Four or five years ago, my mom found a black leather jacket at a thrift store for like $30. Since no one else in the family wanted it (size, style, whatever), I ended up inheriting it.
I didn’t like it at first. I didn’t like how it fit, and I didn’t consider myself a leather jacket, especially black leather jacket, kind of guy. I didn’t wear it much that first year.
Then, after graduating from college, I started wearing it a little more. Then, I gave away over 100 T-shirts when I realized I had way too many, when I realized I didn’t want to be a “just in case” kind of guy. And because of that, shortly before Korea, I then gave away all my jackets but one.
Now, let’s remember something here. Before I gave away all those jackets, I was a jacket guy. I had over 13 jackets, and that didn’t include the comparable collection of cardigans I’d amassed. Getting rid of those jackets was a big step for me.
And deciding which jacket to keep was a big step too.
Turns out, I kept that black leather jacket. I decided on that one for a couple reasons:
- Since it’s black, it matches a lot of things, including my gloves and a zip-up hoodie I’ve had since I was like 12.
- Since it’s leather, I knew it would last a long time.
- Since it’s classic, I knew I could take it just about anywhere, mixing and matching it with warmer or lighter layers, dressing it up or down depending on the occasion.
And it’s turned out well.
I’ve worn it sledding, and I’ve worn it to a wedding. I brought it with me to Alaska, braving the walk across a frozen lake to a glacier. I wore it to a beach and then climbed a mountain in over a foot of snow with it. I’ve slept in it and on it, and I’ve used it as a pillow.
And the best part is that now, now that I’m used to it and wear it all the time, it’s become another recognizable part of how I show up. And since it’s black and leather and classic, I’ll probably have it until I die (at 30). It’s become my signature jacket.
