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

Originally Posted by LarryK

Click to expand...

Aero Long Half Belt in horsehide, Alpaca lined- My favorite as of today ....

The Alpaca lining will be the way to go with this one. I have it with the Tartan and it seems a little light for such a heavy jacket. I love my Long Half Belt, but the round snaps under the pocket flaps leave too bold an outline. 'Would ask to have those left out if I could do it over. Trivial . . .

Those Aeros look built like tanks. I don't like the style of that second one, but the belt alone looks like it has more work into it than most jackets. The two jackets I most want.

A-1, I believe.

Does anyone know of a jacket that looks like this?

Attachment 34108

This one's by Theory, going for $1300 at Bergdorf Goodman. Desperate to find something just like it but less pricey.

This one is similar, slim, very high quality, and really, really well priced ($475).




It's made by a forum memeber here actually. Look at his thread here: http://www.styleforum.net/showthread.php?t=138419

Nice A-1, the A-2 is also nice, but a bit more common.

Thanks for the recommendation. I'm looking for something with more of a moto collar or a stand-up collar like an A-1. Those jackets are beautiful, though.

This (ebay pic) for me pretty well sums up what a perfecto should look like: Aero.

Originally Posted by Counterfactual

Click to expand...

Thanks for the recommendation. I'm looking for something with more of a moto collar or a stand-up collar like an A-1. Those jackets are beautiful, though.

i think i remember reading in his thread somewhere that a collar like that might be an option or something, but i dont remember exactly.

i'm pretty sure they're made to order so modified design may be possible.

Originally Posted by LarryK

Click to expand...

All in all, Aero is the way to go for me.

I really like Aero as well. With the current GBP/USD exchange rate they represent excellent value for a made-to-measure leather jacket. I have one Aero and another on the way (ordered in June so hopefully it will show up soon). If the exchange rate goes to hell then things will be different but for now getting a made-to-measure horsehide jacket for $600-700 USD works very well.

If I had to go RTW I would go Vanson. The "stock" Vanson fit is almost perfect for me, except that my torso is about 1" longer than their stock fit.

Let us know how that Grizzly comes out; I've always liked the "black on black" hair-on vintage look.

Originally Posted by Ace Rimmer

Click to expand...

I really like Aero as well. With the current GBP/USD exchange rate they represent excellent value for a made-to-measure leather jacket. I have one Aero and another on the way (ordered in June so hopefully it will show up soon). If the exchange rate goes to hell then things will be different but for now getting a made-to-measure horsehide jacket for $600-700 USD works very well. If I had to go RTW I would go Vanson. The "stock" Vanson fit is almost perfect for me, except that my torso is about 1" longer than their stock fit. Let us know how that Grizzly comes out; I've always liked the "black on black" hair-on vintage look.
Wow MTM horsehide for $700? I would have expected a lot more than that. I've heard Aero's OTR fits are quite big/weird (at least compared to Vanson) but if I could get one made exactly to spec, I'd consider it at that price. Definitely want to add a nice brown horsehide jacket to my lineup at some point.

Originally Posted by j

Click to expand...

Wow MTM horsehide for $700? I would have expected a lot more than that. I've heard Aero's OTR fits are quite big/weird (at least compared to Vanson) but if I could get one made exactly to spec, I'd consider it at that price. Definitely want to add a nice brown horsehide jacket to my lineup at some point.

Yep, at current exchange rates. Aero's "standard" GBP rates are around 400GBP for their jackets, not including shipping (50 pounds to the US) and customs duties (???). For the last decade or so, the GBP/USD exchange rate has been around $2/GBP so that meant an Aero would run you $900+ when you factored everything into the equation; $800 for the jacket (400 GBP x 2) and then another $100 (50 GBP x2) for shipping, and who knows what for customs duties.

In late 2008 the rate fell to around $1.30/GBP, which was the lowest it had been since 1984. My British colleagues state the devaluation was due to the UK's housing crash, which is worse than ours. Suddenly, that $900 Aero could be had for less than $600 -- a price drop of over $300. Currently the exchange rate is hovering around $1.50/GBP which translates to around $600-700.

If you're interested -- and if you're not in a hurry to get an Aero -- do this:

- Go to the official Aero USA eBay store. This site is run by Mark Moye, who is the exclusive sales rep for Aero in the US. Mark's prices currently include free shipping to the lower 48 and all customs duties.

