Celebrating the black leather jacket

[Michaelson]

http://itineraries.msnbc.msn.com/_news/ ... acket?lite" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Regard! Michaelson

[Obi Sean Kenobi]

Cool article. If I lived closer to Wisconsin, I would love to see this!

Its funny, in our modern era, to read that Elvis bought an iconic jacket at JC Penney of all places!

[Tennessee Smith]

That was the first style leather jacket I ever had. I got it in high school and it's still hanging in my closet. It's also the first one I ever did the "Dark Arts" to.



Of course it's now 21 years old but the distressing was done when it was new and I was 16.

[Indiana Jeff]

Cool, thanks for sharing. I've never been much a fan of the Perfecto style myself, but there's no denying it's historical significance.

Regards,

Indiana Jeff

[Hollowpond]

Kinda with Jeff here. Never really been a fan, but there is no denying its place in the history of leather jackets and Americana in general!

Great article!

[Hollowpond]

Oh...and Mark7 and Dude, cool jackets!

[CM]

It's interesting. In the 1980's everyone around here was wearing one of those D-pocket black jobbies or an Indy style/A2 jacket. People tended to belong to one camp. I was in the Indy camp, however I always though the Indy was a faded black jacket. I like the simplicity of an Indy jacket while those bike jackets are all zips and angles.

[Oildale Jones]

I had no opinion (or probably awareness) of the classic Brando leather jacket until Mad Max came out, and then I had to have one. (The MM jackets were a variation on the style, but custom and also made of vinyl.) The actual leather jackets were out of my teenage price range but I found a cloth one at Chess King.

Several years later (early/mid 80s) I bought a real one, just like The Dude's, and I think I had it about 20 years before I was finally too big to wear it. By the time I donated it I had painted a Nine Inch Nails logo, a yin-yang symbol, and other band logos on it. I never did get around to putting my blood chit on the back. (That I still have.) I hope someone is still enjoying it, somewhere. The Indy jacket is more my style now anyway. I mean, assuming I actually have a style.

[Tennessee Smith]

Yeah, I knew a few guys that painted a few things on their jackets like Black Flag and The Cramps. Others put studs all over them, they all looked good but I just decided to leave mine plain albeit beat up, I was a more traditional Ramones guy.

[lantzn]

Awesome they will be in Seattle this fall! I just signed up to be reminded.

"After leaving Milwaukee, "Worn to be Wild" will move to Seattle’s EMP Museum, home of some of the music and science-fiction artifacts included in the show, and will run from October 2012 through February 2013."

[kwad]

Yeah, I knew a few guys that painted a few things on their jackets like Black Flag and The Cramps. Others put studs all over them, they all looked good but I just decided to leave mine plain albeit beat up, I was a more traditional Ramones guy.

Well, I never did get around to putting The Cramps or the Black Flag bars on mine, but, I do have all their albums



My first love. Bought for me by my father with the express purpose of angering his ex-wife (my mom). Kind of fitting now that I think about it, what with the whole troubled youth/teen angst theme and all.
No "Dark Arts" here, it's all naturally distressed. I lived in it, slept in it, and on a few occasions I even.....uh
The rivets seen here or there around the jacket are not decorative, but, are actually holding the thing together and there is barely enough of the liner left to support the inside pocket!
I'd still be wearing this jacket today had I not grown out of it (By "it" I mean the jacket, not the troubled youth/teen angst thing. Still working on that).

Then, this beauty came into my life.....


Hey, check out that SA slim yoke panel and misaligned sleeve seams.
Still not quite sure who made it or what model it is as the label has been removed, but, I know it's from the mid to late 50's from the zipper.
I've seen similar jackets made by both Monarch and Irwin Foster, but, never one just like it.
It has a quilted, insulated liner and hidden A-2 style knit cuffs and I think it may be horsehide.

Unfortunately, this jacket also "shrank" and no longer fits me, so it may end up in the Cairo Bazaar or on the Bay to help fund a "Bruno" from FilmJackets.com
I wonder if they'd do one in black?

[Indiana Jeff]

kwad,

First off, your jackets are awesome, especially that second one. I'll be keeping an eye on the Bazaar.

Secondly, the Bruno does come in black. I have one on order now in black buffalo hide.

Regards,

Indiana Jeff

[kwad]

Jeff,

If I do decide to put it up, I'll let you know first.

So, the Bruno does come in black? Hmmmm.....very tempting.
However, while cruising their site, I ran across a jacket called the Road Master that is also VERY tempting.

