Vintage and Men: Show Your Style, Gentlemen!
By Judy Gonyeau
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The craze for vintage continues to rev up the popularity of reclaimed goods, regardless of if the buyer is young or old. However, it is not a surprise that the marketing of goods is focused on the tastes of women, especially since they have the spending power and influence over the lifestyle of herself and her family.
So, What About Men’s Vintage Fashion?
Spending on vintage goods is up in the men’s department. But there are some distinct differences between the sexes when it comes to the amount spent on these goods.
Generally, men’s clothing and accessories from the past had a tendency to be more expensive. Two- and three-piece business suits for the corporate class cost a bit more than women’s day wear, and typically included the services of a tailor, and had maintenance that included numerous trips to the cleaner – especially for all those dress shirts. Later, the use of the “Sport Coat” helped expand the options for the wearer by allowing them to mix and match with other attire, especially when attending a less formal occasion that did not require a matching suit.
Uniforms were often at the expense of the employee in most, but not all, service industries. Trousers and crisp white shirts were used to reflect the cleanliness of the establishment and the care employees put into their appearance.
Working men’s clothing was designed to withstand the rigors of industrial work and farm labor, helping to feed the country. And the Armed Forces’ uniforms ranged the gamut, from dress uniforms to combat gear.
The rise of casual wear brought blue jeans and leather jackets like those that were worn while hanging out with pals. These, too, had to endure whatever teenagers sought to do as trends shifted and turned to tech gear.
And accessories? Sneakers. Watches. Shoes. Hats. And, while dress ties are down at the moment, some, with the right names attached, are doing well.
Who is doing most of the buying? Young men between 18 and 34 are shown to spend around $50 a month on vintage. Those men who are over 34 are now picking up their spending pace.
The Get: Leather
Biker Jacket
Easy Rider Style
Hollywood embraced them rapidly
in the post-war era.
The leather biker jacket is styled first from the U.S. Army aviator jackets and later used a few tips from early motorcycle racing, where changes to protective gear were sometimes made on the spot. But the romanticized “look” really took hold thanks to stars that include Marlon Brando, James Dean, and even Elvis when he made his first comeback in that black leather jacket and pants.
The real deal jackets were typically made of cowhide and styled to last “on the road.” The cowhide is a tougher form of leather that helps protect the rider if they should come off the bike. According to Mickey Smith on Quora.com, “A biker leather jacket is designed to keep your skin on when (not if) you hit the ground. Some have armor on the back, shoulder, and elbow. Some have special venting to keep you cool in the summer. They fit more snugly so that the leather stays on you as you tumble down the street. Cut shorter so that it doesn’t bunch up when you’re riding, and you can keep it zipped when it’s cold out. And the extra zippers are utilitarian. You can keep your driver’s license and other needed items within easy reach without alarming cops when you reach for your wallet.”
When looking for a used jacket, you can buy it for its story and to add to a collection. Joey Ramone’s stage-worn and signed leather jacket from a European tour in 1994 sold in 2023 for $18,750 at RR Auction. Olivia Newton-John’s jacket from the movie Grease sold for $476,000 at auction in December 2024 at Julien’s Auctions.
But if you are seeking a solid example of a vintage leather jacket to use yourself, there are a few things to keep in mind.
– Overall, hold and feel the jacket. It should have some heft, and it should have natural wear.
– The patina should show use, but not to the point of compromising the strength of the full-grain leather.
– Repairs are ok to have as long as they are authentic and strong.
– Look for reinforced stitching (especially at stress points at the shoulders and cuffs), heavy-duty asymmetrical zippers (YKK or Talon), and a nylon lining, although you could get a new one put in by going to a leather restorer.
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And when making that final decision, consider how you will use the jacket. If for show or light riding, vintage can give you every detail you are looking for, or you can buy new but with proper vintage styling, or both – giving you the flexibility to maintain the old and get some patina going on the new.
Price-wise, spending around $325-$500 will get you a decent grade jacket. You can find them online, but do some in-person looking to give you guidance on what you want to wear and look at the other accessories to fully develop your personal vintage style.
The Get: The Cowboy Shirt
The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly
Whether you want to emulate those singing cowboys from days gone by or you prefer to hang out with Butch and Sundance, the correct shirt can tell others what you are all about with one look. Granted, there is a lot to tell about a man by the cowboy hat he is wearing, but you can read about that by using this link to our past article about Stetson hats (https://journalofantiques.com/features/the-history-behind-stetson-the-quintessential-cowboy-hat/). For today’s cowboy, a vintage shirt can add that nod to the past on the dance floor or in the saddle.
