Bomb Shells

The bomber jacket, code-named the G-1, has been military issue since 1947, was popularized by Top Gun, and has now been twisted and tweaked by a slew of fresh designers. We tapped Homeland Marine Damian Lewis to show you five ways to wear it

 

 So What Makes It a Bomber, Anyway?

Here's how to ID a legit G-1: Shearling collar. Zip front. Cropped at the waist. Makes you look dogfight-ready.

Bomber jacket, $2,125 by J.Lindeberg. Shirt, $245 by Nick Wooster for Hamilton 1883. Jeans, $128 by A|X Armani Exchange. Tie, $195 by Burberry Prorsum. Shoes, $850 by Ralph Lauren. Socks by Falke. Sunglasses by Persol. Tan bag by Zara. Other bags by Louis Vuitton.

Damian Lewis—Nick Brody on Showtime's Homeland—has played so many Yanks that "at this point, I don't know what accent will come out when I order coffee in the morning." The accent this a.m. is British, because that's what he is, but you'd be forgiven for not knowing, since he's so good at playing classically coiled, laconic American men (see also HBO's Band of Brothers). So good, in fact, that it's startling—even anticlimactic—to find that Lewis is a bit of a goofball. "I know it looks like I'm thinking deep thoughts on the show," he says, "but I'm probably just trying to remember my next line." Whatever he's actually doing, as Brody—a U.S. Marine turned terrorist mole/congressman—he has made one of TV's most fascinatingly fucked-up men both credible and sympathetic. "He's a lot of fun to play," says Lewis, who just won an Emmy for the role, "because he behaves badly in extremis." Think Breaking Bad's Walter White, only with hair, abs, and hotter sex. (It helps when Claire Danes and the jaw-dropping Morena Baccarin are the bedmates.) Come to think of it, Lewis's greatest feat might be his simplest: bringing sexy gingers back.

—Mary Kaye Schilling

Bomber jacket, $3,100 and sneakers, $700 by Dior Homme. Cardigan, $75 by J.Crew. T-shirt, $20 by Uniqlo. Chinos, $225 by Levi's Made & Crafted. Socks by Pantherella. Watch by Hermès

 Upgrade to First Class
Modern designers aren't slavish to the original—they're reimagining it. Louis Vuitton's current take is luxe silk, not leather.

Bomber jacket, $216 by ASOS. Shirt, $545 by Louis Vuitton. Tie, $180 by Salvatore Ferragamo. Pants (suit), $1,395 by Givenchy by Riccardo Tisci. Shoes, $1,530 by Tom Ford. Socks by Turnbull & Asser. Tie bar by The Tie Bar. Watch by Hamilton.

Get a Room
Right now, New York's nightlife revolves around its hotels, and this place, the NoMad, is where it's at. The locals have to jockey for tables at the restaurant or have an in to get up to the rooftop bar. But to skip the hassle and see as much of the hotel as Damian Lewis did on our shoot, just book a room.

Take the Bomber to New Altitudes
Sure, it's a tough-guy leather jacket. But you don't have to reach for jeans and a tee. Wear it like you would a blazer—and keep the tie.

Bomber jacket, $5,150 by Louis Vuitton. Turtleneck, $795 by Canali. Pants, $265 by Bespoke.

Smooth Landing
Cruise's Top Gun bomber was cut for a retired admiral with a beer gut. Twenty-six years later, we wear them so they fit snug as armor, like this wool flannel version.

Bomber jacket, $1,250 by Ovadia & Sons. Shirt, $225 by Seize sur Vingt. Tie, $115 by Ralph Lauren Black Label. Pants, $127 by Shades of Grey by Micah Cohen. Shoes, $725 by O'Keeffe. Sunglasses by Garrett Leight. Watch by TAG Heuer.