Mojo?

[John Lever]

Have you ever just lost interest in jackets? I don't know what happened, but since the upset on the forum,the hot weather and recent rise in prices it's just gone. I almost feel a sense of relief not wanting stuff any more. I've been here before so it will probably come back.

 

[ausreenactor]

Since the 'nude' HLB was thrown on the ELC site I have busted out my BK and fallen in love with the 'boring brown Army jackets' (Daughter speak) again. It IS winter here at the moment. We had a recent 'cold snap' which I think the alarmists are now calling an Antarctic Vortex (wooowowowowooooo oogie boogie boogie)...

Jackets are 'so hot right now'.

 

[Falcon_52]

You are not alone, John. It has happened to me a few times over the last ~20 years. I'm not sure why but I just seem to lose interest (probably just a change in priorities) - it has always come back eventually though. Hopefully, it will for you too.

Noel

 

[MikeyB-17]

I've currently got the same situation. In the ELC tent at Duxford on Saturday, I didn't get the same excitement I would have had years ago-I looked at a few things, thought 'wouldn't mind one of those, I suppose', but nothing got the pulse racing like it used to. I would have been climbing the walls ten years ago. Perhaps it's because I currently am not in a position financially to spend the sort of money that these jackets cost, and perhaps in a few years when things have improved, I will regain my enthusiasm. It does tend to go in cycles with me, I find.

 

[a2jacketpatches]

VLJ's? Never, I'll buy em til the day I die, any era, any size, any type. Got the fever many years ago and they're my passion, also the roots of my livelihood.

RLJ's, not much interest in collecting too many but will at some point get at least a couple, one to display my SAC unit patches on and another plain Jane. Glad to see that the market and hobby keeps growing and new models coming out. Very happy to be a part of it all and follow suit.

Still got plenty of MOJO left but has nothing to do with jackets :lol:

 

[ButteMT61]

Yes, happens in every hobby I've got. It's a mix of not having money, getting into little tiffs with others and generally getting sidetracked by life. I won't ever go away, but certainly there are times where a break is needed.

 

[Vcruiser]

Same here. I finally whittled my leather jacket collection down to an original A2, a few repro A2s, B6, and several repro utility and MC jackets. It's really a relief to now have what I want without the obsessive fever for a better fit or the newest model. Been there, done that. I'm happy..
However, I do still have an interest in seeing what others buy and the latest offerings.
Van

 

[STEVE S.]

i recently went thru a 7 yr span where i didn't buy/sell/repair or even look at anything. I just wore what i had. I guess getting this new sewing machine set up how i want it brought my interest back.

 

[Silver Surfer]

"i got my mojo workn, yeah, i got my mojo workn, i tried it in new york city, and im gonna try it on you"-john lee hooker

 

[Jason]

Personally, I wouldn't say 'lost the mojo' completely... but currently at a point where I'm happy with what is in the stable, and have no inclination to find something new to add. That said, it's still very interesting to see what new tidbits of history are being dug up, and looking at how the hobby is evolving in general.
Think it depends on the individual; I've a friend who jumps into a new hobby with an obsessive passion every 6 months or so... then totally looses interest, sells everything off and abandons a hobby completely... and then comes back to that hobby perhaps 12-18 months later. I'm much more consistent: aviation, electronics / radio technology, fishing have always been interests since a very young age, and will probably die wearing an A-2 while fishing a quiet river somewhere. Yep, if a guy's gotta go, that's the way to check out.

 

[CBI]

Enthusiasm levels vary with hobbies for sure. I'm at the "really enjoying what I have" stage with virtually nothing on my "got to have" list. I am still interested as ever in WW2 aviation and general WW2 history and have re-focused on the MANY great books out there, spending many late hours reading one super book after another.......probably read 30 books this past year.

I have to admit that I am losing enthusiasm when I see collectors buying jackets that I know they will sell in a few months time. I understand trying to get the "best" jacket with limited resources but that buy/sell stuff (which is part of the hobby) kind of rubs me the wrong way these days (even thought its nobody's business) - I know!

I am sure there will be new crew members joining the hobby but I think prices will prevent that being a large number of people.

In short, normal to go up and down........................

Oh, as I get older, I am not wanting more "stuff". We all have too much stuff.......................

Less is more. Is there a Buddha emoji....................

 

[Andrew]

Count me in as well, even though i'm normally thoroughly enjoying it this time of year. I've even moved away from Military history as well, and the slow demise of the regular vintage aircraft shows here hasn't helped. Probably the main reason has been a shift to other interests and in my case it's surfing and photography (surfing photography mainly). One of my shots even won me a guest ring in spot in the Legends event at this years Noosa Festival of Surf where I got to surf alongside the likes of Joel Tudor (strangely somewhat akin to meeting some of my heroes of the aviation world).

Makes more sense overall anyway as I live at one of the worlds best collection of point breaks, the weather is generally gorgeous and that industry is really happening here so I can lust after some of their products instead and not be the only one who gets it. There is a slight cross over so I can get away being a bit cool picking up a coffee in my AN-J-3.

Plus, longboarding is an artform which apart from keeping me fit is something I can do with my boys and can continue to do and get better at for many years. I have one mate who's 72 and carves like a kid. Made a lot of new friends too, and there's no shame in geeking out over each others board. Actually, the second hand board I have has provenance and it features in the opening section of this fantastic cult surf film by Deus. It's the red longboard that appears at 1:30, and I was lucky to snap it up after it returned back here from Java after shooting as the owner (and shaper) who's riding it in the film is also from here. Getting that was like picking up an original jacket with provenance. There see, i'm geeking out on this already. Oh well, i'm sure Vic (SS) and Matt (Skip) will understand...

https://vimeo.com/95250540

My biggest problem is that I could always insert another brown leather jacket into the collection without being noticed but it's not nearly as easy disguising a new 9'6 longboard, so at the moment I have just the one.

