Help educate me in this style of vintage jacket? (Will likely be my first purchase!)

[BigBrother]

Hey all! So I came here originally looking for flight jacket info, but am now venturing out into a category of general vintage leather jacket. The thing is, this is all new to me, and so while I'm finding some results on the usual sites, I know I need (and want!) a lot more info and knowledge to narrow and inform my searches. And it's just cool learning about this stuff .

A bit ago I posted asking about one jacket in particular, whose pics I'll repost here in a sec. I'm adding to it a few more I've gathered. At the end, I'll go over all my observations and the features I'm looking for and maybe you can help sharpen my search...

So here goes! The things I tend to like here are a short length (torso shorter than sleeves), a "standard" collar (no clue what to call this), this general color (I'm guessing I want horsehide, but maybe steer as well?), belt back, pretty clean lines/not too much embellishment (though I do love love love the lines on that first one). I think that's about it (so far).

Seems like Aero made a lot of these; maybe that's all I need to know. That first one was by Campus.

Anyway, any and all info you can provide would be really helpful- name(s) for this style, manufacturers to look out for, any info in general you think might help me, etc.

Excited about this first one. Glad to get your help!

Thanks!

 

[bn1966]

Nice looking jacket, if you haven’t already the Fedora Lounge forum is another great source for info on vintage wear…

 

[BigBrother]

Yeah I cross-posted there.

 

[mulceber]

seems like Aero made a lot of these

"Makes" - present tense. The Aero you posted isn't vintage, just well-worn. Here are a couple of Aero's jackets that fit your description and look pretty close to the ones you showed:

Plainsman

Buy Plainsman on Aero Leather Clothing for £870.00

www.aeroleatherclothing.com

1930s Half Belt

Buy 1930s Half Belt on Aero Leather Clothing for £870.00

www.aeroleatherclothing.com

And three by Bill Kelso:

Westfall - Bill Kelso Mfg.

Another classic design of huge popularity during the 1930s-40s. Our version is a direct copy of Sears’ Hercules design. The same model appeared also in a 1991 World War II movie called “Born to Ride” starring John Stamos. We named this model after Stamos’ character in the film. This jacket is...

billkelsomfg.com

Heracles - Bill Kelso Mfg.

“Absolutely the biggest buy in a horsehide Cossack we’ve seen – biggest seller we ever had – now a bigger and better value than ever!” Those were the words Sears chose to promote this jacket. It is said that it sold more than 100,000 pieces making it their biggest seller to date (1940). No...

billkelsomfg.com

Wingman - Bill Kelso Mfg.

America’s no 1 horsehide sports jacket. Best quality selected horsehide. Swagger action back with inverted center pleat, trim tucks at yoke and at stitched down half belt. Popular Cossack style with slide fastener front. Deep slash pockets, breast zipped pocket and throat tab. Full side gussets...

billkelsomfg.com

 

[blackrat2]

Might be worth messaging Ken at Aero as he does make/sell these jackets and has some vintage ones in stock
He is on the forum but hasn’t posted in a while so maybe generic email to Aero might be better, he certainly always replied to me of “farmed” it out to someone who did

 

[Southoftheborder]

He is on the forum but hasn’t posted in a while so maybe generic email to Aero might be better, he certainly always replied to me of “farmed” it out to someone who did

He's recovering from an op for cancer so a message to Aero is probably better.

 

[BigBrother]

The thing is, I’d rather go vintage for a number of reasons. That’s why I was curious more about: history, style, brands, context, etc. Unless this is just another leather jacket and there’s not much to say :\. Example: “oh those were Glaston jackets. Very popular in the 1280s. Made from puffins and beeswax. Look out for the built in tea shelf- increases the value!”

As a real example, I noticed these are usually horsehide. Is that something of note? I figured most leather was cow and wouldn’t think this one had any reason not to be, but here they are, mostly in horse. Curious about that.

Etc. etc. etc.

 

[mulceber]

Yeah, it's a pretty generic work jacket from the period. I don't think there's any one company that had a monopoly on that style. Jackets like that come up for sale on eBay and the like all the time.

 

[BigBrother]

Yeah, it's a pretty generic work jacket from the period. I don't think there's any one company that had a monopoly on that style. Jackets like that come up for sale on eBay and the like all the time.

