Leather Jackets: Post Pictures of the Best You've Seen/Owned?

[Understatesman]

Btw, had the opportunity and pleasure to try (and buy if I wanted) a Fine Creek Leathers Leon Custom yesterday in size 42, something I've been wanting to do for a while now.

And it fit great. But as soon as I saw myself in a mirror I knew it wasn't for me. One of the nicest leathers I've seen yet, but it just didn't feel right to me. Like I looked try-hard or something. As I'm getting older I'm coming to accept that lambskin and softer leathers wear better on my physique. So it's not so much the style in this specific case, but the combo of tough-as-**** horsehide and double rider. So I passed on buying it. But yeah, 42 was a great fit for me.

Now ... for my next trick, I'm eyeing the Eric model in 42. I've worn (and bought twice in 38 and 40, but ultimately need a 42) the Raymond model which is a close cousin with button wrist cuffs that don't go very narrow at all, so I'm hoping the Eric may be what I'm into nowadays, which is a more mature, less bling-y leather with zip cuffs and a collar to change things up.

 

[JibranK]

Here is a pic of my Schott 654 I bought back on Halloween of 2014. I love the look and was debating between a cafe racer or a motorcycle jacket. Not sure if everyone can pull off all the bells and whistles of a moto jacket. I think the cafe racer has a more neutral look and now that I have hit my 40s I feel like it has longer lasting style.

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Definitely a nice looking jacket and I think you look great in it, though I do think it’s unfortunate that people treat motorcycle jackets (whether cross- or straight-zip models) as the default sort of leather jacket. (To be clear, this isn’t in response to you or your jacket, just riffing there).

I own several motorcycle jackets myself, but in most situations a different kind of leather jacket works better. It’s kind of narrowed the scope of what could be a lot of very cool garments. One of my favorites lately has a bit of a more rugged outdoorsy model, with a Western feel (though muted by being black goat rather than suede or something). Dresses up or down if you want, can be flashy or eye catching depending on how you choose to wear it.

Question: Knowing it's a Schott and from what little I can see on the pic, I'm guessing the cuffs are not that slim?

I’ve never encountered that with Schott, including button cuff non-riding models. The zipped/fastened sleeves get very snug; Vanson is more snug but so much so that I find it a bit useless outside of motorcycling. (Those super tight cuffs are to make it easier to pull gloves over.)

Certainly nothing like the Fine Creek situation.

 

[Understatesman]

Certainly nothing like the Fine Creek situation.

**shudders**

 

[Understatesman]

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Ooh, this is nice. What jacket is this? I'm guessing an Addict? But what, sheep or horse?

 

[JibranK]

**shudders**

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I struggle to understand the audience for these massive zipped cuffs that FCL is so keen on. And I'm scared to think just how big they are when unzipped–a pant leg?

 

[Understatesman]

I struggle to understand the audience for these massive zipped cuffs that FCL is so keen on. And I'm scared to think just how big they are when unzipped–a pant leg?

 

[JibranK]

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FCL: for the man with the chest size of a malnourished child, the height of an NBA player, the arm length of a small Asian man, and the forearms of a heavyweight boxer.

 

[Understatesman]

Pipe-cleaners-for-forearms haters gonna hate.

 

[JibranK]

This Popeye king won't fit in a FCL though! He'd need a scrawny chest.

 

[sinnedk]

**shudders**

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This looks pretty terrible.

 

[sinnedk]

I struggle to understand the audience for these massive zipped cuffs that FCL is so keen on. And I'm scared to think just how big they are when unzipped–a pant leg?

Not following what massive zipped cuffs are referring to?

 

[JibranK]

Not following what massive zipped cuffs are referring to?

Most FCL jackets with zipped cuffs have massive cuffs even when they’re fully zipped. Understatesman posted an example of the FCL Vanson copy and CHP jacket right above, I posted the FCL Lewis Leathers copy earlier, which has the same thing.

It’s clearly a deliberate design decision. I just can’t for the life of me figure out why anyone would want it, since the whole point of cuff zips is to give you the option to wear the cuff loose, when unzipped or snug, when zipped.

 

[Understatesman]

To be fair, the FCL Roberts cuffs in size 38 worked for me quite well. The rest, not so much. The size 40, however, was like wearing a hefty trash bag, even in the wrists. The size difference was insane and the tube body and arms were fully on display. I think @sinnedk experienced the same thing when he tried it on.

Here was my 38 and 40 in the Roberts.

Also, both Raymonds in size 38 and 40 wrists were good. Although strangely enough the size 38 had larger measurements in some areas.

 

[JibranK]

To be fair, the FCL Roberts cuffs in size 38 worked for me quite well. The rest, not so much. The size 40, however, was like wearing a hefty trash bag. The size difference was insane and the tube body and arms were fully on display. I think @sinnedk experienced the same thing when he tried it on.

Here was my 38.

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Also, both Raymonds in size 38 and 40 wrists were good. Although strangely enough the size 38 had larger measurements in some areas.

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This is the thing about FCL. Their jackets are simultaneously undersized and oversized. I assume their pattern maker just has no idea what he’s doing.

With some of these expensive Japanese makes like RMC, TMC, BR, FW I can see what makes their product more ‘premium’, even if the patterning of them doesn’t work for me in many cases. (In many cases I think the fancy construction techniques are actually a negative but that’s a side thing.) I have rarely seen someone in an FCL who wouldn’t look better in the Western jacket it’s copying.

IMO patterning trumps every other aspect of a leather jacket. But in fairness I’ll say this for non leather clothes as well.

 

[JibranK]

By the way, if anyone’s after a cafe racer jacket, the Vanson Comet (armored edition) is at half price right now. An absolute bargain.

As usual, Vanson site photos are terrible but I picked up a Comet lately (my first Vanson) and it is the most flattering cut I’ve worn on a leather jacket.