THE JOURNAL
Mr Austin Butler in Masters Of The Air (2024). Photograph by Mr Robert Viglasky, courtesy of Apple TV+
Yet another thing to add to our growing list of reasons to envy the Oscar-nominated and inexplicably effortless hair-having actor Mr Austin Butler: his wardrobe in Masters Of The Air. As if a companion piece from the team behind Band Of Brothers and The Pacific (including executive producers Messrs Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks) wasn’t anticipated enough, with this limited series, Apple TV+ and legendary costume designer Ms Colleen Atwood just had to go and gift us a glimpse of the shearling jacket of our dreams.
But that’s just the thing. Why is it that a uniform almost a century old still appeals to our modern sartorial sensibilities? Sure, we might not be adding anti-fog googles to our list of must-have accessories this season, but aviator sunglasses? Those are timeless.
The story of how military fashion became a mainstay in our everyday wardrobes is seemingly a straightforward one. It goes a little like this: the clothing was well made and readily available (thanks, military surplus), so soldiers carried on wearing it back home. It was later co-opted by countercultural groups looking to subvert a traditional symbol of the establishment by personalising it.
As for why we’ve added pieces like flight jackets and pilot’s watches to our list of closet “classics”, you have to dig a little deeper. Aside from boosting morale, inspiring unity and projecting an image of power, “many men construct their masculinity from military symbols, whether they’ve done military service or not, to display a belonging to masculine culture,” says Dr Jane Tynan, assistant professor in design history and theory at the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdamand whose latest book, Trench Coat, explores the military origins of the iconic design. “Military uniforms embody a dominant masculinity that values physical strength over outward displays of emotion. This can leave women and LGBTQIA+ people marginalised from the military… But many fashion consumers are also attracted by the practicality of these items.”
Which is why functionality and durability are considered fundamental to what makes classic menswear classic menswear. “Remember the decorative, colourful military uniforms of the Napoleonic Wars?” Tynan says. “These fancy uniforms disappeared with technological warfare. Bright colours and elaborate designs thought to improve morale were phased out but by the 20th century. Given the various changes in military strategy and technology, the showy image to intimidate the enemy was no longer a priority. This is when functionality became critical to uniform design.”
“Many men construct their masculinity from military symbols, whether they’ve done military service or not”
And many of those practical improvements were a direct result of military innovation. “The challenge is to maintain a survivable thermo-sensory environment for the soldier,” Tynan says. “But uniform clothing must also be light and flexible enough to keep the wearer mobile in the field of battle. This has led to the development of sophisticated solutions in the form of technical textiles and wearable technologies.”
Designers today continue to mine the history books, drawing direct inspiration from the standard-issue kit of yesteryear. Applied Art Forms founder Mr Guy Berryman (who spends his free time as the bassist in Coldplay) takes a lot of time looking at those regulation details when designing his collections.
“I think I approach garment design in a way that garments will look good now and look good in many years to come,” Berryman says. “Over the years, I’ve built up a large archive of vintage clothing. Mainly military, workwear and clothing designed for function. I’ve always been attracted to objects that adhere to a form-follows-function principal. If you look at a jacket designed for a soldier to survive in the field, with its allowances for movement, positioning of pockets and rugged hardware, there’s a natural beauty to it.”
Is it a little too simplistic to boil the whole thing down to a penchant for practicality with a dash of romanticism thrown in for good measure? Probably. But when they look as good as these do, there’s not much point in fighting it. Here’s three essential pieces of kit to add to your arsenal.
01. The A-2 flight jacket
From left: Messrs Edward Ashley, Matt Gavan, Callum Turner, Anthony Boyle and Darragh Cowley in Masters Of The Air (2024). Photograph courtesy of Apple TV+
Speaking of practicality, the A-2 flight jacket – the precursor to the bomber jacket as we know it today – was one of the first pieces of men’s clothing to be designed with a zipper, a fairly crucial detail when you need to get in and out of uniform in a hurry.
