Top designers like Paul Smith have continued to feature military inspired looks quite heavily this year, and this must be welcomed by the silent majority of men who like not only minimalist styles, but have limited shopping time.  The vintage/ surplus look is both flexible and inexpensive, with the aviator jacket a natural centrepiece for such an ensemble that is not just stylish, but very practical for the British climate.

One of the fresher and stronger trends for this summer is the major comeback of the necktie, various incarnations of which are being heavily pushed in fashion magazines.  Just a quick look at Leonardo DiCaprio in the Aviator will show just how well a necktie can be paired with the aviator jacket, an injection of flair to lift the muted slate grey and forest green tones so prevalent in military style apparel.  To offset the possibly foppish connotations of the necktie, the whole look can be toughened up with some sturdy army surplus style boots.

On the other hand, the aviator jacket also works well with chinos and loafers.  For confirmation of this approach, you need look no further than Tom Cruise in Top Gun.  Chinos and loafers can of course form part of a lighter, preppy kind of look, which has been pushed by the likes of Moschino and Vivienne Westwood on the catwalks of late.  The American Preppy look allows for garish exploration of colour, as a nice counterpoint to the muted tones of the military look, and a refreshing alternative when the sun is shining.

The aviator jacket is sometimes also referred to as a flight style or bomber jacket. It came into being during the First World War when most of the aircraft did not feature enclosed cockpits and flying conditions were much rougher on the pilots. Various aviation companies across the globe started to distribute the jackets during this period and the style soon became associated with bravery and heroism, leading to its place within the main stream mens fashion market today.

If you are looking for your own perfect aviator style cover up then you won’t find yourself short of retail options within which to search. If you want a jacket with some age and character then try out one or two of your local vintage stores first. They are highly likely to have at least one aviator jacket in stock and it might just be the one that you’ve been looking for.

Other great sources of second hand clothing include Britain’s wide array of charity shops as well as garage sales, attic sales and flea markets. If it is a newer model that your after, one that is in premium condition ready for you to make your own mark on it, then try out one of our most popular department stores for size. House of Fraser keep a good variety of mens fashion jackets in stock and would make an excellent place to start your search for the perfect aviator.

And if the high streets fail you then don’t start to panic yet. The world wide web is an excellent source of all things fashion and vintage and should be able to help you along your way. From enormous global selling platforms such as Ebay through to small online vintage outlets, you are sure to find a vast number of potential purchases that meet all of your criteria.