What jacket(s) are you wearing at the moment?

[ZuZu]

Jeff, that looks great. And, why shouldn't you wear it and enjoy it? Break it in like it was issued to you!

Brian

It's the "breaking in" part that bothers me- I'm OCD- every little scuff and thread pull and stain drives me nuts. I even have had the problem with some GWs. My wife says I'm "creepy" about the jackets. Lately after hitting 69 I've been a lot better- I'm wearing an original WW2 M422A as my daily wearer.

 

[Micawber]

It's the "breaking in" part that bothers me- I'm OCD- every little scuff and thread pull and stain drives me nuts. I even have had the problem with some GWs. My wife says I'm "creepy" about the jackets. Lately after hitting 69 I've been a lot better- I'm wearing an original WW2 M422A as my daily wearer.

That OCD malarkey is a bugger. Life is really too short.

 

[Nickb123]

It's the "breaking in" part that bothers me- I'm OCD- every little scuff and thread pull and stain drives me nuts. I even have had the problem with some GWs. My wife says I'm "creepy" about the jackets. Lately after hitting 69 I've been a lot better- I'm wearing an original WW2 M422A as my daily wearer.

You’d be surprised. More than a few of us here surely are afflicted with it. We joke, but it’s really a tough thing to navigate through.

Bless the overthinkers I say.

 

[John Luder]

Damn weather is holding up my Dong. And it just keeps getting longer. The weight, I mean. Dammit, these dicktation apps; always tying things up. The wait.

 

[Silver Surfer]

It's the "breaking in" part that bothers me- I'm OCD- every little scuff and thread pull and stain drives me nuts. I even have had the problem with some GWs. My wife says I'm "creepy" about the jackets. Lately after hitting 69 I've been a lot better- I'm wearing an original WW2 M422A as my daily wearer.

agreed, life is too short to worry about wearing an original. simply put, there is nothing made by anyone that beats an original.

 

[mulceber]

And honestly, the originals are going to fall apart someday no matter how you treat them. Leaving them be may delay the decay, but it'll diminish your enjoyment of them too.

 

[John Luder]

JACKETS? WE DOAN NEED NO STEENKIN' JACKETS.
Two of the reasons why I don't have a dozen B-3s, A-2s, B-10s, G-1s, et and cetera.
It doesn't matter where I live, I just can't escape the hereditary northwestern European pallor. I've blotted my pegs a touch so you don't go snow-blind.
Bespoke officer's desert combat shorts, tres soigne for that special Christmas gathering. I'm sure that German cat with the Gentleman's Gazette site would approve. I should've worn the knee socks, but it's a wee bit too clement for that. Saturday was 84, Christmas was 77, Boxing Day plummeted to a bum-numbing 74. For you foreigners, those temps are 28.8, 25, and 23.3. Yes, I had to look at the computer for those conversions. Arithmetic is the reason why my Bachelor's is in History.
Happy New Year to alla my homies out there in the ether.

 

[Smithy]

The biggest thing that has happened to me over this journey of getting into jackets seriously back in 2006 is now I really don't give a shit.

Back when I started I used to lay the stupid things on the floor -ooh never over a chair or let alone by the collar hanger, oh no heaven forbid, it might get a funny crease! I wouldn't wear them to the pub because, oh no what might happen if I spill beer down the front, or if I get pissed and go for a kebab and drop half a doner over it.

That was then.

Now I couldn't give a shit. I wear all my leather jackets as they were meant to be worn - enjoying life and living it. If it gets a stain - fuck it, if it gets a scuff - fuck it too. They look better if they're lived in and get marks and stains.

You'll probably drop dead before the jacket so stop giving a shit about it.

At the end of the day it's just a piece of clothing and one which actually looks better the more beat up it gets. Those guys wearing them back in WWII didn't give a shit so maybe that's a good hint about how to wear yours.

 

[John Luder]

Jeff, that looks great. And, why shouldn't you wear it and enjoy it? Break it in like it was issued to you!

Brian

For a contrast in breaking-in your jackets, take a look at the Steve McQueen classic "Hell is for Heroes" (1962). McQueen is completely broken in by the combat scenes.
Of course, he's the star and is kitted out with a tanker's jacket, Fess Parker has a 43, the rest of the men are wearing the 41.
On the other hand, the high-larous Bob Newhart is newly arrived at the front with the quartermaster tags still attached to his clean and shiny togs. The sheen on his uniform was so brilliant, they probably had to light him differently for his scenes to cut the glare.
That is a great looking jacket, Micawber. No one has commented on the New York Leather B-10 I asked about. I'll use your photo as a comparison.

 

[JonnyCrow]

Today in 50's and rest of week in 60's so out this morning with dogs in a mariner style Jersey, raw denims and boots

 

[Lorenzo_l]

As it was said here "there is nothing made by anyone that beats an original." I fully agree. So here is my original Pritzker & Sons 55J14 on a sunny winter's day.

A gem of a jacket and in mint condition to boot.

 

[Silver Surfer]

outstanding!

 

[London Cabbie]

I never get tired reading this post. Amazing work by all involved…Thanks

Discussion “A Better Fighting Garment…” - A Beginner’s Guide to the US Navy’s WWII-era and later Intermediate Flight Jackets

INTRODUCTION There have been various threads on VLJ which have listed the US Navy contracts from the M-422 to G-1 series of leather flying jackets. This thread is an attempt to pool the information into a beginners guide to sit alongside the A-2 contract dates thread as a resource on the Forum...

www.vintageleatherjackets.org

 

[Smithy]

I never wanted a G-1 but over the last few weeks I've found that now I want one. I don't need one either which doesn't help but that's not going to satisfy that little itch which seems to be growing.

I love this forum but my wallet says you all suck ;-)

 

[London Cabbie]

I never wanted a G-1 but over the last few weeks I've found that now I want one. I don't need one either which doesn't help but that's not going to satisfy that little itch which seems to be growing.

I love this forum but my wallet says you all suck ;-)

One…?

 

[Smithy]

One…?

Stew, don't, just don't ;-)

 

[caddyd]

Original Willis and Geiger M-422A old and worn but still hangin in there along with me.

 

[Silver Surfer]

way to go, daddyo

 

[adfrost]

Sporting my new (as of this summer) Real McCoys N-1. Overall - a nice jacket. The one weakness is the brass talon zipper. It likes to jam towards the bottom and not want to either zip up or down, depending on how cranky it is that day. The teeth get mis-aligned very easily. I also wish it had corduroy lined pockets like the Bronson does. But the lining is perfect - not itchy like the SM Wholesale one I tried (that also had a janky talon zipper). I kind of want a blue N-1 now…

 

[YoungMedic]

Have you tried some zipper ease?