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A Certain Age?

Mark P

New Member
I've just discovered this forum, which seems to cater rather well to one of my obsessions. I see that many of the photos, if they show a face, seem to feature a man at a certain age (mine basically). Are most people, like me, indulging ourselves in the kind of jackets that we could not afford when we were 18?
 

Atticus

Well-Known Member
And in spite of what you think you see in those photographs, most of us still look like twenty-one-year-old fighter pilots.

AF
 

greyhound52

New Member
How many 18 year olds can afford a 800-900 dollar jacket or would even want to spend that much on one? Not many. For that matter how many care about whether it is this A2 contract or that, shoulder droop, the collar isn't right etc. Only us crazy people here. My wife I think sums it up best when she looked at my new Dubow Goodwear and said "looks nice but another brown jacket?"
 

Hawkeye

Member
Well I wouldnt have done it at 18, but at 21 I would most definately drop 800 or 900 bucks on the right jacket (having the money is another matter entirely.) :lol: Most of my paycheques go towards school, rent and beer, but I've had a good bit of luck buying and selling stuff on ebay in recent years which allows me to finance my hobby. It also helps that I've managed to find some really nice jackets for good prices as well. But the point is taken, younger guys like me are the exception.
 

Chandler

Well-Known Member
Sadly, when I was 18 there were no repro flight jackets -- no internet, no real histories of vintage flight jackets written, and I was too inexperienced to think about looking for originals at rummage sales and flea markets. All that on top of not having money.

Now it's different -- except the not having money part!

Chandler
 

DJS48

Active Member
When I moved to China last year, I brought my "jacket collection" as well. My Chinese wife had similar response as Mr. Greyhound52's wife had, "looks nice, but another brown jacket?" when she saw them. I recently received a Perry A-2 spec. label from John Chapman and I promptly sewed it on the jacket. Her comment was, " and you're going to show that to what people?"

I wasn't surprised by her comment, I merely smiled. I don't believe some things change no matter where one lives, atleast regarding "jacket collecting."

Don
 

CBI

Well-Known Member
When I was 18 I owned about 20 real A-2's as well as some shearling and a number of nylon flight jackets. They were $100-$200 back then in great condition. My patch collection numbered about 3,000. I was REALLY into it as a kid.
 
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