Pa12
Well-Known Member
Or picking between a rose on a piano or tulips on an organJust been catching up on this entertaining thread. Lipstick on a pig eh - no thanks, now if it was lipstick on a sheep...
I'll get me coat
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Five Star Rough Wear 27752
- Thread starter Banzai
- Start date
ZuZu
Well-Known Member
It's not a matter of "getting". it's a matter of odd sewing- weird seam allowance and off leather- usually too thick and even. Like I've said before- lost in translation. You could order a jacket eexact in all your measurements and details but it would never make you happy. IMO
ZuZu
Well-Known Member
Lipstick on a pig - Wikipedia
Pa12
Well-Known Member
Welllll, yes and no. For you and I and a few others we wouldn’t be happy. But I’ll bet there’s a lot of people out there who would be tickled pink with it and at a third the price of we have to pay to “satisfy “ our needs. I envy the guys who don’t sweat the details and haven’t succumbed to the obsession. And in reality, other than people on this forum, who is going to see the difference out in the world. What ever makes you happy is the way to go.
Dany McDonald
Well-Known Member
Thomas, the lipstick is a ricochet on the previous post... Not toward you or against Fivestar, rather tongue in cheek...
Nevermind... the keyboard has its limits I guess.
B-Man2
Well-Known Member
I’ve said this a hundred times but it seems like one more time is appropriate in this discussion (not an argument or conflict, just a differing opinion ). Of all the people in this world who wear a “Bomber Jacket”, 90% of them don’t even know the correct nomenclature of the jacket that they like wearing (A2 jacket). Of that 90% …. 95% of them couldn’t tell you the makers of an A2 jacket . ( OK bare with me because here’s where the math gets a little complicated )
Of all the people (100%) who wear A2 jackets about 1 % can tell the difference between makers , patterns , and the epaulettes and pocket flap designs between manufactures. (we as a group are part of this 1 %)
What the hell does all that really mean ??
Here it is in a nutshell ;
RULE #5
5. Regardless of how we as collectors view these jackets, most people can’t tell the difference between one A2 from another, so remember that, when deciding if you need the $1200 repro or the $500. one.
Just sayin
)Of all the people (100%) who wear A2 jackets about 1 % can tell the difference between makers , patterns , and the epaulettes and pocket flap designs between manufactures. (we as a group are part of this 1 %)
What the hell does all that really mean ??
Here it is in a nutshell ;
RULE #5
5. Regardless of how we as collectors view these jackets, most people can’t tell the difference between one A2 from another, so remember that, when deciding if you need the $1200 repro or the $500. one.
Just sayin
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ZuZu
Well-Known Member
But if what you say is true why pay $450 for a weirdly made Dubow or Rough Wear when you can buy a quality Cooper or US Wings job made in USA? No- they (your rubes) do want what they think are "authentic" details and patterns. I'm sure that 99% of the Pakistani's business in leather jackets is common street clothes- not US military jackets. My dad used to buy leather crap from Pakistan when he travelled- well made perfunctory just plain jackets. So both customers buying these supposed copies of original A-2s and their lost in translation makers are trying to get some semblance of a good repro. If that's the case your rube is better off waiting to pounce on a used Eastman or GW! Or saving up for a quality repro!I’ve said this a hundred times but it seems like one more time is appropriate in this discussion (not an argument or conflict, just a differing opinion ). Of all the people in this world who wear a “Bomber Jacket”, 90% of them don’t even know the correct nomenclature of the jacket that they like wearing (A2 jacket). Of that 90% …. 95% of them couldn’t tell you the makers of an A2 jacket . ( OK bare with me because here’s where the math gets a little complicated
Of all the people (100%) who wear A2 jackets about 1 % can tell the difference between makers , patterns , and the epaulettes and pocket flap designs between manufactures. (we as a group are part of this 1 %)
What the hell does all that really mean ??
Here it is in a nutshell ;
RULE #5
5. Regardless of how we as collectors view these jackets, most people can’t tell the difference between one A2 from another, so remember that, when deciding if you need the $1200 repro or the $500. one.
Just sayin
B-Man2
Well-Known Member
I would totally agree that there are probably more “Rubes” wearing Coopers and US Wings jackets today while thinking that they have outstanding copies of a WWII “Bomber Jacket”. I would also agree that a good proportion of those “Rubes” have never heard of GW or ELC and if they did .. they probably were repulsed at their first sight of the pricing of these jackets. I mean seriously … how many people out in the real world, beside the people here, would ever consider dropping $1200 to $2000 just to wear what is essentially a casual jacket to knock around in?
I remember that I was one of those “Rubes” . When I first saw ELC prices I was stunned … but as time went on and I progressed thru the cycle of US Wings , Coopers, Avirex and US Authentic , I eventually got to ELC . But once again, we are a rare few compared to what most people would be willing to spend on a leather jacket.
Most people can’t imagine wearing anything that costs $1200-2000 unless you’re fairly well off and that’s the usual spending Limits that you’re use to dealing with .
Next time someone offers a casual compliment on your GW or ELC A2 and asks you where you got it .. casually drop the price along with the rest of the info and watch the look on the guys face. Then it will become evident just how rare of a group we are, that we would spend that amount of bucks on a jacket just because it approximates an original issued A2 jacket by a few more tailoring elements than a $250-$450 jacket of the same style.
Pa12
Well-Known Member
Spot on Burt. I’m honestly embarrassed to tell anyone what I’ve spent. I get everything from my wife shaking her head and rolling her eyes to buddies telling me I’m fucked in the head. If 5 star was around in the Avirex days I would have been all over them. Like a fat man on a smarty.
