Styling African Print Bomber & Baseball Jackets: A Guide to Cultural Streetwear in South Africa
A printed bomber is one of the easiest ways to wear pattern without building a whole outfit around it. It is a single layer, it comes off when you want it off, and it does most of the styling work for you.
This guide covers the difference between a bomber and a baseball jacket, how to choose a print, five ways to style one, and how to keep it looking new. If you would rather go straight to the range, browse baseball and bomber jackets.
What is the difference between a bomber and a baseball jacket?
The two get used interchangeably and they are genuinely close, but the details differ.
The bomber descends from military flight jackets. Early versions such as the A-2, standard issue for US Army Air Corps officers from the early 1930s, were made from horsehide leather with knitted cuffs and waistband. The nylon bomber most people picture today is the MA-1, developed by the US Air Force in the mid-1950s. Jet aircraft flew higher and colder, and heavy leather jackets became a problem: if they got wet from rain or sweat, the moisture froze at altitude. Lightweight nylon with polyester insulation solved that.
The baseball jacket — the varsity or letterman silhouette — grew popular from the 1960s. It typically uses a button or press-stud front rather than a zip, and combines two materials: a wool body with contrasting leather sleeves. It shares the ribbed collar, cuffs and hem.
In practice most modern printed jackets borrow from both: the zip and shape of a bomber, the colour blocking and ribbing of a varsity. What matters more than the label is how it fits through the shoulders and where the ribbing sits at your hip.
How do you choose a print?
Print is the decision people agonise over most, and it comes down to how much of your wardrobe you want to build around it. Think in terms of scale.
Large, high-contrast geometric
Reads from across a room. Best if you dress simply otherwise — plain tees, single-colour trousers.
Dense, multi-colour pattern
More visual information, so it needs more neutral space around it.
Restrained, small-scale motif
Reads as texture at distance and reveals detail up close. The most versatile option if you want one jacket that goes everywhere.
If this is your first printed jacket, start smaller in scale than you think you want. Bold prints are easy to love in a photograph and harder to wear twice a week.
Five ways to style a printed bomber
1. Weekend casual
Slim dark denim or black cargos, a plain tee, clean white canvas sneakers such as the Kharetsa Low Canvas Sneakers. The jacket is the only pattern in the outfit. Good for markets, brunch, running errands.
2. High contrast monochrome
Bold print over an all-black base — black tee or fitted turtleneck, black tailored trousers, black boots. The print becomes the only colour you are wearing. Suits evenings out, exhibitions and creative work settings.
3. Smart casual for the office
A small-scale print with neutral chinos, a plain knit and leather sneakers or loafers. This is the combination that gets a printed jacket into a workplace without it feeling like a costume. Works for casual Fridays and client lunches.
4. Layered for winter
Over a hoodie, with the hood out over the collar. Adds warmth and breaks up the print with a second texture. Straightforward Highveld winter dressing.
5. Print with print, carefully
Once you are comfortable, a patterned jacket can sit over a second pattern — but only if the scales differ sharply and the palettes overlap. A large geometric jacket over a fine striped shirt works. Two busy prints fight each other. When in doubt, do not.
What should you look for in the fit?
Bombers are cut with room through the body, which makes it easy to buy one that is genuinely too big. Three checks:
- Shoulder seam. It should sit at the edge of your shoulder, not down your arm. This is the one measurement you cannot easily alter.
- Hem ribbing. It should rest at your hip bone and hold there without riding up when you raise your arms.
- Sleeve length. The cuff ribbing should sit at your wrist bone. Longer and it bunches at the hand.
Layering matters. If you plan to wear the jacket over hoodies through winter, size up. If it is going over tees and shirts, take your usual size. Because our jackets are made to order, you can confirm sizing with the studio before production begins — message WhatsApp +27 78 482 5516 with your usual jacket size and height.
How do you care for a printed jacket?
Printed outerwear fails in two predictable ways: the print fades, or the ribbing loses its shape. Both are avoidable.
- Wash cold and inside out, on a gentle cycle, or dry clean. Heat is what lifts print.
- Never tumble dry. High heat damages both the print and the elastic in the ribbing.
- Dry flat, out of direct sun. Hanging a wet jacket stretches the shoulders and hem; sunlight fades colour.
- Do not iron directly over the print. If you must press it, turn the jacket inside out and use a low setting with a cloth between.
- Store on a wide hanger with the zip closed so the front keeps its line.
Common questions
Are these jackets warm enough for winter in South Africa?
They are lined and work well as an outer layer over a knit or hoodie for Highveld autumn and winter days. For the coldest mountain conditions you would want something heavier, such as our Seanamarena Blanket Longline Coat.
Are they unisex?
The cut is straight and works across body shapes. Sizing runs on standard jacket measurements rather than gendered sizing, so choose based on chest measurement and how you intend to layer.
How long does an order take?
Each jacket is made to order. Production and nationwide courier delivery typically take three to seven working days. Custom work takes longer and the studio confirms timing at order.
What does delivery cost?
Nationwide delivery is a flat R120 anywhere in South Africa. You can also collect free of charge from our store at The Mall of Thembisa. International shipping is available at applicable rates.
Can I return a jacket?
Standard items can be returned within 30 days if unworn and in original packaging. Custom and made-to-order pieces are excluded, so confirm your size first. Full terms are on our Conditions of Sale page.
Will the print fade?
Not with reasonable care. The failure mode is almost always heat — tumble drying or hot washing. Cold wash inside out, dry flat in shade, and the print holds.
Why buy from Moetlo
- Made to order. Nothing is mass produced, so there is no surplus stock heading for markdown or landfill.
- Made in Gauteng. Cut and assembled locally rather than imported finished.
- Direct contact. You can talk to the people making the garment on WhatsApp before you order.
Shop the range
Questions about fit, print or timing? WhatsApp +27 78 482 5516 or email info@moetlo.co.za.
Want to understand the heritage side of what we make? Read the story of Seanamarena.
Sources and further reading
The garment history in this article is drawn from the following published sources.
- Wikipedia, MA-1 bomber jacket — development by the US Air Force in the mid-1950s, the shift from leather to nylon for jet-age flying, and construction details.
- Wikipedia, A-2 jacket — standard issue for US Army Air Corps officers from the early 1930s, horsehide construction, knitted cuffs and waistband.
- Heddels, American flight jackets from 1947 to present — lineage of military flight jackets and how the civilian bomber developed from them.
- Gentleman’s Gazette, Bomber and flight jacket guide — differences between bomber and varsity silhouettes, including contrasting sleeves and material combinations.
Fit and care guidance reflects our own production experience. If anything here does not match the garment you received, email info@moetlo.co.za and we will put it right.
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