A type of leather flight jacket, typically brown or black, worn by military pilots and aviators.
Named after Irving Leather Manufacturing Company, which produced flight jackets for aviators and military personnel starting in the 1920s-1930s. The name became synonymous with the style of jacket itself, similar to how 'kleenex' refers to tissues.
The Irvin jacket became iconic because it solved a real problem—pilots at high altitudes were freezing, and the leather jacket provided warmth without restricting movement. Now it's become a fashion staple worn by people who've never flown a plane, showing how practical military gear often becomes cool civilian style.
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