ZuZu
Well-Known Member
The thing is that a small proportion of those rubes will want a good copy. They'll be hooked on jacketeering. A small proportion just starting out like we were- crazy! And they're the ones who'll buy a bunch of crap jackets- probably adding up to more than a few thousand bucks- 'til they realize they're going to have to PAY fro a good copy. A 5 Star won't ever satisfy the itch for a cool WW2 jacket in the likes of us- will it?
Greg Gale
Well-Known Member
Story of my life
Don’t we all start out that way? Hoping that we found the best bang for the buck, that’s good enough for us? But then we realize why it was cheaper…
flyincowboy
Well-Known Member
Friend of mine was lucky to have an original Irvin in very good wearable condition .. One day i met him with a brand new SHEARLING MALL BOMBER jacket While looking at the jacket i remember what he told me... See,this one got 2 side pockets and it's a brand new one! i got it for a fairly cheap price. His wife said now he can get rid of the old one and give it to a charity shop!. Could not answer i was speechless !! this moment made definitely a change in my thinking of buying jackets.
Blackboxr1200S
Well-Known Member
I've seen plenty of posts end up this way
A good copy... you've said it. Your $2000 GW, ELC, or my lovely $400 Fivestar RW will never be more then a COPY!
Got a fairly big WWII collection here, worth quite a few ELC's or whatever ugly Burberry Shearling. But the stuff is all original, because it drives me crazy to know or even doubt that whatever it stored in that room could be a copy.
Rather wreck my bank account over that one.
I catch your drift, but I, and like a few others here, I don't feel that itch for a "cool" WWII jacket in the likes of you.
Oh and for those rubes looking for a copy B-10 from 5*, I also have one, and guess what, happy with it. It looks cool.
Pa12
Well-Known Member
And seeing yours is why I ordered one. I think it looked great. I blew my wad on my a-2 perfection obsession. Can’t afford to start that again. That said, I’ve never seen an original, Elc or buzz b-10 in the flesh so all I have to compare it to is my Bronson. I’ll know next week if I like it more than my Bronson.
Camel24hrs
Active Member
As I was reading this thread I see you took the words right out of my mouth.I’ve said this a hundred times but it seems like one more time is appropriate in this discussion (not an argument or conflict, just a differing opinion ). Of all the people in this world who wear a “Bomber Jacket”, 90% of them don’t even know the correct nomenclature of the jacket that they like wearing (A2 jacket). Of that 90% …. 95% of them couldn’t tell you the makers of an A2 jacket . ( OK bare with me because here’s where the math gets a little complicated
Of all the people (100%) who wear A2 jackets about 1 % can tell the difference between makers , patterns , and the epaulettes and pocket flap designs between manufactures. (we as a group are part of this 1 %)
What the hell does all that really mean ??
Here it is in a nutshell ;
RULE #5
5. Regardless of how we as collectors view these jackets, most people can’t tell the difference between one A2 from another, so remember that, when deciding if you need the $1200 repro or the $500. one.
Just sayin
There seems to be a lot of OCD going on with some people on here. With a lot of disposable cash on hand.
Almost 99.9% of the people we will run into while wearing a jacket would not have a clue as to what is a 400 dollar repo and what’s a 1500 to 2000 dollar repo and further more could not give a crap.
I have 3 five star A2 repos at the moment. They fit well and I feel good about wearing them. I have had people who don’t know anything about A2s stop me and tell me how much they love which ever jacket I happen to have on.
I just say thank you.
A2 “style” jackets in HH could be had from several manufacturers. Not going to list them here but there are a number of them. No they are not close to exact replicas. But to the masses they look the part. Those cost more than 5 star jackets do. Usually by several hundred dollars.
With 5 star you get a jacket that is a repo at a cheaper price, not an A2 “style” jacket that cost more. Plus they will work with you to get it exactly the way you want it produced.
Getting comments from someone who is OCD about this will leave one to think that all these repos are junk except for this one or that one. When in reality it’s just one person’s opinion.
Biggest question is if you buy a jacket are you going to run into a single person in your life that’s going to have a clue about it other than it’s a bomber jacket? Next question is how is it going to look on you, are you going to feel good wearing it? And of course is it in my price range?
Skyranger
Well-Known Member
You seem to care a lot about the opinion of those who will congratulate you on the jacket you wear even if you are dressed like a thug with a hooded tracksuit, a crooked cap and stinky sneakers.
Personally I am satisfied to be happy with the jackets I wear without worrying about the opinion of others, and for me to be happy they must have quality and presence or for the jackets concerned they must be a beautiful witness of the past.
It's like smoking a good cigar or treating yourself to a good glass of wine, I don't need anyone to appreciate it!
Personally I am satisfied to be happy with the jackets I wear without worrying about the opinion of others, and for me to be happy they must have quality and presence or for the jackets concerned they must be a beautiful witness of the past.
It's like smoking a good cigar or treating yourself to a good glass of wine, I don't need anyone to appreciate it!
leper-colony
Well-Known Member
I think you are twisting his words just a tad. Are you out and about with your stogie, just going about your day, or hidden in your bunker?
Dany McDonald
Well-Known Member
I like this a lot and can correlate with that philosophy, well said.
Camel24hrs also has some good points.
ties70
Well-Known Member
I had the privilege to wear @B-Man2's original RW 23380...in almost NOS condition and fitting size.
To know that something like this is somewhere out there, well, it has probably killed the A-2 repro market for me. Before that I was telling myself that an original in my size simply doesn't exist. Now that I know better, there is just no point in looking for perfection in a reproduction...
To know that something like this is somewhere out there, well, it has probably killed the A-2 repro market for me. Before that I was telling myself that an original in my size simply doesn't exist. Now that I know better, there is just no point in looking for perfection in a reproduction...