Decisions, decisions..

[Indiana Jeff]

Regards,

Indiana Jeff

[kwad]

This thread got me wanting a new black biker jacket really bad.
Look what you guys made me do!

[Indiana Jeff]

A TNO?! Where'd you pick that up?


Regards,

Indiana Jeff

[kwad]

Jeff,

I took a little trip down to Tony's shop over the weekend and it just ended up following me home.

[Michaelson]

Don't cha just HATE when that happens.

[Hollowpond]

Seriously ...they're worse than puppies!

[Oildale Jones]

It was more like that Spider-Man/Venom space organism. It crawled up his arm and conformed to his body, and he was helpless to resist. And it looked surprisingly good with a fedora, too.

This one tried the same trick with me, but I was able to wrestle it into submission.



Universal Designs, Ltd. "Mutant" (and kwad's elbow at right)

[Indiana Jeff]

Jeff,

I took a little trip down to Tony's shop over the weekend and it just ended up following me home.

"I promise I'll take good care of it and love it and feed it and everything! Can I keep it? Can I? Can I? Please? Can I? Pleeeeeeease?!"

Regards,

Indiana Jeff

[Indiana Bugs]

I didn't own a BLJ until I got my first motorcycle 30 years ago.. Before that, I had a brown Cooper bomber jacket.

My first BLJ was a Schott, my second was an Excelled. Both are the Brando style.

Now that I've dropped 15 lbs recently, and am back to the weight I was 30 years ago, I will have to try them on, as they should fit me. That'd be a hoot!

[kwad]

"I promise I'll take good care of it and love it and feed it and everything! Can I keep it? Can I? Can I? Please? Can I? Pleeeeeeease?!"

Regards,

Indiana Jeff

Jeff,

That's pretty much how the discussion went with the wife when I got home!
Gettin' real close to selling that vintage jacket. If you are interested, shoot me a PM.

-Kevin

[Indiana Jeff]

Pulling this one back to the top.

Here is the jacket a fore mentioned by kwad and purchased by me.

A new liner and main zipper (Thanks again, The Dude ) and now this baby will see years more of happy service. I love, love, love this jacket.






It's getting a coating of Pecard's tonight.

Regards,

Indiana Jeff

[Tennessee Smith]

Looks great Jeff!!! I'm glad the new liner worked for you. I had mine reclined also (the pic above, way above) in a burgundy color. It looks great too. I'm sure it'll be my son's in a few years when he can fit into it. He's been pining over it since I got it out of storage

[kwad]

Jeff,

That jacket looks great on you!
I'm glad it went to a good home.

[Indiana Jeff]

Regards,

Indiana Jeff

[Indiana Jeff]

Another one to show off. A filmjackets Bruno in black buffalo.







This will be my dress black jacket to complement my distressed black jacket.


NOTE: leather type edit per Rick's message below.

Regards,

Indiana Jeff

[rick5150]

Another one to show off. A filmjackets Bruno in black bison.

By "bison" Indiana Jeff means buffalo. We do not use American bison

[Indiana Jeff]

Oops, thanks for the reminder, Rick. I changed things over at FJ, but forgot to here. Have now done so.

Regards,

Indiana Jeff

[rick5150]

No problem. You created an amazing version of our Bruno jacket that looks fantastic on you. I just do not want people to arrive at the assumption that I misled you to believe we used (American) bison instead of buffalo.

[Michaelson]

Dang! There goes my mental image of Rick sitting on top of a bluff with his Sharps buffalo rifle, waiting to fill a custom jacket order....

[Indiana Jeff]

Rick, I hardly 'created' anything. I picked a leather, largely based on your recommendation of how nice the leather was. You are the guy that made this jacket happen.

Michaelson, you should see the picture he did post at FJ showing the length he goes to to inspect the leather.

Regards,

Indiana Jeff

[Michaelson]

Knowing how thorough Rick is about details, maybe it's just as well I didn't.....

Regards! M

[kwad]

Another one to show off. A filmjackets Bruno in black buffalo.







This will be my dress black jacket to complement my distressed black jacket.


NOTE: leather type edit per Rick's message below.

Regards,

Indiana Jeff

That jacket absolutely ROCKS!

[Indiana Jeff]

Thank you kindly.


Regards,

Indiana Jeff

[CRB]

I'm celebrating my black Indy BK Relic Hunter !

[Indiana Strones]

Nice jacket!