Will you just look at this butter soft, delicious double scoop of a leather bomber jacket!
I found it last week at Twice the Style, my favorite upscale resale shop here in OC.
Sadly, the sporty little vintage Barney’s New York number was way too snug for moi. I snapped a shot of it anyway. Heck, if I can’t love on it, someone I know should.
That afternoon at Whole Foods, I noticed a woman smiling at me as I passed the hot food bar on the way to the restroom. When I came out, there she was, waiting for me, smiling.
It probably sounds peculiar to you, but I’ve become accustomed to women approaching me out fo the blue. Usually it’s someone curious about my handbag, shoes, haircut. Sure enough, she said, “you look so put together, you could go anywhere in what you’re wearing!”
I thanked her and politely asked a few questions.
Turns out, she’s in deep dismay over her own current style, which she said mostly consists of roomy comfort clothes. Indeed, her trim, petite shape was drowning in an oatmeal cotton Athleta sweater and baggy, black cargo pants.
Underneath it all, I could sense every fiber in her feminine being absolutely screaming to get out.Her entire aura told me she so so so wanted to look sexy.
She scrolled through her phone, showing me pictures. “See, I used to look like this,” she said, tapping on a smiling photo of she and her hubs attired in dark, sedate formal wear at some event.
Over and over she said, “I just want to feel more feminine, to look more feminine. I’ve lost that part of myself.”
She said she’d survived the hot summer wearing maxi cotton dresses and sandals and seemed at a loss as to how to layer up for winter.
Later, I thought of the lady and the leather bomber. The jacket would be the perfect way to punch up her cotton dresses and provide definition and needed bulk to her small frame as the weather cools here.
Style tip:
In California and similar gentle climates, you can easily wear a lightweight dress all year.
In cooler months, for to lend a pop of sophistication, create visual interest and a layer on some warmth, you can throw on a distressed or more tailored garment, like the bomber, to create an intriguing blend of soft and edgy.
Plus, a jacket, if it fits correctly, will define your shape when you’re wearing something less fitted underneath. I find that a perfect bomber so much more interesting and unexpected than the a jean jacket.
This bomber was $169.99. Smoking deal for a well-preserved vintage Barney’s find.
That’s why I love resale for certain pieces. I actually prefer some more expensive items, like designer handbags and outerwear, to look gently worn. I love that comfy, lived-in patina, like an old, weathered villa in Tuscany.
The right vintage piece adds charm and interest to a basic ensemble.
To find the best vintage ones, visit your local shop regularly as new consignments are always coming in.
If you don’t have a store nearby, like my beloved Twice the Style, check out the links below for online vintage resources. Not only is it easier on your wallet, resell is gentler for the environment.