Key to be a happy jacket owner

[NamoAmituofo]

Remember that feeling when you bought your first ever proper leather jacket? Mine was an aero HWM. I was ecstatically over the moon - sooo happy that I wore it anytime the weather /dress code permitted.

Then came jacket #2, and #3, and so on. Even I force myself to adhere to a 3 jackets policy - I often fall victim to not cherishing what I have already, but keep wanting what I don’t have.

That, I think is the trap we ‘experienced’ jacket owners sometimes fall into.

To me the key to be a happy jacket owner is not wanting what I don’t have - but enjoying what I do have.

I ordered an aero KotR around this time last year and took delivery in August. Wore it every weekend till too cold, and wore it again every weekend when not so cold in late spring. Wore it to all places - from Tesco to Disneyland!

I also bought an old Vanson Enfield last winter - washed it, greased it and wore over a thick fleece for the whole winter - kept me dry and fairly warm - till one day I got tired of having to wear a scarf and had a mouton collar made for it (spent an absolute fortune on labor and materials). Yet when I saw someone else’s jacket my lust for what I don’t have made this jacket feel less desirable…

It’s fun to keep trying new stuff - but the key to happiness is to look inward and love what one has today, and keep loving them unwaveringly.

Of course many won’t agree with me but this is just me documenting an enlightenment moment of happiness which I hope will last.

Namo Amituofo

 

[jchance]

I have what is called “seasonal hobbies”—hobby that I could enjoy for days on end but only for a season or so. Then I’d get so bored of it that I need to rotate to something else. But after not touching it for months, I could dive back in and enjoy it for days on end again, without a doubt.

For clothing including leather jackets, it’s also something similar for me. I’d get into wearing something and you bet I’d try to wear it every day, until I get bored of the look and try something new (from my closet that I’ve completely forgotten about).

 

[Pandemic]

I’m trying to be a one leather jacket guy. And wear the **** out of it when I can. I resolved to keep my newest jacket for at least three winters.

The danger is that it becomes an endless cycle of buying and selling as one constantly changes their ‘one/two/three jacket’ wardrobe.

 

[AeroFan_07]

I dealt in-depth with this question here:
https://www.thefedoralounge.com/threads/jacket-collecting-ever-ask-why.116316/

 

[MrProper]

I have what is called “seasonal hobbies”—hobby that I could enjoy for days on end but only for a season or so. Then I’d get so bored of it that I need to rotate to something else. But after not touching it for months, I could dive back in and enjoy it for days on end again, without a doubt.

For clothing including leather jackets, it’s also something similar for me. I’d get into wearing something and you bet I’d try to wear it every day, until I get bored of the look and try something new (from my closet that I’ve completely forgotten about).

It's the same for me.
That's why I keep a lot of clothes, even if I might not be wearing them at the moment. Because I know I'll rediscover them at some point. One of my wide jeans, for example, is around 25 years old and I now wear it relatively often again (and not at all for many years in between).
As I can't wear leather jackets in summer anyway because it's too warm, I feel like wearing them again in autumn. It's similar with my shearling.
I'd like to be the type of person who wears a cool leather jacket and a pair of boots day in, day out, but that's not me. I just want to wear something different every day

 

[Peter Mackin]

Remember that feeling when you bought your first ever proper leather jacket? Mine was an aero HWM. I was ecstatically over the moon - sooo happy that I wore it anytime the weather /dress code permitted.

Then came jacket #2, and #3, and so on. Even I force myself to adhere to a 3 jackets policy - I often fall victim to not cherishing what I have already, but keep wanting what I don’t have.

That, I think is the trap we ‘experienced’ jacket owners sometimes fall into.

To me the key to be a happy jacket owner is not wanting what I don’t have - but enjoying what I do have.

I ordered an aero KotR around this time last year and took delivery in August. Wore it every weekend till too cold, and wore it again every weekend when not so cold in late spring. Wore it to all places - from Tesco to Disneyland!

