Give me your comments on this leather great coat.

[Nachtengel01]

Hello, i am new in the business of leather coats and their many qualities or defaults but by reading the Fedora Lounge website, i've learned quite a lot. Anyhow, i was in the search for a leather long coat with some appeal when i found this one.

http://cgi.ebay.ca/WW2-German-Offic...495?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item5d2d888dff

what do you think?

 

[Jingo Mastapone]

It seems like it would be great for pretending to be a Nazi but I just don't see anyone pulling that off in public as a serious garment. War crimes or shooting up your highschool classmates is all I would think.

 

[ortega76]

Interesting. The Alley in Chicago does a brisk business selling leather longcoats to the goth and punk crowd, and I can't say that I didn't rock something similar during my punk days.

 

[Nachtengel01]

It seems like it would be great for pretending to be a Nazi but I just don't see anyone pulling that off in public as a serious garment. War crimes or shooting up your highschool classmates is all I would think.

Yeah what's unfortunate about all this is that i really find the coat fashionable. It's just a shame that it has been associated with a political party that went to extreme measures to get their points across...It makes me remember about Starship Troopers when you see the psychics coming to salute the troopers at the end of the movie to feel the mind of the alien enemy they captured. My first thought was: "wow! they so look like the gestapo!" instead of saying: "Wow! what a great coat they wear". Funny how we can relate attire with events may it be good or bad without even thinking about the look of the garnment itself. Anyway, it's just my thought.

Leather wise though, do anyone think the coat looks great?

 

[Peacoat]

Welcome to the Lounge.

In addition to the above, I would note that is a huge piece of horsehide that doesn't appear to be pieced together. The upper back appears to be one piece, but it is difficult to tell how the lower part is sectioned. But it doesn't appear to be multiple sections. I would be interested to find out how the company can put that much horsehide into a coat for the price being charged.

If I were a 25 y/o Goth, it would be great. Or if I were still playing music, it would would make for a grand entrance into the club. But at my age and conservative lifestyle, it would have limited to no functionality.

 

[subject101]

Yeah what's unfortunate about all this is that i really find the coat fashionable. It's just a shame that it has been associated with a political party that went to extreme measures to get their points across...

Actually, you can put the blame on movies for this. The german leather great coat was a quite uncommon jacket during wwII. Unfortunately, Hitler and Himmler owned one, so...

Himmler copied the idea from communist leaders of the soviet union. And all these jackets, leather great coats, what we call today a wermatch or gestapo leather coat and "u-boat" jackets were common civil clothes all over Europe during the 30s. I don't know if in the States too.

I actually have a picture of my great grandfather with one of these coats during the 30s decade. He was not german and had nothing to do with the axis.

 

[Nachtengel01]

Actually, you can put the blame on movies for this. The german leather great coat was a quite uncommon jacket during wwII. Unfortunately, Hitler and Himmler owned one, so...

Himmler copied the idea from communist leaders of the soviet union. And all these jackets, leather great coats, what we call today a wermatch or gestapo leather coat and "u-boat" jackets were common civil clothes all over Europe during the 30s. I don't know if in the States too.

I actually have a picture of my great grandfather with one of these coats during the 30s decade. He was not german and had nothing to do with the axis.

That's true, before anything else, it was a common attire wear for the more fortunate of society. It's just that when the 2nd war came, Hitler was give an allowance to his generals to dress themselves properly since everything else was rationnalize. So therefore came the leather trenchcoat that was worn by the rich.

I am neither goth or have the desire to go kill people but yes i could be called marginal. So the pictures of the coat are all pretty and everything but i won t know until i buy and try it, right? If ever there's anything, i can be reimburse, so that s the good side of it for now. Thanks, for everybody for your advices and comments.

 

[subject101]

pictures of the coat are all pretty and everything but i won t know until i buy and try it, right? If ever there's anything, i can be reimburse, so that s the good side of it for now. Thanks, for everybody for your advices and comments.

