Bomber and Flight Jackets
What Is a Bomber Jacket? Meaning, Features and Origins
A bomber jacket is a short jacket with ribbed cuffs and waistband and a front zip. See what makes one a bomber, where the name points, and how it differs.
A bomber jacket is a short, waist-length jacket with ribbed cuffs and waistband, a front zip and a simple flat collar. The meaning of "bomber jacket" goes back to military flight jackets made to keep aircrew warm. Today the word covers leather, nylon and many fashion versions of that same shape.
This page is part of the complete guide to bomber and flight jackets.
Key takeaways- Bomber = short jacket, ribbed cuffs and waistband, front zip, flat collar.- The shape comes from pilot and aircrew jackets.- Sources disagree on whether a bomber and a flight jacket are the same thing.- Where the hem should sit also varies by source: at the waist or on the hip.
Bomber jacket definition
Bomber jacket (noun): a short piece of outerwear inspired by military aviation, usually waist-length, with ribbed cuffs and waistband, a front zip and a flat collar, often made of nylon.
The style grew out of the flight jacket, which was first made for pilots and later became general clothing. So when someone asks "what is a bomber style jacket," they usually mean that short, cuffed, zip-front shape in any fabric.
What makes a jacket a bomber
Use this checklist when you shop or read a product page.
One point is not settled: hem height. Frank And Oak calls the bomber waist-length, while The Modest Man says the hem of a classic bomber should sit on your hip.
For model-by-model detail, see types of bomber jackets.
| Feature | What to look for | Fact |
|---|---|---|
| Length | Short; waist-length in most definitions | – |
| Cuffs and hem | Ribbed (knit) cuffs and waistband | – |
| Closure | Front zip | – |
| Collar | Flat and simple | – |
| Body | Fitted at the waist, roomy above, full sleeves | – |
| Pockets | Often extra pockets; the MA-1 has a zipped sleeve pocket | – |
| Lining | Classic MA-1: usually blaze orange | – |
Why is it called a bomber jacket?
The name links the jacket to bomber aircrews. In World War II, some heavy bombing raids flew at 25,000 ft (7,600 m) or higher, at temperatures down to −58 °F (−50 °C), in uninsulated cabins, so crews needed warm jackets. One shearling model, the U.S. Air Force B-3, is known as the "bomber jacket".
We did not find a dated source for when the word "bomber jacket" first appeared. Treat any exact origin story you read elsewhere with care until the team confirms one. The full timeline is on the history of the bomber jacket.
From flight gear to fashion
Leather flight jackets had a problem in jets: if they got wet from rain or sweat, they could freeze at altitude. The nylon MA-1 answered that with a light, year-round jacket that could be worn open on the ground and zipped up in the cockpit.
Civilians took up the flight jacket next. It was adopted by scooterboys and skinheads, by hip-hop fans in the early 2000s, and again in 2010s street fashion. English punks and skinheads also swapped the military sage green for burgundy.
The pilot side of the story is on our page about what a flight jacket is.
Bomber jacket vs other jackets
A bomber is one kind of jacket, marked out by its short length, ribbed cuffs and waistband. The table compares it with close relatives.
| Jacket | How it differs from a bomber | Fact |
|---|---|---|
| Flight jacket | Sources split: some say a different jacket, others treat the bomber as a flight-jacket style | – |
| Blouson | Drawn tight at the waist so the body blouses over the waistband | – |
| Varsity (letterman) | Usually a boiled-wool body with leather sleeves and a school letter | – |
Leather or nylon?
Both count as bombers. Civilian bombers come in leather, wool, silk, neoprene, satin and gauze. The classic military split is leather for the early models such as the A-2 and nylon for the MA-1.
Once you know the style you want, how to wear a bomber jacket covers fit and outfits. For a leather bomber cut to your size, Leather Collection custom leather jackets are hand-stitched and made to measure.
Related guides
- Wondering how a bomber compares with a light shell? Read bomber jacket vs windbreaker.
FAQ
What is another word for bomber jacket?
Flight jacket and aviator jacket are the usual alternatives. The MA-1, for instance, is called both a bomber jacket and a flight jacket.
What are bomber jackets called now?
Both names are still in use, and the MA-1 is sold under each. Current U.S. military versions go by CWU-45P and CWU-36P.
Are bomber jackets not cool anymore?
Their popularity has come back more than once, most recently in 2010s street fashion. Wikipedia describes the bomber as having no limits on gender, age or style.
leatheride Editorial Team
leatheride articles are researched from published sources, cited in the text, and reviewed before publication.