Select your stitch color:
The jacket comes with storm cuffs as standard. These are inner knitted cuffs that prevent wind and rain entering the sleeve — useful for riders and cold weather. If you prefer a clean open cuff, choose “No Storm Cuffs”.
Inside pockets can sometimes show through externally once the leather breaks in, especially on slim-fit jackets. If you still want one, choose your style below.
Same guidance as the left pocket — pockets can show through once leather breaks in, especially on slimmer jackets. Choose your preference below.
Please select your preferred jacket size before proceeding.
Introducing you not just to an Aero Leather classic, but a whole genre – the Half Belts. The false half belt jacket, or more commonly shortened to ‘half belt’ jacket, is characterized by a belt or strap that appears to wrap around the waist of the jacket from the back. However, the false half belt feature is purely ornamental and while it may not serve a functional purpose beyond adding visual interest, the half belt is a classic and timeless design element that has stood the test of time and adds a touch of style and sophistication to any garment its featured in.
We took the best elements from countless originals that have passed through our hands over the years to create our famous design which is now known as our 1950s Half Belt and later made a slim-fit 1930s version which became and continues to be our most popular style in the genre.
The Aero 1950s Half Belt features a double pleated back with false half belt and side adjusting straps, a central zipper and a zippered breast pocket, with two slash hand warmer pockets. It has typical American storm cuffs and internal storm cuffs provide extra protection against the elements.
But the 30s and 50s half belts were just the start – we now have a diverse range of around thirty half belt styles – both original recreations and our own designs – all inspired by our favourite classic jackets which feature this timeless and stylish design element. The 1950s Half Belt is the original classic design and has been a popular choice for many of our customers since it’s introduction in the mid-eighties.
Design Etymology
The origins of the false half belt jacket are unclear, but it emerged at some point in the early 20th century as a design element that added visual interest and style to otherwise plain jackets. The style became very popular among both men and women and was featured in countless classic designs and trends over the years. The ‘half belt’ was so ubiquitous that as we began to expand our range in the early 1980s, the ‘Half Belt’ was the third jacket we ever made after the Type A-2 and the Highwayman which began our ongoing project to resurrect and reimagine countless other half belt designs.
Sizing
This suede varsity jacket is a 1950s inspired design which offers a fit with quite a bit of room around the body which was typical of the more relaxed fitting styles of this era.
The perceived ‘correct’ fit of the 1950s was generally more ‘oversized’ than modern sizing, so we typically recommend either selecting your usual size for this style to achieve the intended ‘1950s’ relaxed fit, although many choose to size down for a more modern fitted look.
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For further general sizing information, please see our sizing FAQ section. If you can’t find the answer you’re looking for there, please get in touch.
Don’t worry, all sizing information displayed here is only a guide. Every order placed is checked over by a member of our production team who will confirm your size selection against your measurements or recommend any necessary changes that need to be made. If you have any specific queries, you can note these in the special instructions box on the ‘measurements’ page when placing your order.
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