An ongoing project to document all of the exquisite vintage Harley Davidson clothing.
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The Anatomy of a True Michael Jackson Costume
October 6, 2009 by Jimmy J · 7 Comments
Face it, this Halloween MJ costumes are hotter than his head was during the filming of that Pepsi commercial. That said, our mission is to help you moonwalk over other jackass Jackos and make sure you’re crowned the king of pop at your costume party. Last year we meticulously dissected a true Magnum P.I. costume, so rest assured we preach accuracy and attention to detail. If you’re looking to mimic Michael in his later years, look elsewhere because this is all about accessorizing a complete vintage outfit.
The links below are your ticket to creating a show stopping Michael Jackson costume.
The Beat It
Sunglasses Michael usually wore a pair of aviator style shades during public appearances. The extra-dark lenses probably made him feel inconspicuous, since he always felt like somebody was watching him…and he was right.
Leather Jacket Your single most important purchase – so don’t cut any corners. Get a vintage jacket. Keep it red if you’re going for the Beat It look. He wore a black one in the Bad video but it was an entirely different style of jacket.
Glitter Glove Go for the kitschy vintage version, which was just a white glove printed with sparkle ink; or go for something a little more realistic. MJ usually wore the glove on his right hand and you should too.
Leather or PVC Pants Make sure to hem the bottoms appropriately – as if you’re expecting a flood. Who knows, in this age of global warming, you might get lucky. If your pants look like Steve Urkel’s, you’ve hemmed too far.
Sequin Socks Never wear black shoes with white socks, unless it’s Halloween and you’re going as MJ. He turned this fashion faux-pas to fad by using glitter to glorify a typically unseen garment. Oh, remember to scrunch them at the bottom.
Penny Loafers MJ reportedly patented a custom designed loafer for his moonwalk – and you can bet they cost him a pretty penny. Save yours and just grab a standard black pair and shine ‘em up real nice.
The Thriller
Halloween is for ghouls, ghosts and gashes. You wont turn many heads if you strut around like a run-of-the-mill Michael, even if you are anatomically correct. Grab some of the goodies above (socks, loafers) and get a pair of red jeans. Then distress a Thriller jacket to looks Jacko’s did when he turned zombie. Use a knock-off Thriller jacket, please. There are plenty of cheap imitations to sacrifice so no vintage is harmed during the making of your costume. We wouldn’t usually suggest altering your skin color to match MJ’s but he did use make-up in the video to become a zombie and you should too.
The King of Pop
If you want a shot at the best-costume title, you’re going to have to be more creative and a wee bit controversial too. This combo can be achieved by replicating Mike during his accident on the set of the infamous Pepsi commercial shoot. You’re going to need the goodies above (glove, pants, socks, loafers) but you also need a sequin shirt and blazer. The key to the costume is a full Michael Jackson mask with hair. Trim the hair and modify the scalp to replicate his burn. The final touch is a vintage can of Pepsi – “the choice of a new generation” era. Keep it in your hand at all times – especially when it’s time to cheers your friends when you win the prize for best costume.
Nothing Up Their Sleeves
August 14, 2009 by Jimmy J · Leave a Comment
Item #9: Vintage 1980s Airbrushed Harley Leather Vest
Availability: Explore vintage Harley leather on eBay
Decade: 1980s
Label: None
Harley Fact: Leather Harley vests are popular during the summer riding months especially because riders can showcase their arm tattoos.
Photo courtesy of: corinalarks
Approximate value: $50
- View the previous vintage Harley Davidson Leather Vest.
- View the entire gallery of vintage Harley Davidson clothing.
Case Sensitive
August 6, 2009 by Jimmy J · 2 Comments
Every so often we feature an interesting vintage clothing piece that’s currently on the eBay auction block. Please inform us if you create or discover an auction we might like.
Item: Vintage 1950s LEVIS BIG E Jean Jacket
Brand: Levi’s
Sold By: Defunkd_Vintage
What we Say: This Levi’s second edition 507XX jacket features all the bells and whistles, single stitch pockets, pleated stitching on front, the #17 on the back of the buttons, and what looks to be a yellow line down the white portion of the interior.
Yes, from time-to-time we toot our own horn, but only when when it’s something special. This is one of the rarer items we dug out from our ongoing hunt through a huge stash of vintage clothing bundles that have been in storage for 30 years. If you missed the promo video and information on this quest check it out here.
We just posted another round of Raiders relics we excavated, check them all out here.
- More information on vintage Levi’s Big E jeans
- View the vintage corduroy jacket we featured previously.
Going Once, Going Twice, Going Broke
June 20, 2009 by Jimmy J · Leave a Comment
Every few weeks we scour through eBay’s vintage clothing auctions and report which relics are fetching top dollar. More reasons to raid your grandpa’s closet.
Click the links below to view the full eBay listing or the seller’s current inventory.
- 30s vintage Black Bear Sanforized jacket sold for $3050.00 by velvet-brown
- 30s vintage Reunion engineer work shirt sold for $950.00 by bugthug
- 40s vintage Head Light chin strap work jacket sold for $850.00 by blackbearpaw911
- 80s vintage Vans Madrid skateboard shoes sold for $600.00 by auctionittoday
- 40s vintage Carhartt engineer work hat sold for $520.00 by mothfood
- 30s vintage Hanes Hawaii surfer t-shirt sold for $356.00 mothfood
View previous mens vintage clothing auctions.
When It Pours This Jacket Reigns
June 14, 2009 by Jimmy J · 1 Comment
An ongoing project to document all of the exquisite vintage Harley Davidson clothing.
Item #6: Harley Davidson AMF rain jacket
Availability: Explore eBay for vintage Harley Jackets
Decade: 1970s
Label: AMF Harley Davidson
Harley Fact: For about a decade Harley Davidson bikes were nicknamed “Hardley Ableson.” In 1969 the American Machinery and Foundry purchased Harley Davidson and put their own spin on Harley manufacturing. The end result was a less expensive bike that became inferior to, dare I say it, Japanese motorcycles. Sales declined, labour disputes rose and the company almost went bankrupt.
Approximate value:Â $100-$150
Check out previous vintage harley davidson jackets and clothing.