One jacket to rule them all

[LuddGang]

When I joined here, I was looking for advice on buying one leather jacket with the idea of potentially getting a second in the future. Now I have eleven. I've also had many more jackets pass through, and I do have a rule that if something doesn't get into rotation at all, it has to go.

For me, this has essentially replaced my boots obsession since I feel that I've now 'finished' that - I don't have any pairs that don't get worn semi-regularly and there's no gaps that I want to fill.

I'm self-aware enough to realise that my arbitrary limit of 25 pairs of boots and 25 coats and jackets is totally ridiculous to most people, but everything I do keep gets worn at least once every few weeks (weather allowing) and I enjoy having the variety. I'm just glad I've got no interest in teacore jackets.... I'd never make any progress there.

 

[philli]

Thanks for the great tips.

I am currently choosing between the half belt sports jacket, Jean jacket, or the recent roughout jackets he posted and these two see picture (altought the red one i want in teacore bruciato if chosen and the other one in horse roughout)

I have the black teacore bruciato horsehide half belt jacket in the 4th pic for sale by the way. Bought it off wardrobe-19 some months back but don't wear it enough. I have it in a size medium

 

[barnabus]

The idea of “one perfect jacket” ( if we’re talking only 1 leather) is about as simple as asking for one last meal. There is absolutely zero chance you get it right but if you are staring down the chair or the gas chamber or maybe a firing squad you put your best guess out there and hope you choose wisely because that’s all you get.

Fortunately jackets can be bought and sold on repeat so the notion of “one perfect jacket” isn’t necessary and of course there is no perfect jacket for anyone, anywhere, ever in the history of all humankind. Two sleeves and a torso and you like ‘til you don’t.

Ton is absolutely right here of course. No single jacket will ever do every job you ask of it.

Wear it riding your motorcycle. Wear it to the office with a shirt and tie. Wear it trekking through the wilderness. Wear it to a rock concert. Wear it for a date. Wear it when the weather turns chilly at a funeral. Wear it flying off on holiday. Wear it to do some work in your yard. Wear it when you're clearing your gutters. Wear it to a job interview. Wear it to the pub.

Etc.

You need different jackets for different needs. Some might be leather, some might not.

The only thing I'd suggest is that whatever jacket you get first, you use it for everything you can get away with. Don't baby it and save it for best because it cost a lot of money, get the value out of it by wearing it whenever you can.

Fwiw, my one jacket to rule them all wouldn't be leather because I don't think any leather style is versatile enough. I'd get waxed cotton or canvas, in black - a Barbour or Filson or whatever. But that's not what this thread is asking.

 

[philli]

Ton is absolutely right here of course. No single jacket will ever do every job you ask of it.

Wear it riding your motorcycle. Wear it to the office with a shirt and tie. Wear it trekking through the wilderness. Wear it to a rock concert. Wear it for a date. Wear it when the weather turns chilly at a funeral. Wear it flying off on holiday. Wear it to do some work in your yard. Wear it when you're clearing your gutters. Wear it to a job interview. Wear it to the pub.

Etc.

You need different jackets for different needs. Some might be leather, some might not.

The only thing I'd suggest is that whatever jacket you get first, you use it for everything you can get away with. Don't baby it and save it for best because it cost a lot of money, get the value out of it by wearing it whenever you can.

Fwiw, my one jacket to rule them all wouldn't be leather because I don't think any leather style is versatile enough. I'd get waxed cotton or canvas, in black - a Barbour or Filson or whatever. But that's not what this thread is asking.

I second this. My most worn jacket is actually my Barbour spey. This jacket gets me through spring fall and winter with layering. (I am base in NYC)

As for leather jackets, you can really only wear thinner leathers in the spring (highly dependent where you're located obviously). And summers i dont even consider leather at all. I think at the very least you should consider the seasons you want to wear it. For winter you can go with a thicker hide with wool lining. For fall you can go either or, a thinner leather with layering ability or thicker leather to wear as a t shirt jacket. They don't really work great for extreme climate conditions tbh so you don't really need that many leather jackets from a practicality standpoint. If you are a collector or a hobbyist then its a different story.

