As of late, my purchasing habits have slowed to a crawl, largely in part due to pressure from my mother (“Can you stop wasting your time/money?”). However, after selling a section of my existing wardrobe I was able to put together the funds to purchase something I would have never seen myself buying a year ago.

I wanted to write about my newly acquired jacket. I didn’t come here today to talk about Acronym as a brand, but invariably discussion of my jacket is inseparable from discussion of the brand as a whole. I’ll be brief though, seeing as there are plenty of online resources to learn more about Acronym, and definitely many more knowledgeable people than I. Acronym was founded in 1999 with a philosophy centered around having product that speaks for itself. A passion for advanced fabrics combined with innovative patternmaking has resulted in arguably some of the most smooth, sharp, and hyperfunctional garments unknown to the general market. The niche community that lusts for Acronym’s seasonal releases craves the nonpareil attention-to-detail that Acronym figurehead Errolson Hugh imbues into every GORE-TEX® hardshell, every pair of schoeller® Dryskin™ trousers, and every X-Pac™ laminated fabric messenger bag. All jargon aside, Acronym can be simply described as the apex technical label that thrives solely on the effectiveness and attractiveness of its garments, in spite of its complete lack of PR and limited sphere of consumers. The tiny design team, akin to a group of architects, considers how people react to and interact with their everyday environments, methods of transportation, and modern technology, and modifies Acronym’s products as necessary for wearers to progress through a world intimately inseparable from science and technological development.

The jacket I have before you today (purchased off of Grailed, no less) is Acronym’s J1B-S, a medium-weight shell that advertises itself on an accompanying specs sheet as constructed from “high-density gabardine.” A little background research unveils the material composition as EtaProof, Stotz’s branded version of Ventile (densely woven weatherproof cotton fabric). I guess this means I can wear it in the rain.

As expected, the J1B-S goes beyond the capabilities of your ordinary jacket and comes with an array of what are considered the defining features of Acronym’s garments:

-EscapeZip: When the jacket is fully zipped, the main front zip slider can be pulled upward to “break” the zippered teeth, allowing for quick removal of the jacket.

-ForceLock: A magnetic Velcro strip at the collar allows you to attach earbuds for secure yet easy access.

-Gravity Pocket (2): These pockets have a double zipper opening on the underside of the wrist of each sleeve, as well as a button flap on the inside of each sleeve. Something like a cellphone can be put into the pocket via the zipper entrance, then retrieved by unbuttoning the inside flap and letting the object fall into the palm of your hand.

-JacketSling: An elastic strap that can be mounted internally or externally, the JacketSling lets you carry the jacket across your back when you’re not wearing it—a feature that is both functional and rather sleek.

There is so much more to relish about the J1B-S. I want to tell you guys about its six external pockets, its removable storm hood, its SpeedLock shockcord hem, the long staple fiber that makes up its 100% cotton body. But believe me, writing the above explanations alone was extremely tedious. Some things are better demonstrated through pictures and videos, so as a clearer illlustration of garment functionality, as well as a sampler of Acronym’s brand ethos, here is their Spring/Summer 2014 collection video in all its aggressive, industrial-soundscape glory.

Special thanks to Richard Ying (@ryingg) for his photography of my jacket!

Til next time, in the words of Ciara (ft. Nicki Minaj), "I'm Out."