Thanks. To that point then, which search terms would you recommend?

 

[Nickb123]

Goodwear Arcadia looks to be built off the Campus.

It’s one of my favorites.

 

[blackrat2]

If your asking what to search for then look on the GW and Aero sites for the styles,,,Cafe Racers, Highwayman etc etc then search those on eBay, I think that’s what your asking

 

[mulceber]

I think the issue is that he wants to buy vintage. To that end, I don't really know what search term would work. I'm not sure that style even had an agreed-upon name, beyond "half-belt." I guess just search "vintage leather jacket half belt" and prepare to pick through a lot of listings before you find a style that you like that fits.

 

[Southoftheborder]

One thing about vintage is that these days an eighties jacket is classed as vintage. The other is the difficulty of buying seventy year old jackets that are still wearable. I first started buying post war utility jackets in the seventies when they were less than thirty years old - like a mid nineties jacket today. But although there are still a lot of old jackets around I haven't bought one I could wear for nearly ten years and that was the first for a long time. That's why I buy repros.

If you could still get originals in good wearable condition that didn't look like they had been worn on the job by a building worker I would still buy them. I don't like worn out leather though so that's just me.

Look for horsehide jackets and steerhide jackets and under vintage clothing on eBay. They are still around.

 

[mulceber]

Yeah, I agree - if you want a wearer, it's probably better to find a nice used repro. Tons of repro half belts around.

 

[Micawber]

One thing about vintage is that these days an eighties jacket is classed as vintage. The other is the difficulty of buying seventy year old jackets that are still wearable. I first started buying post war utility jackets in the seventies when they were less than thirty years old - like a mid nineties jacket today. But although there are still a lot of old jackets around I haven't bought one I could wear for nearly ten years and that was the first for a long time. That's why I buy repros.

If you could still get originals in good wearable condition that didn't look like they had been worn on the job by a building worker I would still buy them. I don't like worn out leather though so that's just me.

Look for horsehide jackets and steerhide jackets and under vintage clothing on eBay. They are still around.

Precisely my thoughts. That, plus pecking through myriads of poorly described and dated jackets by vendors with potentially little knowledge of sizing or how to measure a garment correctly. Couple that with the fact many have a somewhat optimistic idea of condition will potentially keep the OP busy and very likely disappointed more than once especially if a vintage garment requires repair. A lot depends on the OP's region of course but in this instance a reproduction is potentially the best bet.

 

[JonnyCrow]

Yeah, it's a pretty generic work jacket from the period. I don't think there's any one company that had a monopoly on that style. Jackets like that come up for sale on eBay and the like all the time.

I agree, I see a lot on the vintage sell site I'm a member of, the Italian made ones are quality also

 

[Wright Field]

One thing about vintage is that these days an eighties jacket is classed as vintage. The other is the difficulty of buying seventy year old jackets that are still wearable. I first started buying post war utility jackets in the seventies when they were less than thirty years old - like a mid nineties jacket today. But although there are still a lot of old jackets around I haven't bought one I could wear for nearly ten years and that was the first for a long time. That's why I buy repros.

If you could still get originals in good wearable condition that didn't look like they had been worn on the job by a building worker I would still buy them. I don't like worn out leather though so that's just me.

Look for horsehide jackets and steerhide jackets and under vintage clothing on eBay. They are still around.

I hate to break it to you guys, but we’re now as far the ‘80s as the ‘80s were from WWII.
Damn, I feel old!

 

[JonnyCrow]

I hate to break it to you guys, but we’re now as far the ‘80s as the ‘80s were from WWII.
Damn, I feel old!

Exactly, my Spanish made B15 style clone is 40 years old nearly, haha ( 1984 ) 70's boots and jackets, half a century old, I feel old also

 

[Southoftheborder]

I hate to break it to you guys, but we’re now as far the ‘80s as the ‘80s were from WWII.
Damn, I feel old!

Yep, that was my point.

Back then you could buy them in good wearable condition. But not so much now when all that time has passed. I don't just feel old BTW, I am old.

 

[Chandler]

I hate to break it to you guys, but we’re now as far the ‘80s as the ‘80s were from WWII.
Damn, I feel old!

So, you're saying you want to buy my 1985 Flight Apparel Industries A-2 for $1,000 because it's now vintage? Sold!