The military, and rather extreme civil ops have a knack for creating really effective work wear. Yes, I have been laughed at, when disembarking a C 180 floatplane I was flying, wearing a full orange floater suit - but it was November, and the water temperature was 3C. These days, I wear a full immersion suit up to the waist, for winter water flying - I've got the suit, so why not? But I don't drive to the airport in it.
I don't own a leather flying jacket (I'm not known for style - Genghis can attest). Even when I flew the Tiger Moth in December, just my old sweatshirt - the one with oil on it already - over street clothes (I cheated, it had a canopy). But, were I to have owned a leather flying jacket, and be taking the Moth to make an "entrance", I woulda worn the jacket!
When I test flew the DA-42 for Diamond, they handed me a really cool set of pilot coveralls, with the instruction to wear. So I complied. Normally, I just wear cotton bluejeans, and cotton or wool shirts - I am fire conscious when I fly. I
always wear a lifejacket (unless immersion suit) while flying off the water, and yes, you'll see me walking around in it, if I'm near water flying.
If you're gonna wear the leather jacket, you'll really have to do it up right, and wear the leather helmet too (you can just carry it around indoors - but you can't put it down, other than on the dispatch counter). But try to at least walk past a parked Tiger Moth (or similar type) so it looks like you really need the jacket.
. If you
need the jacket in the type you fly, wear the jacket. If you wear the jacket in the 172 'cause the heater does not work - forget the jacket, and get the heater fixed!
If you dress to impress, you're gonna have to rise to the standard of your image. I love to walk up to the group of kids in the mall wearing jackets with wings, and ask if they are pilots. They seem to usually look at each other, before they find words to reply. I'm also a firefighter - 20 years. I get pretty miffed when I see people wearing fire department T shirts - when they have not earned the privilege of being identified as a firefighter.
Myself, I just would rather blend into the casual crowd, and not have to live up to the image that my apparel might convey...