I have this great book someone got me a few years ago, called "Learning to Love You More" by Miranda July. It's a really cute quirkly little book that gives the reader these "tasks" to do every day as a way to make life more interesting. Some of the assignments in the book include, draw a picture of the news; give advice to yourself in the past or my favorite - photograph a significant outfit.

The reason why I was thinking about this book, and that particular assignment relating to a special outfit, was because something momentous happened to me last night, that related to a special article of clothing. It was the worn-out-to-perfection, black leather biker jacket, that my dad bought when he was 18.

I happened to be visiting with my parents last night, and they were asking me what I wanted for my upcoming birthday. I was talking about how I have been on the hunt for a perfect black leather motorcycle jacket. I don't have the proper equipment yet to make one myself, so I have really been scouring the internet and the vintage racks, to no success. Everything I have seen has not been "the one". Too boxy, too new, too expensive, too big, etc.

"Well, what about the leather jacket hanging in the closet?" my dad asked. I paused for a moment, trying to figure out the reality of what he was saying. He pulled out the jacket.

From the age in which I can remember seeing my dad and recognizing him as "Dad" he was wearing this jacket. It spent countless hours (over 30 years!) with him on a harley, flying down freeways and back roads. It hung on his shoulders through marriage, three children, and the death of his mother. He was wearing the jacket I'm sure, when he bought us our first puppy, strapped a christmas tree to the car, taught us to ride bikes - buried the puppy 13 years later. Got another puppy. Watched us graduate high school, then college.

My sister went through a phase in high school when she wore it on and off for a year. No doubt it still has the dried tears of teenage pains lost somewhere in the folds. I pulled out an old drawing someone had made her that had been long forgotten in the pocket. I think I too wore it once or twice over the years as part of a Halloween costume. The jacket had lived, and I mean really lived through at least 30 years of life, before being retired to the closet where it has hung for the past six-eight years.

"It hasn't fit me in years. I'm surprised you want it."

I considered this and said, "Well, Dad, how about I just "borrow" it for a while?" Maybe somehow "borrowing" it would keep it's life as "my dad's jacket" kind of preserved a little better. I felt like I couldn't take that away from it.

And he said, "Well, to keep it fair with your sisters, OK." But then he leaned forward and said, "Except, between you and me - it's yours. Your sister had her time with it, now it's your time."

As I tried it on I couldn't help feeling like I didn't deserve it, but if it's one thing my parents are both always trying to teach me, it's that when someone gives you something, you just accept it and smile. You don't argue, you don't contest - you say thank you and move on gratefully. So, I put it on and took it home.

It's funny how clothing has so many different roles. Most of it is functional. You're wearing sweats when you work out because they are comfortable. You wear a coat when you go outside to keep you warm. Some you wear for pure fashion reasons - like the little black mini dress reserved specifically for saturday night dancing. But some articles of clothing can stand the test of time, and become so much more on their own.

Kelly Tinsley is an Ann Arbor-based fashion designer who blogs about fashion and style for AnnArbor.com. You can visit her Web site at Kellylynne.com, email her at kellylynnetinsley@gmail.com, become a Facebook fan of her designs and follow her on Twitter.