A well travelled vintage suede jacket

I purchased this jacket from an op shop in Cairns for $3 in 1997....

Tan-tastic suede jacket, $3

A pommy backpacker at the time, travelling the east coast of Australia in a Datsun 180b, bought for a bargain price of AU$650..

Dato! (prounounced 'daddo') This was not my car, but it looked just like it.

...1 gear box, a few tyres, and 6 months later, I sold the Datsun for $1000.. not bad.

The thrifted suede jacket has another story. I love this jacket, but in Cairns, I didn't get to wear it (too hot). I packed the jacket in a box filled with other clothes, which travelled with me down to Sydney by car, and was then shipped by boat back to the UK. I had doubts I would see the jacket again, I didn't trust boat mail!

I did see the jacket again, and wore it many, many times. This photograph taken back in the UK, in I think 1998, wearing aforementioned jacket..

Ahem.. nice lace top?! urgh

As I left Britain permanently for Australian shores 6 years ago, the jacket stayed behind. In fact, I think I'd forgotten all about it. My parents came to visit last year, and bought with them a nice suprise.. a freshly cleaned tan-tastic suede jacket. The funny thing is, professionally cleaning this jacket cost my parents 10 times the price tag I bought it for. (thanks M&Dx)

Early blog followers may remember the green and gold vegemite outfit I decided to wear for my citizenship ceremony, in which I decided to wear my tan jacket..

And back to the current day, I still wear my jacket, this outfit is entirely thrifted...


Aforementioned jacket $3 op shop in Cairns
80's vintage playsuit/dress $6 Salvos
Refashioned cowboy boots $0 from The Clothing Exchange
Hat $1 from Carrum op shop, refashioned with a mens necktie band

If jackets could talk, I would ask it where it has been before it reached that Cairns op shop all those years ago. It looks to have been made in Izmir, Turkey.


Such a well travelled jacket, and all without the need for a passport....