My friend and stylist Tom Stubbs is obsessed with vintage silk bomber jackets. He looked amazing when I saw him at a recent event (above). It’s an interesting category, a bit like a version of military fashion. gab jacket. It’s definitely not for everyone, but if you like bluesy silhouettes, this is an easy one to explore. Here’s Tom’s story about how he got into it and where you can get it.
By Tom Stubbs.
“I’m not dressing like fucking Kevin Bacon. You can go where you want to go About this whole series, okay?” my TV presenter client instructed defiantly. “What about Don Johnson? miami vice“And then?” I countered. And so began my current style obsession.
The weekly NFL TV show I was dressing him for needed a wearable American accent in the presenter’s wardrobe. I dutifully searched the internet for soft, sleek bomber jackets with a vague image of Sonny Crockett in mind.
Blow it away, revealing a rich vein of cool, loose bomber chic. There’s definitely a silk zipper bomber (especially the ’80s flavor) that’s almost a genre unto itself. This seemingly untapped resource has also given me new perspectives that I didn’t even realize I desperately wanted. Interestingly, these quickly acquired ‘vintage’ pieces all share certain characteristics.
The basic characteristic of ‘silk bombs’ is silk, so of course they are all light. Whether Mr. Johnson actually wore a silk blouson miami vice That’s beside the point. The goal was just a general feeling of good-looking, lightweight, TV studio-friendly outerwear.
These silk ultralight pieces worked well, worn as nice inserts into the (modern) varsity styles we’ve been running for the show. And I focused on creating a powerful stylistic force, experimenting with the many silk bombs I had accumulated.
This blues parachute jacket has military origins, but it’s not shamelessly rugged. A contradiction I like. Just as a polo-neck knit transforms a tailored ensemble, this silk bombshell ‘de-functions’ a military or workwear look, making it flashy and frivolous in comparison. I haven’t come across men’s gear this light and voluminous since Katharine Hamnett reissued hers. Parachute silk symbolizing the 80s.
Military style inspiration is also evident in details such as workwear topstitching and pocket details. Some feature huge map pockets and additional panels. Double and triple stitching runs parallel to the zipper, and hip pockets often have reinforced side openings. and Buttoned flap at the top.
How to wear
This ‘contra-casual’ style is an effective tool for accenting your outfit. On television, our silk bombshells took a conservative edge in Dermot’s (O’Leary) chino prep, making them stronger and sharper. Silk also goes well with denim and as a result allows for very different silk colors.
Another presenter client wore a vivid jade bomber (paired with an amber sweatshirt) against true blue denim, and while I reject the term ‘pop’ you can imagine the impact.
Even in the vibrant colors, the jacket is surprisingly easy to wear, and on that customer’s 6’5″ frame, it looked comfortable as they made sure the sizing was roomy enough to maintain the essential slouchy quotient. If you’re going for a silky slouch, go big for heaven’s sake.
I also suggest this silk bomber as loungewear underneath a sturdier layer. The thing evolved in the middle of winter, so it was worn in layers under thick fleece or sturdy cloaks.
For example, a metallic gammon pink silk bombshell paired with dark wide-leg jeans and an oversized retro sheepskin overcoat (below). Interestingly, the lambskin and bomber share a ’60s skinhead reference, although they are not these types of silhouettes.
Discarding your outer layers upon arrival gives you the benefit of being indoors. You can feel chic and casual freedom. It’s the look, the layers, the bomber, but not the bother. Even with smart tailored trousers it works as a sort of 50s American officer leisure look. Sharp pleated volume and blouson silk ratio.
shoulder pads
yes. I was surprised to see that each one of these guys was padded! The padded silhouette is a key feature and ranges from subtle, unobtrusive rounded shapes to sharply angled ‘set’ pads.
Obsessed with the influence of this silhouette, I stocked up on pad shapes and styles at a general store and added booster pads where they were missing. My squadron of Silk Bombers is now all set up. As I went along and figured out how exactly the retention pads worked, most of them were simply held in place with safety pins inside the bomber and now resembled a giant makeshift bra.
I take care to ensure that these inserts are not exposed to the abrasive environment in my area. Pub – The Prince George in Dalston – where I drink and run fashion challenges, it’s almost like a style proving ground. I long ago blended into its motley spectrum of older friends, and it’s one of the capital’s coolest goofballs, a heady mix of 80s pop stars and Gen Z ultra-trends.
The final feature of these jackets is that they all have the classic MA1 bomber rib knit collar and waistband, but the collars are all dropped and exaggerated to accentuate the hunched figure.
Where to buy
If any of these sound appealing, eBay is a good place to start. Vintage shops, markets and charity shops have failed and failed due to lack of professional access via the internet.
Few of my pieces have brand names I recognize and the prices are unbelievably affordable. Shocking price reveal alert: My collection is all under £30. Some of the best ones were £13 or £16 and the most expensive was £22.70 (what Dunn & Co are actually known for is their ‘Silkthread’ line).
Unknown labels are fascinating. These are mainly items from the 80s, but there are also many pieces from the early 90s that imitate 80s motifs. Unique, previously unknown brands include ‘Signé Incognito’, ‘Herren Globus’, two models ‘Pure Silk’ and ‘Avanti’ (suspected to be a C&A in-house line).
When I wore Dunn & Co’s eggplant-khaki bomber to the Permanent Style who, Until I demonstrate otherwise.
current brand
Few modern brands match this story. Some, like Stefano Ricci, use silk bombers, but they’re not flashy enough. Tom Ford’s product is very soft, but not slippery at all, and has more of a bulge.
The closest possibility is Giorgio Armani revisiting his mid-80s collection. ‘Archivio’ has recently introduced some great tailoring and outerwear pieces. With its distinct volume and Armani’s signature cupro/viscose blend, this piece is currently closest to the designer’s resonance.
On a recent visit to Armani on Sloane Street, I saw some cool 80s-style blouson leathers (much more trendy now) that offered optional padding. Hand-applied and well-made, these pads are also an option for the average customer who loves the Armani palette and fabrics but doesn’t enjoy the super relaxed blank shoulder feel or oversized effect.
I think my silk bomber is very attractive to wear and work with. Celebrities are happily showing off the products, and even some of the aforementioned Hackney, Prince George’s seniors want to know how to purchase the ‘link’ or similar products. (As I explained, ebay.co.uk is all below the mark.)
In some ways it’s satisfying because it’s not a more common choice and the economics mean the risks are very low. The extra shoulder pads are the only leap of faith. At least for now. Have fun!
The PS team has been exploring whatever you can imagine since reading this and suggests the following examples:
For information about other clothes Tom is wearing, please leave a comment below.
Photo: Dinner image, Sebago; Walking Image, The Telegraph; Everything else, Danny Millar. Many thanks to the Prince George pub and Luka from Tom for being such a dignified person.
