Menswear is repurposed military wear

A few thoughts on why we're drawn to the classics, and what Eddie Bauer's skyliner down jacket can teach us about the timelessness of functional pieces.

This is a paid partnership with Eddie Bauer. All recommendations and opinions are my own :)

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It doesn’t have to be so complicated

Earlier this year, I made a video about why everyone idolizes Steve McQueen, Harrison Ford, and Robert Redford. The video emphasized our thirst for nostalgia at a time when everything seems to have become unnecessarily complicated.

More stores, more brands, more products. More collabs, more drops. More limited run. Blah blah blah.

It’s hard not to feel overwhelmed by the sheer velocity with which new content appears on our newsfeeds. I’m not saying it’s all bad; certainly, there’s a lot of good.

But what I am saying is that it makes finding stuff pre-internet and technology feel all the more unique and special.

Because the best stuff is under your nose.

Something I think about is how most of the products we see online and IRL are simply iterations of repurposed military garments.

Don’t believe me?

Bombers.

Peacoats.

Trench coats.

T-shirts.

Watch caps.

Chinos.

The list goes on and on.

These pieces are remnants of a time when clothes existed as a function of your job. The military didn't just give us great clothes – they gave us the blueprint for how clothes should work.

And few people understood that better than Eddie Bauer.

The Eddie Bauer origins

The man built an entire brand off of a near-death experience. If you need inspiration, consider that Eddie patented and created the first quilted-down jacket fresh off a near-death experience with hypothermia during a winter fishing trip in Washington state.

Casual.

Life before the down jacket meant heavy wool and fur, and life after that offered a perfect blend of form and functionality.

Old catalogs of the Eddie Bauer skyliner jacket

The oldest known Eddie Bauer down skyliner jacket (c. 1940)

Eddie’s apparel innovations became so influential that he bagged deals with the US Military to make outerwear throughout WW2.

This year, they dipped back into the archives and dropped their Reissue Collection, an homage to the ever-iconic down bomber jacket and vest. But this isn't just some throwback – it's a masterclass in how to honor heritage while moving forward.

All the original design elements are there: distinctive quilting patterns and the signature collar, but they've updated the materials, tweaked the fit, and dropped a few colorways that maintain the classic silhouette.

These pieces were never meant to be fashion statements or even staples.

They were solutions to real problems.

The down jacket wasn't trying to be versatile; it just worked so well that people found dozens of ways to wear it.

This is what I love most about heritage brands. When they remember what made their product great in the first place. It's not about nostalgia as much as it's an acknowledgment that sometimes the best stuff is great because it solves a distinct problem.

And in a world of endless marketing around "new" and "innovative" products, something is refreshing about returning to simplicity in your wardrobe.

Eddie’s Reissue Collection gives us that.

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