This is “one of my personal favourite pieces of outerwear,” says Mr Timothy Godbold, interior designer, former designer at Ralph Lauren and author of the book Military Style Invades Fashion. “First, its warmth is unparalleled, but the standout feature for me is the large shearling collar that can be flipped up,” he says. “During my time working at Ralph Lauren, Ralph would often emphasise the concept of ‘effortless cool’. I believe that part of sex appeal for men is the absence of self-obsession, avoiding the appearance of having spent hours meticulously putting together a look.”
And that’s precisely what pieces like this offer. A leather or shearling variety is a significant investment for winter, but as we’ve already established, it’s unlikely to date for at least another century or so. If you’re on the hunt for something a touch lighter for the warmer months (and more forgiving on your bank balance), look out for cotton, wool or nylon varieties in the same silhouette.
Try these
02. The aviator sunglasses
Messrs Austin Butler and Callum Turner in Masters Of The Air (2024). Photograph courtesy of Apple TV+
We’re not sure it was the intended outcome when those bigwigs at the US military contracted American Optical to make the first ever pair, but here’s the thing about aviator sunglasses: it’s almost impossible to look bad in them. Sure, they tick a lot of “practical” boxes, if you want to get technical about it. The thin metal arms? Those are designed to site securely under headgear, so you can safely perform manoeuvres. Ever-so-slightly convex lenses? They make sure to shield a pilot’s full field of vision. But science aside, the shades have adopted a simply effortless aura and rightly earnt their place alongside Wayfarers in the list of “classic” frames.
“Aviator sunglasses have become synonymous with classic American masculinity – and Hollywood,” Godbold says. He specifically points to leading men such as Messrs Steve McQueen and Tom Cruise, the latter of whom has invariably worn aviators since his turn in 1986’s Top Gun. “They convey someone unaffected by passing fashion fads,” Godbold says. “I recently watched [the latest] Mission: Impossible and, unsurprisingly, there they were, further solidifying their enduring appeal. Hollywood loves them.”
For a screen accurate look, as so nonchalantly modelled by Butler and Mr Callum Turner in Masters Of The Air, look to the likes of Ray-Ban, who have reproduced one of the original designs. Go for CELINE HOMME or Jacques Marie Mage, if you’re after a twist on the OGs.
Try these
03. The pilot’s watch
Mr Anthony Boyle in Masters Of The Air (2024). Photograph by Mr Robert Viglasky, courtesy of Apple TV+
Probably the most crucial piece of cockpit kit on this list, the pilot’s watch was instrumental for navigation. In its simplest form, they have an easy-to-read face often with larger, sometimes luminescent numerals to aid legibility. “I love pilot’s watches like the IWC Schaffhausen Mk IX and its successors,” says Mr Chris Hall, MR PORTER’s Senior Watch Editor. “They’re so incredibly simple, they effectively invented an entirely new genre of watch back in the late 1930s. At the other end of the spectrum, there is something appealing about the all-capable approach of a complicated pilot’s chronograph.”
Which is where all those bells and whistles – such as a chronograph, tachymeter, dual time zone functions or even a slide rule (once used for calculating airspeed) – come in. Not that you’d necessarily need to rely on these technical features if you’ve got an iPhone to hand. Or would you? “Batteries run out, screens get damaged, moisture and dust wreak havoc – all of a sudden, the trusty, water-resistant mechanical watch isn’t looking too bad after all,” Hall says.
As for what to look for, Hall recommends the IWC Pilot’s Chrono (“a real cult-favourite among watch fans”), the Bell & Ross BR 03 (“for something more entry-level”) or the Oris ProPilot X (“for the stealth-fighter generation”). Ultimately though, these watches should be seen as investments because they are so consistent in their design, and are something you’re drawn to, rather than because they increase in value. “If you like it now, there’s a good chance you’ll still like it in 15 years’ time,” Hall says.
Try these
Masters Of The Air debuts 26 January on Apple TV+
The people featured in this story are not associated with and do not endorse MR PORTER or the products shown