MikeyB-17
Well-Known Member
Many years ago, in my youth, my friend and I made a trip to London. We headed for Flip in Long Acre, Covent Garden, and each bought a letterman jacket. Mine was red with black leather sleeves, with a big H and a football on it. It had a collar like an A-2 and was reversible, with a grey lining. I owned it for many years, but eventually it went to a charity shop. Not long afterwards I saw it on TV being worn by Ruth Langsford (yes, Eamonn Holmes' missus-members from overseas-never mind 
).
Recently an excellent little vintage shop in Truro has started selling letterman jackets, and I found this one. Always wanted another, and the colours of this appealed to me, so after a bit of consideration I bought it. It has, as you can see, a black wool body with cream leather sleeves and cream and yellow striping to the cuffs and collar. The collar is a long, fold over one, and the cuffs are long and fold back. It has black press stud closures up the front, the lining is grey actetate. It's in pretty good shape, had to do a bit of sewing to some of the lining seams, and I will need to patch a bit up by the collar (anybody got any grey acetate?), with just two holes in the waist which I had to look hard to find. The leather sleeves are in very good shape, a bit grubby but a good clean with Pears soap helped that a lot. Made by Snowden-Mize Athletic Goods of Atchison, Kansas. They were apparently around since the thirties, a subsidiary of a pharmaceutical company, and were involved with the military at some stage. I also noted when fixing the lining that the jacket has at one time had lettering sewn on it-what appears to be a big K and some smaller patches, and what might be a pocket. K would tie in with Kansas, but it appears from a look at the 'net that Kansas State University's colours are predominantly purple. I've found a few pics of black and gold kit, but haven't really established what team they belonged to, although Missouri seem to have black and gold kit? I'm also uncertain as to how old the jacket is-there isn't much information around about Letterman jackets. Any experts have any clues?
I'm not sure whether to patch it or not. Although I generally agree with the sentiment, with military jackets, that you shouldn't patch an original with patches that don't relate to its history, as I'm fairly sure this had a K on it I don't think that would be out of order to put another one on? Not decided, will have to give it some thought.
Oh BTW, forgot to edit it out, no they are not my wife's real boobs, they are plastic ones, pic taken at Wookey Hole by our daughter. I must move that pic out of shot, some wag always mentions it.
).Recently an excellent little vintage shop in Truro has started selling letterman jackets, and I found this one. Always wanted another, and the colours of this appealed to me, so after a bit of consideration I bought it. It has, as you can see, a black wool body with cream leather sleeves and cream and yellow striping to the cuffs and collar. The collar is a long, fold over one, and the cuffs are long and fold back. It has black press stud closures up the front, the lining is grey actetate. It's in pretty good shape, had to do a bit of sewing to some of the lining seams, and I will need to patch a bit up by the collar (anybody got any grey acetate?), with just two holes in the waist which I had to look hard to find. The leather sleeves are in very good shape, a bit grubby but a good clean with Pears soap helped that a lot. Made by Snowden-Mize Athletic Goods of Atchison, Kansas. They were apparently around since the thirties, a subsidiary of a pharmaceutical company, and were involved with the military at some stage. I also noted when fixing the lining that the jacket has at one time had lettering sewn on it-what appears to be a big K and some smaller patches, and what might be a pocket. K would tie in with Kansas, but it appears from a look at the 'net that Kansas State University's colours are predominantly purple. I've found a few pics of black and gold kit, but haven't really established what team they belonged to, although Missouri seem to have black and gold kit? I'm also uncertain as to how old the jacket is-there isn't much information around about Letterman jackets. Any experts have any clues?
I'm not sure whether to patch it or not. Although I generally agree with the sentiment, with military jackets, that you shouldn't patch an original with patches that don't relate to its history, as I'm fairly sure this had a K on it I don't think that would be out of order to put another one on? Not decided, will have to give it some thought.
Oh BTW, forgot to edit it out, no they are not my wife's real boobs, they are plastic ones, pic taken at Wookey Hole by our daughter. I must move that pic out of shot, some wag always mentions it.