If you like leather jackets and you try a german leather great coat, you're going to hate its bad reputation because it's one of the most amazing leather jackets ever. You put it on and you have a double breasted leather all over your body, from your ears to your feet.

But whenever you go out, you have the nazi thing on your back all the time. I don't know in Montreal but in some countries I'm pretty sure people around are going to look at you.

In ex-soviet countries it happens the same with brown leather great coats because they were used by NKVD members.

 

[Fletch]

I do the brown coat occasionally, but it's a conservative 70s number in glossy nappa. It has only the yoked shoulders in common with the German style.

 

[Geronimo]

Nice jacket. If you're a younger guy with long hair, it'll be less trouble.

I've wanted one for a while, but I couldn't figure out any place I could wear it. So I bought a 70s brown leather trench coat instead.

 

[Dinerman]

Post war examples can be had for a fraction of what a repro costs, and they're generally of much better quality. If you were to go with the repro, definitely change out the buttons for black plastic ones.

As far as pulling it off without looking like a nazi goes- it's all about what you wear it with. I have a couple leather overcoats, and other than my friends who know what it is joking about it, I haven't gotten a single negative comment.

Le Corbusier on the left with Sergei Eisenstein and Andrei Burov in Moscow. 1928.

 

[subject101]

I have a couple leather overcoats, and other than my friends who know what it is joking about it, I haven't gotten a single negative comment.

That one is called wermatch or gestapo coat thanks to "Raiders of the Lost Ark" movie. I have to see yet a real gestapo member picture with one like this.

 

[Nachtengel01]

As far as pulling it off without looking like a nazi goes- it's all about what you wear it with. I have a couple leather overcoats, and other than my friends who know what it is joking about it, I haven't gotten a single negative comment.

Well here it goes, i just received it last wednesday and i must say, i love the coat, it fit well and it's warm. I can't say it's the best leather i have experience in my life but the look is amazing. Tell me what you think.

 

[Edward]

As has been said, the stereotypical image of the SS or Gestapo officer in a long, leather coat is primarily a Hollywood creation. I have a long vintage leather overcoat, in black, which I wear occasionally. The only Gestapo comments I have ever received have been from people of my parents' generation, and even then they are typically referencing the Her Flick character in Eighties sitcom Allo Allo rather than any actual Nazi. Younger people far more readily reference Keanu Reeves in The Matrix. In fact, the only time a kid asked if I was a Nazi, I was wearing drainpipe jeans, a fluffy, leopard print shirt and a Perfecto-style mc jacket... [huh] If you're concerned about anyone drawing the 'Nazi' link, switch out the buttons for black plastic, and lose the shoulderboards. If you live near somewhere that does leatherwork - belts, and the like - they might well be able to make you a set of leather epaulettes that would fit it, which would, imo, look nice on that coat and not leave it looking like you had removed military shoulderboards.

It's a nice looking coat. I've not bought anything from Spearhead, though he has a lot of nice looking stuff, and some folks here have bought his non-leather items and been pleased. I'd love to see one of these in person to see what the hide is like.

That one is called wermatch or gestapo coat thanks to "Raiders of the Lost Ark" movie. I have to see yet a real gestapo member picture with one like this.

Yes, agreed. I can only assume it must be Hollywood's influence (and the image of the Gestapo guy in Raiders in particular was so strong - I think actually Herr Flick was based upon him); no-one has ever looked at my Aero Thirties half belt and said "Luftwaffe", when in reality far more German military personnel during the Nazi period wore jackets along those lines than ever did the long coats. But then should we really be surprised? Thanks to Hollywood, most folks nowadays think William Wallace wore a kilt..... and a lot of them probably think it was tartan.

 

[Peacoat]

I will have to say it looks much better on you than it did on the mannequin--not nearly so military. How thick is the leather, and I can't remember if it is steer or horse?

 

[subject101]

Tell me what you think.

