Amelia Earhart Jacket
This amazing jacket was made in two different styles. The Fall/Xmas 1986 version is brown with a button-on mouton collar attachment and striped lining (photos courtesy Tiff Wimberly). The following year they offered the jacket in dark brown without the attachment and with a quilted lining. The 1987 version is pictured below thanks to fellow collector Kimberlee English Anderson.
From the catalogue: “Shortly after learning to fly, Amelia Earhart decided she had to look the part of an aviatrix. “It was 1922,” she later wrote. “Somehow I’d contrived to save twenty dollars. With it I bought…an elegant leather coat. Patent leather! Shiny and lovely.” A little too shiny, she soon realized. Who would take her seriously in a coat that looked brand-new? “So I slept in it for three nights to give my coat a properly overturn appearance. When I decided not to go to bed in it any loner, I did give it a last going over-rubbing the sheen off here and there.” No such contortions are necessary to our own homage to “A.E.”: We’ve buffed the soft, supple lambskin to look and feel as though you’ve had it for years. For further authenticity: an action back and gusseted underarms to move freely in the cockpit or on the ground; a quilted lining to insulate at any altitude; waist and cuff tabs to cinch against drafts; six pockets for incidental gear. And we dded a bit of luxury Amelia did without: a button-on mouton collar. True, all this will set you back more than her twenty dollars. But you’ll sleep a lot more comfortably. “
1987 Version photos courtesy Kimberlee English Anderson
A Green leather version with a maroon lining has been found. Pictures courtesy Julie Higginbotham.
Was doing a search on this jacket as I have one I got by mail order when they came out.
The lining needs repair and the leather is still supple but could use some love.
Do you have any leads for that kind of work?
Cheers
Nothing specific to offer, but take it to a leather shop in your area, a good cobbler maybe? So cool that you still have it after all these years!
So fun to find your site. I have this jacket in incredibly soft butterscotch. It has plenty of patina. I was going to list it on eBay but now I’m struggling parting with it!
If you decide to part with it, I would love to buy if it’s the right size for me! I’ve been searching.
Please help me find this jacket, I had one when they came out and it got destroyed. I loved that jacket and would dearly love to find another. I would probably wear a medium and I really want the original color that it came in. Please, does anyone have this and just doesn’t wear it anymore, I have been searching for 40 years.
If anyone is still looking to purchase one of these jackets, I have the 1987 version that I bought new. I’ll have to double check the size but it’s in pristine condition, dark brown.
Hi Caroline! Long shot–but is this jacket still available? And what size? I had the 1987 in dark brown and let it go when I was young and dumb 😉 I think I had a medium… would need a large now! Thanks in case you see this!
I have three in like new condition. One brown the two black size 8 I think. They are carefully packed away and if anyone is interested I will get out and photograph. Asking price is $ 250.00 each.
I have a black size 6 if anyone is interested
I have a black size 6 if anyone is interested
I had this coat, bought by mail order when it came out. I love it to death. I wore it for years. Wore on my trip to Alaska where I ended staying. I finally wore holes in it and let it go. I wish I would have kept it just for the pattern. Had alot of adventures in that jacket. My only reservation was the leather was a little too soft.