero's Happy Days jacket comes with epaulettes
View attachment 26637

So ... think you have a fantastic jacket soon to be in the queue.

Yes it does. And I didn't want to mess with the jacket's silhouette. It really does look so fantastic as it is, epaulettes included..!

And it will look even better in Seal Vicenza with Seal knits.

 

[Seb Lucas]

Yeah, well the Fonze had epaulettes on the shoulders of one jacket but not on another in the series.

 

[Dagenham Dave]

Officially ordered - Seal Vicenza with Seal knits. (I have request the lightest Seal available, and with a selection of least grainy skins for my jacket.)

Also, I don't want my jacket to have too short sleeves. According to Carrie at Thurston Bros., "the sleeves shorten about 0.5 inches during the break-in, so we always recommend the added length.” Denny at Aero confirmed this: "sleeves can shorten up to 0.5” once they start to develop creases on the inside of the elbow." If my desired sleeve length is 27.25", should I add 0.5" to take it up to 27.75"?

 

[Seb Lucas]

You hear this but I've never had sleeves shorten in 30 years and 40 jackets.

 

[Don Tomaso]

Officially ordered - Seal Vicenza with Seal knits. (I have request the lightest Seal available, and with a selection of least grainy skins for my jacket.)

Also, I don't want my jacket to have too short sleeves. According to Carrie at Thurston Bros., "the sleeves shorten about 0.5 inches during the break-in, so we always recommend the added length.” Denny at Aero confirmed this: "sleeves can shorten up to 0.5” once they start to develop creases on the inside of the elbow." If my desired sleeve length is 27.25", should I add 0.5" to take it up to 27.75"?

Forget about half an inch, this is nonsense. Of course, sleeves run up a bit, but for "§$%& sake, this is a leather-jacket, not a posh suit. Aero cannot work on that precision, anyway.