It started on a family day out in Blackpool, when I must have been about eight.
I saw a person. I cant even remember if they were male or female, but I remember their jacket. It was black, a bit biker’ish, and had fringing across the upper back and down the arms.
It was the late eighties and bands such as INXS and U2 were in their heyday and totally wearing stuff like this. But I’d never seen one in real life until that point. At that point, it was real and something I could actually own myself.
Fast forward nearly twenty years and have I got a fringed jacket? The short answer is no, not one that would fit me.
The long answer is I did pick up a vintage suede brown one from a car boot sale, but would you believe it was child size. So for £2 I bought it and lived vicariously through my eldest who was doing a good job of channelling Stevie Nicks circa late 70s, early 80s at the time.
Just lately I’ve been really considering stuff in my wardrobe and the amount of clothes I have (more on this in another post) but I began to think of the pieces I’d always wanted but never had. The fringed jacket was the top of my list.
I’d also seen The Edge from U2 wearing a fantastic version at a gig in London last year- which rekindled my love for this, probably impractical, look.
Top of my list is this AMAZING jacket from Free People, a brand I’d not been tuned into before but they’ve switched me on big time with this perfect rock n roll (I’m with the band) fringed jacket. The stars across the shoulders and on the elbows are a detail that just elevates this jacket to iconic status for me.
You can probably tell I’m drooling as I type, but sadly at £600 it is way out of my budget. But you’ll totally know if I’ve won the lottery as I’d buy this and then probably wouldn’t take it off.
Clearly I need to do some research and find some alternatives, something more in my budget.
I’ve found four so far that I like, maybe not quite as much as the Free People one above. I’ll have to start looking on eBay too. I have asked some of my vintage contacts to keep an eye out for me too, 2017 will be the year I finally own a fringed jacket!
- Glamorous Rust fringed jacket, its suedette and not lined but I love the 70s vibe of this one. £27
- Hendrix Black Fringed Biker Jacket via ASOS marketplace. The fringing is too long- I could trim it I guess? £58
- Alice & You PU Tassle Jacket via Simply Be is a bit different but maybe a chicer version at £41
- Sandra Fringed Jacket via Shores. Slightly cropped in shape so not sure it’d suit my tallness! £55
susan earlam ~ horror author 
I would love your input