Current pricing for the Aero Highwayman (one of their most popular coats) is $675. The Aero eBay site sells new MTM jackets only on a "buy it now" basis. Effectively you are saving over $75 by doing this, as Aero will normally charge you 50 GBP (~$75) plus customs duties if you order from Aero direct.

- Before you buy from the eBay website, you may want to sign up for the Bing! cashback program on eBay. This is basically a cashback program that works whenever you buy something on eBay using "buy it now". The percentage of cash back fluctuates but is currently around 8-10%. I have seen it as high as 30-35% (Thanksgiving 2008). If you use this then you can slash 10-30% more off the price of your Aero.

I lucked out and got my first Aero when it was 30% and the exchange rate was rather low; I paid $625 for the jacket (shipped), then cashback netted me another $187 (30% of $625) back, so I paid a grand total of $438 for a new made-to-measure Aero horsehide jacket. Even if you only hit 10%, that's $60-70 in savings.

- Submit your measurements and any preferences to Mark and he will forward them to Aero. You can ask them to do almost whatever you want. If they can do it, they will. I have seen people ask for deletion of pockets, contrast stitching, one-piece backs -- all at no extra cost. You're basically getting a custom jacket for your money.

- Be prepared to wait. Obviously with the exchange rate being at all-time lows since the mid 1980s, orders are pouring in. They are jammed up and you should be prepared to wait 4-6 months for your jacket, if my experiences are any indication. I am waiting on my second Aero. My first one took 25 weeks. My second one (still pending) has been outstanding for almost 22 weeks. While Aero's US website may promise delivery in 3 months, this has not been my experience. So be prepared to wait. I'm obviously an Aero fan -- the only thing that miffs me is their generous estimates as to turnaround time.

Edit: Aero does a great job in nailing whatever fit you want. I agree with you that Aero's standard fit seems to be a bit roomy and certainly not in line with SF's usual preference for slim fits. Further, my proportions are not in line with the Aero standard fit (I have a 10" drop). When I ordered my jacket I asked for a non-boxy fit and gave them my measurements. They hit it out of the park. My Aero is not baggy and fits my profile very well. I think Aero have spoiled me to non-MTM leather jackets now!

Hope this helps.

Originally Posted by Ace Rimmer

Click to expand...

- Submit your measurements and any preferences to Mark and he will forward them to Aero. You can ask them to do almost whatever you want. If they can do it, they will. I have seen people ask for deletion of pockets, contrast stitching, one-piece backs -- all at no extra cost. You're basically getting a custom jacket for your money.

- Be prepared to wait. Obviously with the exchange rate being at all-time lows since the mid 1980s, orders are pouring in. They are jammed up and you should be prepared to wait 4-6 months for your jacket, if my experiences are any indication. I am waiting on my second Aero. My first one took 25 weeks. My second one (still pending) has been outstanding for almost 22 weeks. While Aero's US website may promise delivery in 3 months, this has not been my experience. So be prepared to wait. I'm obviously an Aero fan -- the only thing that miffs me is their generous estimates as to turnaround time.

Hope this helps.

Thanks for the info. I have to get an aero soon, but I'll go for steerhide over horsehide. I already contacted mark and asked him if they could customize a jacket for me by deleting one of the pockets and he said no problem. I like that they are alot more flexible about their designs unlike schott who, iirc, get a little offended if you ask them for a small design adjustment (though I don't really blame them).

And the added benefit to Aero, if I understand correctly, is that if you don't like the mtm jacket they will keep the first and make another at no cost with adjusted measurements?

If so, that's amazing; makes me feel alot better about an mtm internet order.

Here's my fav. my vintage California Horsehide Trucker Jacket
Sorry the pics are not the best

Originally Posted by somatoform

Click to expand...

And the added benefit to Aero, if I understand correctly, is that if you don't like the mtm jacket they will keep the first and make another at no cost with adjusted measurements?

If so, that's amazing; makes me feel alot better about an mtm internet order.

I have no personal experience with that situation but I believe you are correct. They do not give refunds but they'll make you another jacket. I have seen them post "returned" jackets on eBay and their UK website at significant discount.

Some pics ... brown FQHH Highwayman: