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Finds and Deals - Leather Jacket Edition

Messages
16,402
In the US, what we call "country" girls, tomboys, girls from very humble roots, and/or serious motorcycle chicks, are, in my experience, not as prissy and more practical. Am not saying I would buy my wife a used wedding ring, but a woman who farms and mucks stalls is often not worried about the cooties found on a used jacket. Also, it is well documented that younger people today are much into thrifting. We may need to shift our stereotypes about women. Just read an article about trend of women giving their wedding dresses away rather than have them hang in a closet for 50 years.

My point is that while women will happily thrift, they ain't spending anything close to what we do on an used leather jacket. Sure, they'll buy a nice used leather jacket but not for $800. Or $400. Or $100. Case in point; Listings made by women. Vanson, Schott, Aero, etc. jackets selling for $35. Whenever I tried to help someone out by pointing out the actual value of the jacket, I'd always get the same reply; But it's not new!

With the quality of clothes going up, thrifting is in a slow decline. You'll see a year from now. Prices of used clothes will go down and rapidly at that. Anything with that same damn thrift store smell won't no longer be tolerated.
 

Coriu

One Too Many
Messages
1,154
Location
Virginia
My point is that while women will happily thrift, they ain't spending anything close to what we do on an used leather jacket. Sure, they'll buy a nice used leather jacket but not for $800. Or $400. Or $100. Case in point; Listings made by women. Vanson, Schott, Aero, etc. jackets selling for $35. Whenever I tried to help someone out by pointing out the actual value of the jacket, I'd always get the same reply; But it's not new!

With the quality of clothes going up, thrifting is in a slow decline. You'll see a year from now. Prices of used clothes will go down and rapidly at that. Anything with that same damn thrift store smell won't no longer be tolerated.
You are certainly right about the much lower prices for women's jackets. I'm just saying that there is a subset of women who understand quality and are willing to pay for it.

Concerning thrifting, it may be partially a function of where one resides. I have a family member who lives in a very affluent area of the US. Thrift stores there get unbelievable, designer clothing, much of which looks new or hardly worn. I think the image of the thrift store with smelly clothes is not the case, especially in nicer areas. One of the Goodwill's closest to me is in the midst of a well-to-do, suburban area. The stuff in there is very nice. Not uncommon to run across clothing with dry cleaner tags on it.
 
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Claybertrand

One Too Many
Messages
1,544
My point is that while women will happily thrift, they ain't spending anything close to what we do on an used leather jacket. Sure, they'll buy a nice used leather jacket but not for $800. Or $400. Or $100. Case in point; Listings made by women. Vanson, Schott, Aero, etc. jackets selling for $35. Whenever I tried to help someone out by pointing out the actual value of the jacket, I'd always get the same reply; But it's not new!

With the quality of clothes going up, thrifting is in a slow decline. You'll see a year from now. Prices of used clothes will go down and rapidly at that. Anything with that same damn thrift store smell won't no longer be tolerated.
Monitor, PLEASE STOP helping the women sell their jackets!!!!!!!!!!!! I think we are doing JUST FINE as it is when these ladies sell a "Stinky Old Jacket for the Motor Bike" that ends up being a Harley Davidson Sportster 1 pocket for $35!!!!!!!!! THAT is the economy I want!!!! Let's not rock the boat brother!!!!!! What they don't know won't hurt em. And they're right: What kind of disgusting person would purchase a USED leather jacket that was (gasp!) WORN AND SWEATED IN BY A STRANGER who's probably dead?????!!!!! I can't think of that many............ BUT THEY'RE ALL HERE!!!! Lol

Happy Friday!!! : )
 
Messages
10,197
Not related to any of the ongoing discussion, but I thought of it while reading. My wife is no frills. Simple, tough woman. No issues buying used dresses online, etc. She hates used leather jackets. Mostly the odors she thinks they have. But, just the other day I caught her in my closet wearing my 50s HD D pocket. She says it’s beautiful and now wants one in her size. I was excited but then thought, damn, she would like one of the more expensive vtg leather jackets. I told her they rarely come up in her size and then did 10 Hail Marys. Ok, back to whatever was being discussed.
 

Claybertrand

One Too Many
Messages
1,544
I once bought a leather jacket for like----$50. Its a Fidelity Boston Cop jacket. Anyway, when the shipment arrived, it felt light. When I opened it, it was a dress with a note from the Seller to the Buyer---a lady in New York. So I had to go about notifying the Seller about this mix up and she was ALL freaked out because she was a volume Seller and had mixed up her packages when shipping. I guess the buyer of the dress was really upset with the dirty leather jacket she received because she had paid like $400 for this dress--It was some designer dress I guess--and she needed to have it tailored prior to an event or something. She was PISSED!!! Lol.