Well, it looks great on you, congratularions

I can't say it's the best leather i have experience in my life but the look is amazing.

If you have the chance, please take some close ups of details like stiches, sleeves, collar... From this distance it looks quite ok.

 

[randooch]

I'd be curious to hear back from you after "going public" with it. Expect some guff, that's for sure. Maybe not verbal, but you'll notice the stares. Your earring might throw 'em off the negative track, as would an infectious smile, a la Dinerman.

One thing's certain, it'd take a wind from another planet to penetrate that thing!

 

[Nachtengel01]

Well, it looks great on you, congratularions



If you have the chance, please take some close ups of details like stiches, sleeves, collar... From this distance it looks quite ok.

Thou shalt asketh an' receive.

The leather is actually thick and inside there is a satin lining which makes it really warm once you close this coat. I would say the coat is actually weighting in between 8 to 10 pounds easy and it is thick Horsehide Leather. It's really looking nice each time i see it. I feel proud to have it and wear it around. So here are below the pictures asked about the seeming patterns and such:

(Ze Side pocket)

(Ze Collar!)

(Ze back of the coate wit ze belte)

(Ze upper sleeve)

(Ze French Cuff but wit the slight difference that on original Gestapo coat they would be opened for the officer to put his glove in the cuff and on this model, they are sewn tight so no possibility to do so.)

So there you are, a little display of my newest acquisition but by roaming this site daily, it won't be long before i might get myself tempsted by an Aero short jacket or an Eastman one...

 

[subject101]

Thanks for those close ups

Ze French Cuff but wit the slight difference that on original Gestapo coat they would be opened for the officer to put his glove in the cuff and on this model, they are sewn tight so no possibility to do so.)

Well, actually there wasn't such a thing as an 'original gestapo coat'. Gestapo members wore civil clothes.

Hitler and Himmler great coats were civil purcharses. Besides, in Germany there was a leather shortage during and before the war.

In most units, only elite officers were allowed to wear leather coats, most of the them civil purchases by themselves.

Nazi army issued some leather jackets but most of the great coats I have seen were civil jackets, all slightly different one from the other. Some of them with 'aftermarket' epaulets, some others with no military add ons at all.

I'd be curious to hear back from you after "going public" with it. Expect some guff, that's for sure. Maybe not verbal, but you'll notice the stares. Your earring might throw 'em off the negative track, as would an infectious smile, a la Dinerman.

I'm curious too. Maybe in Montreal it is ok but in Germany all nazi symbols are forbidden. I'd like to see if you can get busted thanks to Hollywood.

 

[Nachtengel01]

Thanks for those close ups



Well, actually there wasn't such a thing as an 'original gestapo coat'. Gestapo members wore civil clothes.

Hitler and Himmler great coats were civil purcharses. Besides, in Germany there was a leather shortage during and before the war.

In most units, only elite officers were allowed to wear leather coats, most of the them civil purchases by themselves.

Nazi army issued some leather jackets but most of the great coats I have seen were civil jackets, all slightly different one from the other. Some of them with 'aftermarket' epaulets, some others with no military add ons at all.

I'm curious too. Maybe in Montreal it is ok but in Germany all nazi symbols are forbidden. I'd like to see if you can get busted thanks to Hollywood.

There is no military shoulder pads on this one even if Spearhead does give them as a gift when you buy the coat. So the likelihood that somebody makes an association with the nazi pary is pretty slim. Even if they do, that's their opinion and i surely didn't bought it because of the association to it but rather the style. Same thing if you wear a Luftwaffe jacket or a B-3 jacket, does that makes me a pilot, no? But it's all about quality and looks right?

As per your knowledge on "gestapo coats", you're absolutly right. The high rank officers were receiving a small allowance to dress themselves properly and so therefore they thought that a leather treachcoat could bring prestance and show their high social status.

Anyhow, as soon as i will wear it outside, i'll let you know what happened...that is if i will be still alive to tell the tale...lol!