The “MA-1” has its roots in thermal wear worn by fighter pilots in the cockpit, and has now established a position as a standard outerwear fashion item. If you want to coordinate an urban look with a military taste, black is the shortcut. In this issue, we focus on the “black MA-1” and introduce tips on how to wear it, how to wear it in season, and recommended items!
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What is MA-1?
This military jacket for bomber pilots was adopted by the U.S. military in the 1950s. The first MA-1 was produced by Dobbs Industries, the predecessor of Alpha Industries, and was issued to pilots and flight crews of the U.S. Air Force and Navy, and a few Army flight personnel. At the time, fighter planes were entering the era of jet aircraft, which flew at much higher altitudes and cooler temperatures than propeller-driven planes. To meet the new needs of pilots for safety and comfort, the MA-1 flight jacket was developed to be soft and lightweight, yet padded and warm. In the era of propeller-driven aircraft, the B-15 flight jacket was made of leather with a fleece lining, but in the cockpit of a jet filled with new equipment, the B-15 was heavy and bulky, and the leather material, wet with rain and sweat, would freeze at high altitudes, making it cold and uncomfortable. Leather material, wet with rain or sweat, would freeze at high altitudes, making it cold and uncomfortable, which would interfere with jet aircraft operation.
In 1963, Alpha Industries was awarded the contract to manufacture the MA-1. In the late 1970s, the MA-1 became popular in youth culture, mainly in London, among punks, mods, and skinheads, and in the 1980s, “The Face In the 1980s, the MA-1 was widely featured in style magazines such as “The Face” and “iD,” which brought the MA-1 into the spotlight as a fashion item. Recently, the MA-1 has been introduced as a fashionable outerwear item for both men and women, with the introduction of mode and street-style approaches such as the oversized MA-1 by Vetements and the long-length MA-1 by Rick Owens.
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The classic color of the MA-1
The MA-1 was initially manufactured for the Air Force and Navy in two colors, sage green and midnight blue, but sage green was eventually adopted because it blended more easily with the environment when pilots needed camouflage protection on the ground. This is why the MA-1 is now recognized as a fashion item with more color variations, with sage green as the standard color and midnight blue as the second most popular. Incidentally, the original MA-1 was reversible, with a vivid polyester lining called “rescue orange” used in all colors. It was made so that pilots ejected from fighter planes could easily be spotted by rescue teams by wearing the orange side facing out.
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What are three tips for wearing a black MA-1?
Tips for wearing the black MA-1 (1) “Use one-tone or monotone to create an urban look with an awareness of mode and street style.
In many ways, the black MA-1 is not confined to a military context, and can be worn in a freer and more fashionable way. There are many items with urban designs and modern silhouettes that are conscious of the mode and street, and it is considered a common practice to use cool one-tone or monotone colors, which is difficult to achieve with standard colors.
Tips for wearing black MA-1 (2) “Express a sophisticated styling by layering with a sweatshirt parka.
Layering a black MA-1 with a sweatshirt parka is an effective way to express a mix of military and sports styles while also creating a cozy look. You can match the colors of the black MA-1 and the hoodie to create a unified silhouette, or you can emphasize the mix of the two by using different colors.
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Tips for wearing black MA-1 (3) “Pair oversized items with slim bottoms and tight or just right-sized items with wide pants to create a crisp silhouette.
For better or worse, the military look of the black MA-1 is understated, so it’s a good idea to follow the street style of the current street style. It is a good idea to follow the manner of the current street style.
Next, we introduce an outfit using a black MA-1!
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