So like, if I as a dude was selling that dress, if I didn't do any due diligence on it, I'd be selling it CHEAP. It seemed like total crap in my opinion for $400. So my listing would be like, "Black dress. You could wear it to do things. Made by someone named Vera Wang. Buy It Now $14.50" and elsewhere on this site, some chicks would be gleefully posting messages about how one of them just "STOLE a Vera Wang from some dumbass dude!!! for $14.50"

We all have our ignorances and our blind spots......lol
 

Claybertrand

One Too Many
Messages
1,544
Not related to any of the ongoing discussion, but I thought of it while reading. My wife is no frills. Simple, tough woman. No issues buying used dresses online, etc. She hates used leather jackets. Mostly the odors she thinks they have. But, just the other day I caught her in my closet wearing my 50s HD D pocket. She says it’s beautiful and now wants one in her size. I was excited but then thought, damn, she would like one of the more expensive vtg leather jackets. I told her they rarely come up in her size and then did 10 Hail Marys. Ok, back to whatever was being discussed.
HILARIOUS!!!!!!!!!! Was she wearing your Old Spice Body Lotion as well!?!?!?!?!?!!?!?!?!?

10 Hail Marys!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! LMFAO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Thanks bro
 

photo2u

Call Me a Cab
Messages
2,008
Location
claremont california
Monitor, PLEASE STOP helping the women sell their jackets!!!!!!!!!!!! I think we are doing JUST FINE as it is when these ladies sell a "Stinky Old Jacket for the Motor Bike" that ends up being a Harley Davidson Sportster 1 pocket for $35!!!!!!!!! THAT is the economy I want!!!! Let's not rock the boat brother!!!!!! What they don't know won't hurt em. And they're right: What kind of disgusting person would purchase a USED leather jacket that was (gasp!) WORN AND SWEATED IN BY A STRANGER who's probably dead?????!!!!! I can't think of that many............ BUT THEY'RE ALL HERE!!!! Lol

Happy Friday!!! : )

I am for helping people sell their items. Not all ladies think the same.
 

Coriu

One Too Many
Messages
1,154
Location
Virginia
Not related to any of the ongoing discussion, but I thought of it while reading. My wife is no frills. Simple, tough woman. No issues buying used dresses online, etc. She hates used leather jackets. Mostly the odors she thinks they have. But, just the other day I caught her in my closet wearing my 50s HD D pocket. She says it’s beautiful and now wants one in her size. I was excited but then thought, damn, she would like one of the more expensive vtg leather jackets. I told her they rarely come up in her size and then did 10 Hail Marys. Ok, back to whatever was being discussed.
I'm getting this visual of you walking into your closet and there she stands...you having the same look that a woman would get catching her husband wearing her lingerie.
 

Yamahana

Practically Family
Messages
992
Location
Buckeye, Arizona
No doubt this was once owned by the coolest kid in the neighborhood..
Hell, coolest kid in town.
CBFCE3A5-A0BD-465B-969F-2CC5C9F25494.jpeg
85A6C8BA-A116-41EA-8807-E7A11D0072E5.jpeg
97C930DD-5AAE-44D7-95D1-9962B2347471.jpeg

https://www.ebay.com/itm/3849536333...Y9BVxGkSP6&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY
 

Claybertrand

One Too Many
Messages
1,544

willyto

One Too Many
Messages
1,616
Location
Barcelona
Imagine there is someone new to leather on TFL who would simply love to have a horsehide jacket and is budget-restricted. This could be an excellent choice. And someone went to the bother of resurrecting an older jacket rather than throw it in the trash....if that's the case, a noble act....and better a "cheap" zipper than the trash.

We should be happy older jackets are finding new homes. I can see wanting perfection in a very expensive jacket and/or something to display in a museum, but I don't see the need to dissect a relatively cheap jacket over something as trivial as a zipper(major flaws, sure). It could scare off a buyer after seeing the experts critique it. And we are not doing the seller any favors, either.

Imagine animal shelters posting photos of dogs and people writing in pointing out all of the dog's faults. LOL
I don't think $300 is cheap by any means specially after having added a new zipper which doesn't match the jacket at all. Also since you can't really see the stitching work very well on the pics you don't know if it was a hack job or a good one. Regardless of that I still won't like that two way big zipper on it.