I also bought an old Vanson Enfield last winter - washed it, greased it and wore over a thick fleece for the whole winter - kept me dry and fairly warm - till one day I got tired of having to wear a scarf and had a mouton collar made for it (spent an absolute fortune on labor and materials). Yet when I saw someone else’s jacket my lust for what I don’t have made this jacket feel less desirable…

It’s fun to keep trying new stuff - but the key to happiness is to look inward and love what one has today, and keep loving them unwaveringly.

Of course many won’t agree with me but this is just me documenting an enlightenment moment of happiness which I hope will last.

Namo Amituofo

View attachment 711014

100%, agree,that's me to a tee.i have piles of terrific jackets that I keep thinking I can't improve on,then I see something "better".Your words of wisdom have struck a chord and I'm going to focus on wearing and enjoying what I have,and have stopped appreciating. Thank you.

 

[torfjord]

Key to be a happy jacket owner is deleting your account here and never look back in again. Delete your eBay, FromJapan, Etsy etc accounts. Delete your Instagram.
My obsession comes in waves and are always followed by a sense of repulsion. My collection expands to the point where I'm disgusted by the amount of jackets that I own, the last couple of times the repulsion has set in somewhere around 20-25 jackets. I then purge and downsize to a "reasonable" number (which in my case is maybe 12-14 jacket... a few years ago it was 6). I am then happy for a few months and then the obsession starts again and the cycle continues like that.
I am for sure an obsessive addiction personality and I have sometimes have trouble controlling my impulses. The jacket hoarding/collecting/obsession is 100 % an expression of that side of me. I sometimes wish I could be free of it. On the other hand, there are much more sinister things that someone like me could engage with. I've never done drugs and I quit drinking alcohol several years ago.

For everyone that's a size 40, I can feel the repulsion starting to kick in. Check the classifieds in the next couple of weeks!

 

[NamoAmituofo]

Key to be a happy jacket owner is deleting your account here and never look back in again. Delete your eBay, FromJapan, Etsy etc accounts. Delete your Instagram.
My obsession comes in waves and are always followed by a sense of repulsion. My collection expands to the point where I'm disgusted by the amount of jackets that I own, the last couple of times the repulsion has set in somewhere around 20-25 jackets. I then purge and downsize to a "reasonable" number (which in my case is maybe 12-14 jacket... a few years ago it was 6). I am then happy for a few months and then the obsession starts again and the cycle continues like that.
I am for sure an obsessive addiction personality and I have sometimes have trouble controlling my impulses. The jacket hoarding/collecting/obsession is 100 % an expression of that side of me. I sometimes wish I could be free of it. On the other hand, there are much more sinister things that someone like me could engage with. I've never done drugs and I quit drinking alcohol several years ago.

For everyone that's a size 40, I can feel the repulsion starting to kick in. Check the classifieds in the next couple of weeks!

Which ever you sell - keep that JL goat - Damon just said they have only enough of that super goat for 1 more jacket (and guess who asked him for a new jacket!!)

 

[NamoAmituofo]

I dealt in-depth with this question here:
https://www.thefedoralounge.com/threads/jacket-collecting-ever-ask-why.116316/

This is a great read - lots of invaluable self reflection

 

[3.14nche]

I'd be happy if I were not to buy another jacket, I'm certainly set for life, but it has become a hobby at this point so why not.
I mean I wore the same lambskin jacket for a decade without giving it a second thought and it's only when a cat clawed through the shoulders that I started looking for a replacement.
Though looking at it now it's not in that bad of a shape...
So maybe I'm overcompensating for wearing the same thing for a long time.
Having a bit more disposable income than I did 15 years ago plays a part too as I would not have such a 'collection' if money was tight.
But as @torfjord said there are worst things to spend your money on.

 

[Zoro]

I have what is called “seasonal hobbies”—hobby that I could enjoy for days on end but only for a season or so. Then I’d get so bored of it that I need to rotate to something else. But after not touching it for months, I could dive back in and enjoy it for days on end again, without a doubt.

