Some of the 4th FG and a lot of A-2s

[Geeboo]

I agree with all of the above said. i.e. A2 should be worn a bit roomier & very often to make it soft -like worn jeans - the 2nd skin.
I surf over web for images about clothing a lot, probably over a thousand photos a week about style, hunting, details, history, matching, etc., funny enough, I really RARELY see many examples that look exactly like the above the old photos - roomier, worn A2 with a straight leg chino/ beige wool trousers - as simple as that.
I don't know where comes the bad "trend" that, in Hong Kong & in mainland China, & obviously Japan, these leather jackets are usu. worn snug fit, brand new with no creases - like an Armour + a pair of skinny jeans. Those are all fond of telling others they are from Real McCoy or Goodwear sometimes - The fact that the brand itself representing they know about "Quality".
I am a lover of retro/ work-wear & vintage wear. I think apart from "details", horsehide - the HK & mainlander are especially fond of showing off it is made of real horsehide, I personally consider the correct fit and style being the correct "etiquette" & matching be more important.
Out of the examples that looks great in A2, IMO John Chapman of Goodwear is 1 of them - again very very few whom can wear like these old photos.
How do I look ?

 

[B-Man2]

Geeboo
You look marvelous!

 

[Geeboo]

1 point I want to add - in terms of aesthetic or "fit"- is that In order to look good
1) the differential between the sleeves and the bottom hem should be long - IMO the longer the better. You see in most of these 40s & 50's photos that people did have this differential very long -> that means a very short jacket.
2) the upper should be roomier

 

[Cocker]

I think it's "wrong" to take the body length at the side. It's clearly locked in the waist of the high rise trousers. The lowest point, at the zipper box, is the correct body length, meaning there's not THAT much difference between sleeves and body length.

 

[Silver Surfer]

lookn good,, geeboo. interesting that you opted for having the unit patch and name tag applied on the upper right side of your a-2. usually they are appied on the upper left. that said, i have seen originals set up as yours is, when a name or nick name is is painted on the left. that or a bg patch on the left and a bs patch on the right.

 

[Carl]

Look at the pic again Silversurfer its took in a mirror

 

[Geeboo]

Yes silver, the pic is taken in a mirror, so the patch is actually on the left side of the jkt.

 

[Silver Surfer]

hahahahahaa, dumb as dirt, i never did get the hang of mirrors. they confuse the hell outta me. hahahahaha.

 

[Carl]

 

[Geeboo]

Add 2 rare photos Mr Ralph Lauren dressed in A2 jkts. Pls note his leather jackets are all beat-up, well worn.
Exactly what a piece of clothing should be worn.
Being a "fashion lover -retro/vintage side", I would try to learn from the Guru & no argument would convince me anyone is more knowledgeable in clothing or tasteful than Mr. Ralph Lauren.
Bottom line : That is how an A2/ leather jacket should look like - not about the "DETAIL", just wear it right and in the RIGHT OCCASION.
To the highest level, fit is even Not a crucial factor. But that un-fit is quite diff. from "normal" un-fit - really un-fit; that is rather complicated but perhaps some of the above threads already have shredded

some light on that.

 

[jeremiah]

one of the thing I observe is those A2s in these old photos are very soft - which is in most case lacking for modern A2 jackets - look like armour

Much had to do with how those original jackets were tanned. They were chrome tanned. This makes the leather softer and drape better out the gate as opposed to some repros using veg tanning which takes more time to break in and get that soft/drape look.

 

[Smithy]

Much had to do with how those original jackets were tanned. They were chrome tanned. This makes the leather softer and drape better out the gate as opposed to some repros using veg tanning which takes more time to break in and get that soft/drape look.

A very good point and one which anyone buying a brand new top of the line veg tanned A-2 needs to keep in mind. It'll need a bit more work and breaking in to get that soft drape.

 

[jeremiah]

I have a chrome tanned cow hide jacket and it drapes just like those in the pic. water repellent too and less maitenance.. I do think the way they chrome tanned leather back during pre-war and during the war contracts differed from how they do it today. I think it allowed the vintage jackets to patina more so then ones today would do, say the new goat skin Bronco A2 being offered by the company in Denmark. I know that Horween CXL boots do take on a certain patina if used well and abused well. So certainly chrome tanned leather can patina.

I love a good veg tanned jacket though.

 

[Smithy]

I have a chrome tanned cow hide jacket and it drapes just like those in the pic. water repellent too and less maitenance.. I do think the way they chrome tanned leather back during pre-war and during the war contracts differed from how they do it today. I think it allowed the vintage jackets to patina more so then ones today would do, say the new goat skin Bronco A2 being offered by the company in Denmark. I know that Horween CXL boots do take on a certain patina if used well and abused well. So certainly chrome tanned leather can patina.

I love a good veg tanned jacket though.

I'm no expert on leather tanning but I think that you are correct that modern chrome tanning is perhaps different from that used back then. Some modern chrome tanned leather can take an age to develop patina particularly goat. Saying that everything will develop patina over time it's just that the veg tanned stuff takes it on very quickly.

If we're talking patina, one of the very best A-2 jackets I have ever seen was a chrome tanned (1940s though) goat civilian purchase one which is owned by Mike (a member here under the moniker Bluebottle). Hands down one of the nicest bits of leather I have ever seen and completely blows the argument that horse develops better patina than goat out of the water.

 

[jeremiah]

any pics left of that thread? would love to see them. Yeah, goat is really good stuff.

 

[Smithy]

any pics left of that thread? would love to see them. Yeah, goat is really good stuff.

Sadly they've disappeared into the ether with the PhotoF#¤ket hoofluff. But with some jiggery and pokery and some twisting of knobs I managed to find and save these although they are sadly ridiculously small and don't do the actual jacket justice...

Hopefully Mike might see this and post some larger snaps.

 

[jeremiah]

Wow. If only my HH ELC would look like that one day. That is pretty sweet patina. Could start a thread titled Patina Porn?

 

[johnwayne]

When you 'pay' for your A2 like we've all had to surely you want a good fit or equally it should feel right to you whether your preference is tighter/ smaller or larger/more roomy but those guys back in the day were officially loaned theirs or subsequently given their jackets which I believe was a symbol to most of illustrating to world what they did and what they were, in their shoes I think I would be less worried about the correct fit!

 

[B-Man2]

The only people who were concerned about “The Fit” were the ultra high ranking officers like full bird colonels and generals who liked to parade around in them in front of the cameras. Some of whom weren’t even entitled to wear them. Gen MacArthur being one of them.

 

[Greg Gale]

Interesting points about fit. I'm a long & slim fella', so when I bought my dream jacket that is supposed to last a lifetime (Eastman Star A-2) I spent 2 hours trying on a size 40 and a size 42. The 40 was trim, but still comfy and roomy in the torso, slightly on the shorter side in the sleeves. The 42 had longer sleeves although by not much, but the torso was way too roomy, so I went with the 40.

Ever since the I've spent hours thinking about how I perhaps should have gone for the 42, but I always remind myself of the fact that these jackets were issued back in WW2, none of these pilots spent 2 hours in front of a mirror at the supply depot