Most people find these jackets for peanuts in the wilds, particularly Ebay dealers so that's not a cheap price for the profit they intend to make.

I like that older jackets are appreciated but I'm not forced to like everything just because it's old. Also it's the seller's job to sell the jacket not mine and I will point out anything that affects the condition of a leather jacket.

I'm not an expert and you're welcome to ignore my opinion but I don't need to do any favor to sellers and potential buyers can make up their own choices. I doubt a stranger's opinion in a forum will prevent a sale.
 

Coriu

One Too Many
Messages
1,154
Location
Virginia
I don't think $300 is cheap by any means specially after having added a new zipper which doesn't match the jacket at all. Also since you can't really see the stitching work very well on the pics you don't know if it was a hack job or a good one. Regardless of that I still won't like that two way big zipper on it.

Most people find these jackets for peanuts in the wilds, particularly Ebay dealers so that's not a cheap price for the profit they intend to make.

I like that older jackets are appreciated but I'm not forced to like everything just because it's old. Also it's the seller's job to sell the jacket not mine and I will point out anything that affects the condition of a leather jacket.

I'm not an expert and you're welcome to ignore my opinion but I don't need to do any favor to sellers and potential buyers can make up their own choices. I doubt a stranger's opinion in a forum will prevent a sale.
There are presently 38 members and 440 guests online. I would imagine a certain percentage of those guests are new to the leather game and are here to listen to the opinions of the experts. I, myself, have been VERY influenced by what I have read on this forum in terms of what I have chosen to/not to pursue. So, I'd recommend providing alternatives to people if we are going to criticize a jacket for sale.

To say "...that Zipper ruins an otherwise very nice leather jacket..." All I can say is, it must be nice to be able to pass on a jacket because of a zipper. Some on here struggle to find ANY vintage jackets due to our size.

I would proudly wear that jacket along with my cheap Dickies jeans and old boots. The essence of leather has always been "freedom" and not giving a flying flip what anyone else thinks. And I've yet to ever be told by anyone in my long my life "Oooh, nice zipper." Or, "Oh my, that zipper just doesn't work." I'm not saying we shouldn't try to wear "proper" leather jackets. But we are missing out on things in life if everything has to be perfect.

We don't know who put that zipper on there. Maybe it was an owner who simply couldn't afford more. If it was the seller, I can understand them not wanting to spend a lot on a zipper that will allow them to break even on the investment, at best.

Am not going to debate the jacket is properly priced. I will say that I would gladly advise someone to buy that jacket(assuming it is in good condition) over spending $400 for a new jacket that cannot compare in terms of leather quality.

A couple of days ago at a local gas station, I bought shoes for an elderly woman in a wheelchair that had nothing on her feet. Yes, right here in the "rich" USA. Most people in my poor, rural county could never dream of owning a leather jacket. We are fortunate to have the luxury of debating zippers.
 

John A Koehler

Familiar Face
Messages
50
There are presently 38 members and 440 guests online. I would imagine a certain percentage of those guests are new to the leather game and are here to listen to the opinions of the experts. I, myself, have been VERY influenced by what I have read on this forum in terms of what I have chosen to/not to pursue. So, I'd recommend providing alternatives to people if we are going to criticize a jacket for sale.

To say "...that Zipper ruins an otherwise very nice leather jacket..." All I can say is, it must be nice to be able to pass on a jacket because of a zipper. Some on here struggle to find ANY vintage jackets due to our size.

I would proudly wear that jacket along with my cheap Dickies jeans and old boots. The essence of leather has always been "freedom" and not giving a flying flip what anyone else thinks. And I've yet to ever be told by anyone in my long my life "Oooh, nice zipper." Or, "Oh my, that zipper just doesn't work." I'm not saying we shouldn't try to wear "proper" leather jackets. But we are missing out on things in life if everything has to be perfect.

We don't know who put that zipper on there. Maybe it was an owner who simply couldn't afford more. If it was the seller, I can understand them not wanting to spend a lot on a zipper that will allow them to break even on the investment, at best.

Am not going to debate the jacket is properly priced. I will say that I would gladly advise someone to buy that jacket(assuming it is in good condition) over spending $400 for a new jacket that cannot compare in terms of leather quality.

A couple of days ago at a local gas station, I bought shoes for an elderly woman in a wheelchair that had nothing on her feet. Yes, right here in the "rich" USA. Most people in my poor, rural county could never dream of owning a leather jacket. We are fortunate to have the luxury of debating zippers.
Amen to that.
 

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