The Best Bomber Jackets Guide You'll Ever Read

Steve McQueen

A ‘bomber’ has become an umbrella term for a jacket practically every man has in his wardrobe these days: short, zip or button-up, cropped hems, knitted cuffs, a little attitude and a lot of versatility. However, there are many variations of the bomber jacket and this broad, undefined brushstroke it’s been painted with belies its original functionality and purpose; which was to serve pilots in the military.

But the bomber jacket – in all its mutations – has become much more than a relic of time-gone-by; it’s shed its war-time skin and become one of the most popular outerwear pieces of all time. It has featured in numerous classic films, been adopted on and off-screen by everyone from Marlon Brando to Ryan Gosling, and played a part in the uniforms of countless subcultures and style tribes. In short: never in the field of menswear has so much been owed by so many.

“The [bomber jacket’s] silhouette is universally flattering,” Alexandre Mattiussi, founder of young Parisian label Ami, tells FashionBeans. “It’s cinched in at the waist while keeping a broad shoulder, and it’s also immensely practical. It’s perfect as a mid-season piece – not as heavy as a coat and can be layered, so it’s versatile.”

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