For clothing including leather jackets, it’s also something similar for me. I’d get into wearing something and you bet I’d try to wear it every day, until I get bored of the look and try something new (from my closet that I’ve completely forgotten about).

The "seasonal hobbies" resonates with me, although perhaps not in the same way. I often find something I like, something I use often or something I think would make my life more enjoyable and I delve into it, looking to get something that I think will keep me served for life (or at least for many, many years).

Leather jackets are the same, now I've got 4, perhaps I get new ones or "upgrades", but I might also be served and have found my "endgames", prompting me to somewhat "drop the hobby" cause of satisfaction rather than boredom. For example, I haven't bought audio equipment in years and I won't unless I delve into speakers. Same with coffee unless I delve into espresso. Same with pans unless I convince my girlfriend to fully ditch nonstick. The only PC component I've bought in the last 10 years has been a newer GPU a few months ago (won't serve me for life but should serve me for 5 years easily). And so on.

I do buy things in a gamble of just to try and build up my own expertise. A good example would be my Chinese leather jacket or somewhat cheap headphones I ended up selling. Headphones that were great, but didn't satisfy me and I sold them once I got my hands on a pair that I truly enjoyed. I didn't even sell them cause I had to, I just wanted someone else to, hopefully, enjoy them as I knew otherwise they would just collect dust in my possession.

I may not always use my "endgames" regularly or not all of them, but when I do, I always feel like the first time as it brings me joy, feeling exactly like I did the first time I used it, being reminded of what made me buy it and keep it. A good example is when I bring out my parkas in Winter, they make me happy I've bought them in the first place and excited to wear them one more year.

I'm aware of this being a huge materialistic POV and an absolute first world privilege, but I don't know, I guess I cannot help it.

 

[Bfd70]

Retail therapy. Buying things releases dopamine

 

[Carlos840]

I'm like @torfjord in a way.

I'm just an addict that happens to have fallen onto the leather jacket train at some point in my life...
I've come to the conclusion that i just go from obsession to obsession to keep my mind focused on something i feel i can control.
There is always something i am obsessed about, and that thing changes as time passes.
I have collected everything, stamps, coins and rocks as a kid, jackets and tools, instruments and musical gear, it's all just obsessive phases that seem to never end.
I'm endlessly trying to create "complete sets" whether that means having every leathertogs model made by LW, having every ratchet model some old british manufacturer has ever made or having every Tama snare drum model ever played by Dave Grohl in the Nirvana era.

I have 60 leather jackets, almost as many snare drums, more ratchets and spanner sets than a mecanic, and i don't feel happy or complete... Yet, i am constantly searching for more.

The worst thing is i don't get any hapiness from all that, it just feels like "what i do"...
Bit like an alcoholic going to a bar, not doing it for fun, but cause it has to be done.

That's why i kinda stopped checking TFL a while back, but i just replaced leather jackets with something else, and the second i come back here i instantly find my brain trying to find ways to justifie getting more jackets that i don't need and that i know won't make me happy.

It's exhausting.

 

[LeatherHunter]

I'm like @torfjord in a way.

I'm just an addict that happens to have fallen onto the leather jacket train at some point in my life...
I've come to the conclusion that i just go from obsession to obsession to keep my mind focused on something i feel i can control.
There is always something i am obsessed about, and that thing changes as time passes.
I have collected everything, stamps, coins and rocks as a kid, jackets and tools, instruments and musical gear, it's all just obsessive phases that seem to never end.
I'm endlessly trying to create "complete sets" whether that means having every leathertogs model made by LW, having every ratchet model some old british manufacturer has ever made or having every Tama snare drum model ever played by Dave Grohl in the Nirvana era.

I have 60 leather jackets, almost as many snare drums, more ratchets and spanner sets than a mecanic, and i don't feel happy or complete... Yet, i am constantly searching for more.

The worst thing is i don't get any hapiness from all that, it just feels like "what i do"...
Bit like an alcoholic going to a bar, not doing it for fun, but cause it has to be done.

That's why i kinda stopped checking TFL a while back, but i just replaced leather jackets with something else, and the second i come back here i instantly find my brain trying to find ways to justifie getting more jackets that i don't need and that i know won't make me happy.

