6 of the Best – Bomber Jackets

imageThis Autumn there isn’t really a key coat or jacket that stands out as a leading figure or star buy, instead we have a whole host of options to choose from, whether that be the traditional crombie style overcoat, the Parka, the trench, military inspired but alot of them are great for the depths of Winter. What about when its get a bit chilly or there starts to be a nip in the air ? In the Fashion Industry this is called a transitional piece, an item of clothing that can see you through those inbetween periods when the weather isn’t too hot, chance would a fair thing, or too cold. Today I have a great example for you the BOMBER JACKET, rocked and made famous by the likes of Steve McQueen in the Great Escape, JFK busted his with far more style then then successor George W and how could we forget Ryan Gosling in the great ‘Drive’. Take a look at these great examples.

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You can’t go wrong with this example of a classic Jacket by Next

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A great example of a bomber jacket that’ll see you through the coolest of Autumn days from Tommy Hilfiger at House of Fraser

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A Classic British Jacket from a classic British Brand, Burberry Brit

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I know Im not meant to have favourites but this is a killer of a jacket from Jigsaw Menswear

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The original and still the best, the MA-1 from Alpha Industries,  plus comes in a whole host of colours

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To to finish off a brilliant interpretation of the Bomber Jacker from Kenzo, you can’t go wrongly

Whatever the Weather – Six of the best Trench Coats

The weather at the moment is as reliable as a TfL train schedule, don’t get me started. You wake in the morning it seems a bit dull and overcast, by the time to get to work the sun is cracking the stones, you fly out to grab some lunch and it pours down and by the time you’ve arrived back to the office the sun has dried you off via its natural radiation, or it can be any of the mixed up aforementioned scenarios, literally four season in one day.

To combat this infuriating conundrum and make your life a little easier we’ve selected six of the best, of a piece of outerwear that EVERY man should possess, the Trench. Thin enough for the transitional period, thick enough to tackle most things Mother Nature can hurl at you, essentially enough to see you through whatever the weather and still having you looking sharper then sixpence, whatever that means ????

 

OK lets start with something a little left field and not your traditional Trench, from Belstaff @ Harrods.com

OK lets start with something a little left field and not your traditional Trench, from Belstaff @ Harrods.com

 

This is a classic in every sense of the word and if you look after it, it should return the favour. Jaeger @ House of Fraser

This is a classic in every sense of the word and if you look after it, it should return the favour. Jaeger @ House of Fraser

 

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This trench is a must for the season and is from Marks & Spencer’s Autograph Collection so you can be assured of quality and price

 

Within Trench coat history there is an on going argument as to who first invented the Trench, with Aquascutum claiming they did.

Within Trench coat history there is an on going argument as to who first invented the Trench first, with Aquascutum claiming they did.

 

Whereas the other contender to this title, also holds the Royal Warrant. It is of Course Burberry, this example of the classic is from Burberry Brit at MrPorter.com

Whereas the other contender to this title, also holds the Royal Warrant. It is of Course Burberry, this example of the classic is from Burberry Brit at MrPorter.com

 

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Fancy something a little more contemporary but that won’t go out of fashion ? Go for this Trench from Reiss available from JohnLewis.com

 

 

A Coat for all Seasons – COMPETITION TIME !!!

In past Autumn/Winter seasons there nearly always is A specific style of coat which will have been picked up on by the Designer Houses of Paris, Milan, London & New York and given an individual interoperation whether that be by Burberry, Saint Laurent, Tom Ford or Gucci which is turn is then translated by the High Street retailers, whether that be a Parka, Pea, Duffle, Car, Military, Over or Trench, but not so for this season, surprisingly, we are spoilt for choice in Winter 2012 as there are many different great styles of coat on all ends of the style spectrum.

The Donkey Jacket – More Stylish man than Bin man in this enduring favourite of the Englishman’s wardrobe, reworked through modern styling, fit and fabrication by Ben Sherman, but Paul Smith has also got on that Donkey tip.

 

This great example of an Overcoat is perfect for dressing up with a suit for work or is equally at home teamed with jeans or chinos and a knit for the weekend. There are many great overcoats on the market at the moment from the creator of the garment itself, Crombie, to a more designer option from Raf Simons to this choice from Moss Bros’s Ventuno 21 range.

 

Channel your inner spy this Winter and pretend to be on a mission behind the iron curtain. This example of a great Trench coat won me over for the pure and simple reason that it’s the coolest pac-a-mac around, by Burberry Brit @ my wardrobe.com. However, for some old school heritage luxury maybe look to Mackintosh or Hancock for a cool collars up Trench.

 

Not strictly a coat, but will sure as hell keep you warm throughout the Winter. This brilliant padded jacket from Self has a built in Ruck Sack in the back, just in case you run out of hands carrying all those Christmas presents and the price won’t break the bank either. Other highly commended options around come from Moncler, APC and Dolce & Gabbana.

 

The Pea Coat was cool long before Jack Nicholson made it an icon in One flew over the Cuckoos Nest. Gucci have done a number of interpretations of this classic for this season, but keep it simple as its a classic and if you treat it well it will do you proud. However, everyone from Gap, McQ, Marks & Spencer and once again Dolce & Gabbana have all done great translations of this menswear classic.

 

 

The whole Military trend has been around for a considerable length of time now in menswear and looks like its going nowhere soon. This coat is from Robbie Williams’ Farrell Range, showing singing isn’t the only thing he can score a top place at. Brands Unconditional, Wolsley and Marc by Marc Jacobs have all produced great coats using the Military look for inspiration.

 

If your thinking about investing in a Duffle Coat this Winter, keep it traditional. In 1954 the Gloverall family started to produce their own Duffle Coats in a factory behind St Pauls Cathedral London. Now Gloverall aren’t on their own in making great examples of a Duffle coats, Marks & Spencer, APC, Carven and Burton have all done so.

 

Now if you feel the cold, you certainly won’t in this amazing Byrd Parka from Woolrich, currently celebrating its 40th Birthday, doesn’t look to down does it ? Originally designed to protect workers from the frigid glacial temperatures, and since then, after slight modernizations in fit and style, continues to be a must-have for clientele both for its technical qualities (it maintains body heat to a temperature of -40°) and for the comfort that makes it perfect for city life. Woolrich aren’t the only provider of sterling Parkas NapaPijri, Barbour and Penfield are all in on the Parka act.

Now to celebrate the fortieth birthday of the Woolrich parka, one of you lucky readers will be all toastie warm this Winter, yes we are giving you the chance to win an incredible Byrd Parka, a 100% natural cotton fabric, naturally water repellent, breathable, and wind resistant thanks to the special spin and weave. It is padded with the highest quality goose feather down guaranteeing maximum warmth while keeping it light in weight.

All you need to do is follow us here at Clothes-make-the-man.com by –

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Do this by Sunday 2nd December and hey presto a few days later you will receive a gift from us to you. It’s that simple ! Good luck.