It is said that Jack Weil made the first available-to-the-public western shirts with a new standard feature: the snap-front cowboy shirt. When working on the ranch, the cowboy needed versatility and quick ways to escape their shirt if it got caught on barbed wire or the horn of a steer. Inspired by the clothing worn in the mid-to-late 1800s, Weil felt the need to make these shirts durable but with a touch of style. Designers were influenced by Mexican colors and representations, frontiersmen clothing, and a bit of originality that truly made this shirt one that reflected a uniquely American style. Denim, cotton, and imported wool, as well as the occasional deer hide or leather, were some of the fabrics used to make the shirts work in all sorts of weather.
A few brand names to keep an eye out for include H bar C, Wrangler, Nudie’s of Hollywood, Roper, Allen Mfg. Co., and Rockmount. Look for those iconic tailoring features like the yoke across the chest and the back that give a little extra room for working with the torso, shell buttons or pearlized snaps on the opening of the shirt and on the cuffs of the sleeves, or a shield-front shirt / “bib” shirt – picture the shirts worn by the Cavalry during the Civil War and by William “Buffalo Bill” Cody in his Wild West road shows.
Looking for a vintage Cowboy shirt to wear yourself is influenced by what you want it to say. If you like the very early days, you may seek out replicas that are made of the same fabric with the same features from long ago. The true antique versions are out there, but they tend to be worn thin and in need of repair.
Those vintage shirts that originally arrived on shelves in the 1940s and 50s could be considered the “hay” day of these shirts. Thanks to the incredible popularity of Western movies, shirts were available just about anywhere. And when color movies came out, these shirts became the brightest costumes in Hollywood. The success of 1939 features showing off what color could do to wow the audience. The Wizard of Oz and Gone With the Wind brought audiences to their feet with advances in seeing color on the big screen. Westerns followed suit with stunning sets and western wear.
Here are some things to check if you want to go cowboy vintage:
– Check for wear. Stress pulls near seams can eventually bust loose, so you want well-stitched, reinforced seams, and you want the shirt to not be too tight but allow you to move – especially if the shirt is cotton or other natural fibers.
– When looking at the high-end, all-out “showman” style shirts, consider how you will be using them. These are sometimes made of polyester knit that allows them to stretch and keep their shape, but they are not the best choice for doing chores. Breathability in fabrics is key if you want a shirt to go from farm to formal quickly.
– Other features, such as fringe, vast amounts of embroidery, pearlized snaps, and a mix of colored fabrics, make a wonderful fashion statement but require some maintenance to keep them ready to ride.
– Keep a good tailor on call. You do not want to show off your $150-$400 investment and have it be ill-fitting. A good tailor can also keep your shirt wearable for a long time. Although, if you have a small “shirt scar” from ridin’ or ropin’, that can only add value!
– If you are going for every day or a more casual type of shirt, nothing beats a classic plaid work shirt with a variety that takes your look back to the 1940s-1970s.
– A classic tan, straw, or black hat can bring things all together.
There are a host of other accessories that can also back up your cowboy look. Belt buckles, boots, a good pair of Wranglers or Levi’s, a jacket for fancy gatherings, and a set of spurs, as needed. If you are looking for a pair of cowboy boots, check out this article from this magazine: https://journalofantiques.com/features/the-boots-that-survived-the-west-the-creation-of-footwear-designed-for-the-american-cowboy/
Why go for the cowboy look? According to GQ writer Chris Black, it’s a combination of the popularity of country music (think Beyonce and Luke Bryan, newer shows like Yellowstone and others showing off the aesthetic of the classic cowboy, and stylists like Ralph Lauren or the many brands that have been taking off as country music and tv/film stars expand their own brands.
There are plenty of opportunities to purchase classic cowboy shirts. Do not be afraid to invade your dad’s or cousin’s closets just in case you discover a gem there. Online shopping is perhaps the juggernaut of retail that connects buyers and sellers. Be sure to check out any western wear shops that supply everyone from the farmer to the bull rider and ask to see their “used” section. Chances are, they have quite a few well-used, stylin’ shirts that can give you plenty of credibility as a real cowboy.
Pricing can range from a couple of bucks to hundreds of dollars. Those with good provenance can sometimes bring more, but in general, you get what you pay for.