THE EDIT: BOMBER JACKETS

From blazers to chinos, by way of trench coats and desert boots, most men's wardrobe staples have military roots. The bomber jacket, as the name suggests, is no exception. Originally developed to protect air force pilots from the elements (in the days when cockpits were open at the sides), early bomber jacket designs are attributed to the Aviation Clothing Board, founded by the US Army in 1917.

While bomber jackets were typically heavy, shearling-lined affairs, today the term is used to cover any loosely-structured, cropped jacket with an elasticated waistband and cuffs. Later bomber jackets became prominent in popular culture, from mid-century skinheads and mods to 1990s hip-hop stars. But you don't have to be a rugged action figure or an extra from This is England to appreciate the stylish look and flattering cut of these contemporary takes on the now-classic style.