 

[ButteMT61]

Yes, the constant posting of buying yet another jacket gets to me as well. Nothing against guys buying what they like and can afford, but at times it seems a contest to outdo one another. That doesn't work for me. I've been sucked into that with jackets, watches, coins, and more. As I scale down, I enjoy what I keep much more. And things get worn in - making them look like we all claim to want anyways. I've seen a few guys on TFL buying jacket after jacket after jacket and I think, when will any of this stuff get worn? How much does one need? Unless you're collecting, it seems odd beyond a certain point.

 

[STEVE S.]

Count me in as well, even though i'm normally thoroughly enjoying it this time of year. I've even moved away from Military history as well, and the slow demise of the regular vintage aircraft shows here hasn't helped. Probably the main reason has been a shift to other interests and in my case it's surfing and photography (surfing photography mainly). One of my shots even won me a guest ring in spot in the Legends event at this years Noosa Festival of Surf where I got to surf alongside the likes of Joel Tudor (strangely somewhat akin to meeting some of my heroes of the aviation world).

Makes more sense overall anyway as I live at one of the worlds best collection of point breaks, the weather is generally gorgeous and that industry is really happening here so I can lust after some of their products instead and not be the only one who gets it. There is a slight cross over so I can get away being a bit cool picking up a coffee in my AN-J-3.

Plus, longboarding is an artform which apart from keeping me fit is something I can do with my boys and can continue to do and get better at for many years. I have one mate who's 72 and carves like a kid. Made a lot of new friends too, and there's no shame in geeking out over each others board. Actually, the second hand board I have has provenance and it features in the opening section of this fantastic cult surf film by Deus. It's the red longboard that appears at 1:30, and I was lucky to snap it up after it returned back here from Java after shooting as the owner (and shaper) who's riding it in the film is also from here. Getting that was like picking up an original jacket with provenance. There see, i'm geeking out on this already. Oh well, i'm sure Vic (SS) and Matt (Skip) will understand...

https://vimeo.com/95250540

My biggest problem is that I could always insert another brown leather jacket into the collection without being noticed but it's not nearly as easy disguising a new 9'6 longboard, so at the moment I have just the one.

thats the biggest thing i miss from my yrs living in Florida... surfing! nothing beats catching the back side of a good old hurricane after the eye passes over! probably wouldn't go out in conditions like that now, but when you are 18-20 you think you are invincible.

 

[mr_lits]

I dunno even in the warmest Alaska summer I can bust out a light jacket, so the outwear thing is pretty much full on up here year round. I find myself bouncing back and forth between original and reproduction. For a while I will only be excited about honest to god old dirty leather.... then a I get bored a bit with that and want to find a new reproduction. Back and for the in an endless cycle of outwear coveting.

 

[CBI]

hard for anything to beat a good day at the beach! Watch out for sharks!

This is a jacket forum so of course we want people posting jackets and I think that's great. Its just the "look at this awesome jacket" that IS awesome and then gets put up for sale the next month or the gazillion great Good Wears that people seem to need to sell after no time to break in, look great, you SHOULD be happy, WTF, you are selling?. I don't get it. But....in the grande scheme, who cares? I used to do this with GW's many years back as the improvements were rapid and significant but after a certain point, there was/is no need for "upgrades"

Love what I have and of course, I will buy again, but much more limited...........its a good thing!

And..............thanks/congrats to all of the dedicated makers/hobbyists who are REALLY into it who make this a cool hobby!!!!

I guess I do have a few jackets I might go for at some point but taking it SLOW..........................

 

[Nickb123]

Happens to me all the time. There are days/weeks where I just want to get out of the hobby. Not sure why exactly. I always end up back. I think it might be due to the fact that I attach so much sentimentality to this jacket thing. I do that for a lot of things. Lately I've been wearing this G-1 that's about 2 sizes two big with no ****s given. Believe it or not, it's because ill fitting jackets remind me of my dad, who I am finally spending time with. He wears his jackets modernly big too. So in a way, wearing my too big jacket is a tribute to him. But watch, when we get into an argument or something the jacket will go back into the closet. If I attach a hobby/passion to something or someone, which I always end up doing, usually that passion will come and go. It's weird, I know. lol

 

[Silver Surfer]

speaking of .....surfing-boards.....theres a nice bump lining up as i tap, tap, tap. 3-'4' glass. time to throw my 9'10 cooperfish device on the rack and get into the soup.

 

[TankBuster]

I had it hit about 2 years ago. Sold off almost all of my wearers. All I have left are a original WW2 M-422A, Original Sz44 B-10, and a GW Dubow. Those are more than I need for wearers. I've even been thinning out the collector A-2 jackets the last year or so. I've still got a little work to do to get it down to where I want to, but selling off some of my prized jackets is getting a little easier!!

 

[Peter Graham]

The jacket mania started leaving me a few years ago and I'm pretty much free of it now, although I'm not averse to a quick bargain purchase. I think with me, the interest was always linked to WW2 history and an appreciation of functional garments, which all military combat uniforms are. Since I've started visiting WW2 battlefields over the past few years I've found that this is a much more effective way to connect to history than buying jackets and equipment. The final nail in the jacket coffin for me was taking up mountain bike racing last year. It's quite an expensive sport, but not half as expensive as collecting jackets and many times more satisfying, on all levels. I'm sure I'll always have a few interesting jackets knocking around but the obsession has long gone.