Me personally I like having a thicker horsehide single rider jacket (fall and early winter) and a B3 style for extreme cold. For rainy/snowy weather I would go waxed cotton or jungle cloth. Sure you can get away with wearing leather in those conditions as well but there are better materials for the elements so I would rather wear those.

 

[Guppy]

There's a lot of evidence hanging in my closet that strongly suggests a single jacket cannot do it all.

But there's a lot of evidence in there that tells me that there's also a lot of jackets that can do just about anything. They may look out of place doing it, but they won't mind if you don't.

My "rule them all" jackets:

1. Aero Half-Belt Deluxe. A very versatile design, with plenty of pockets. Dresses up and down with equal ease.
2. Aero Bootlegger. A classier looking cross-zip that doesn't scream "motorcycle" but still rocks.
3. Aero Wayfarer. An all around jacket that has a lot of style without being overboard.
4. Lost Worlds Ryder. It's a center-zip half-belt jacket, understated and classic, and built like a tank.
5. Langlitz. Whether you go with the Columbia, Cascade, Crescent, a properly fitted and broken in Langlitz is second to none. A Sidewinder is on my very short want list. If you like the Langlitz Columbia, you should also think hard about a vintage Cal Leather CHP jacket, which is even more rugged and beefy, maybe slightly less refined, but very satisfying to wear.
6. Buco J-100 or Beck 666. The center zip moto jacket, retroactively named the "cafe racer" jacket. Simple, cool. Everything a jacket needs to be, nothing it doesn't. One of the Japanese reproduction makers, if you can find one and have the money.
7. A high quality Levi's Type III trucker jacket, any maker. Handwarmer pockets + premium quality 3 oz leather = grail. It might seem humble for a "rule them all" jacket, but you can wear a Type III just about anywhere.

 

[marker2037]

I’d have to agree with the first half-belt chosen. It’s so versatile. If I wanted one jacket from Thedi, it would be that one. But since I already had plenty of jackets and a few from him, getting that one would be redundant for me.

My latest order is for an Idas. I think it’s also a great one jacket option, but just not a half-belt style, more like a Highwayman.

 

[bobjones]

I think weight should also be a factor - some older folks like me have bad shoulders and just can't wear FQHH any longer.

I recently opted for lighter weight hides in Schott Delivery jackets weighing around 3lbs each to replace my FQHH. I also lost some weight which makes the FQHH a bigger burden in terms of jacket-to-weight ratio.

I'll wear my lightweight Schotts from 65 degrees down to the low 30s when my Uniqlo down coat will take over. My Reiss suede trucker is an option for the high 50s/60s F. That should cover most of Fall and Spring, plus a good chunk of Winter here in NY area.

I feel a civilian piece like my Schott Delivery jackets are about as versatile as you can get, as they work with dressier slacks down to ripped denim.

 

[barnabus]

7. A high quality Levi's Type III trucker jacket, any maker. Handwarmer pockets + premium quality 3 oz leather = grail. It might seem humble for a "rule them all" jacket, but you can wear a Type III just about anywhere.

A brown Type III is now my only leather jacket. I reckon it's about the most versatile style, but imo it still absolutely isn't a one jacket solution for everything.

 

[philli]

after getting my Rainbow Country Santa Clara, i can confidently say this jacket and my B3 style jacket from field leathers will cover pretty much all the situations where I would want to wear a leather jacket. Everything else that I own is just a bonus.

For a lean wardrobe I would suggest getting something with enough chest ease to layer a sweatshirt. Also this is not something I considered with my previous leather jackets, but wider sleeves is a huge plus for not feeling restricted in mobility when layering.

Just made a post about the santa clara https://www.thefedoralounge.com/threads/new-in-rainbow-country-santa-clara.122984/#post-3258528

 

[Guppy]

A brown Type III is now my only leather jacket. I reckon it's about the most versatile style, but imo it still absolutely isn't a one jacket solution for everything.

I can't disagree -- the Trucker jackets have a casual, workwear, and western vibe to them that make them not quite an everything jacket, yet they are still very versatile and good at so much, if you had to pick a single jacket as your only jacket, it would be hard to fault someone for going with a modified/80s revision Type III.