It's exhausting.

You nailed my personality perfectly. I don’t have 60 jackets but I hover around 6-8 at any point in time. it wasn’t until recently when I looked at my eBay history as a buyer and seller that I realized I have bought and sold over 40 jackets in just 2 years. Rookie numbers by some but that sums up my obsession with things I find of interest. If one is good then 6 is better.

 

[NamoAmituofo]

Diminishing returns from leather jackets induced happiness!

To me the sweet spot is 3-4 jackets - 1 cross zip and 1 straight zip that are really well fitted for warmer months, plus 1 each for layering in colder weather.

I do prefer a cross zip but there are some occasions they may appear not right for - over a shirt to work, or dropping kids off at school.

 

[NamoAmituofo]

I'm like @torfjord in a way.

I'm just an addict that happens to have fallen onto the leather jacket train at some point in my life...
I've come to the conclusion that i just go from obsession to obsession to keep my mind focused on something i feel i can control.
There is always something i am obsessed about, and that thing changes as time passes.
I have collected everything, stamps, coins and rocks as a kid, jackets and tools, instruments and musical gear, it's all just obsessive phases that seem to never end.
I'm endlessly trying to create "complete sets" whether that means having every leathertogs model made by LW, having every ratchet model some old british manufacturer has ever made or having every Tama snare drum model ever played by Dave Grohl in the Nirvana era.

I have 60 leather jackets, almost as many snare drums, more ratchets and spanner sets than a mecanic, and i don't feel happy or complete... Yet, i am constantly searching for more.

The worst thing is i don't get any hapiness from all that, it just feels like "what i do"...
Bit like an alcoholic going to a bar, not doing it for fun, but cause it has to be done.

That's why i kinda stopped checking TFL a while back, but i just replaced leather jackets with something else, and the second i come back here i instantly find my brain trying to find ways to justifie getting more jackets that i don't need and that i know won't make me happy.

It's exhausting.

My first car cost £3000. I got into diy mechanics and within 2 years I spent £3000 on tools - one wrench for every imaginable scenario - in both metric and imperial - Snap On or some equally good British or German maker. True I eventually went to do timing belt changes and made use of some tools - but I remember those occasions when I spent 3 hrs taking the car apart but due to not having the right tool for a tight access - had to put everything back as the car was on driveway outside.

So my tools will stay with me longer than my jackets do!

“Better have and not need, than need but not have”

 

[JMax]

My “accumulation hobbies” are more like habits. Stuff I do/am. I don’t jump around all over the place. For 20+ years it has been jackets/vests, knives and ancient history books. I flow through them and for varying lengths of time focus on one more than the others, but always one of the three. When I do try to broaden my scope it never truly catches on.

 

[RDS]

The key to being a happy jacket owner is to own as many jackets as makes you feel happy. For some that might be just one, whereas for others it could be somewhere well into double figures.
Over the past couple of years I managed to acquire a total of 14 Aero Leather jackets (mainly from online auction and classifieds sites, not forums), although I never had more than five at any one time.
Most were initially bought to be ‘wearers’, however a few were just to flip. I started off with a Highwayman, and then bought and sold various other Aero jackets to not only trade up but also try the different styles and leathers.
To try and make sure my leather jackets got some very regular wear I introduced a self-imposed jacket limit or ‘one in, one out’ type policy. Until a few weeks ago this was only two, however I then found an Aero Leather Half Belt I couldn’t pass over due to condition and a really attractive price.
I’m happy with the Teamster, Highwayman & HB I now have and could possibly try to reduce it back to two but wouldn’t know which one to give up as I really like them all equally.
I’m not actively looking to buy or sell any more jackets, although I thought that was the case until I came across the Half Belt. Never say never !

 

[Peter Mackin]

Well that's my good intentions out the window.schott 115 incoming ,,,,but but but I really needed it in black and a size 44,,honest that's me definitely finished.

 

[moktabe]

Deleted as way too much waffle