Customizing the Wested shirt

Scandinavia Jones · Post by **Scandinavia Jones** » Fri Aug 27, 2004 6:09 pm

Actually, the subject header overstates things a bit... the huge pocket flaps of the Wested shirt have bugged me for some time now, so I got them fixed. The flaps were narrowed down about 0.4" - a subtle change, but it does a lot for the shirt's general appearance.

Top left: unaltered pockets, top right: pockets after remodeling the flaps and bottom: MBA Raiders for comparison.

Maybe not such a big deal, but it made all the difference to me. And I also replaced the Raiders buttons with the faux-ToD set that came with the shirt... I kinda like them.

Indiana Jarmyr · Post by **Indiana Jarmyr** » Fri Aug 27, 2004 6:13 pm

Where did you find the buttons? I am starting to think I might have thrown them out with the wrapping the shirt came in.

*EDIT* It looks very nice. But I can't say the flaps bothered me much.

Scandinavia Jones · Post by **Scandinavia Jones** » Fri Aug 27, 2004 6:15 pm

You probably did.

The buttons came in a small ziplock bag.

Indiana Jarmyr · Post by **Indiana Jarmyr** » Fri Aug 27, 2004 6:18 pm

Then I probably did, because I can't find them anywhere. But I like the standard buttons too, so I'll get over it.

McFly · Post by **McFly** » Fri Aug 27, 2004 6:38 pm

Hmmm... very subtle, but it looks good. What turns me off about the MBA shirts is how ruffled the pleats are - even if they are screen accurate. Plus, you have to redye them, and they're more expensive.

In Christ,
Shane

ob1al · Post by **ob1al** » Fri Aug 27, 2004 7:44 pm

Looks really good SJ, I like it! You should email Peter with some pics as a deign improvement idea.

BTW, I ordered 2 shirts and pants at the same time, a while ago now, but definately NO spare buttons in my packaging. I checked and double checked as I knew they should be there. I half thought about asking Wested to send me 2 sets, but just didn't pursue it in the end.

So SJ, you've got that TOD / LC look all sorted now, with your new darker pants, modified shirt and new (old) HJ! Cool and the gang dude, as long as you don't try to cut apart London Bridge in a foolhardy attempt to avoid buying your round of drinks.

Al

Swindiana · Post by **Swindiana** » Fri Aug 27, 2004 7:48 pm

OK. Back to the sewing table then...

It looks even better than what I would have imagined. I might go down that road too.

Did you just cut the flaps and then resew or did you move them up a bit too?

Regards,
Swindiana

Scandinavia Jones · Post by **Scandinavia Jones** » Fri Aug 27, 2004 8:19 pm

Swindiana wrote:

Did you just cut the flaps and then resew or did you move them up a bit too?

They were removed, cut shorter and sewn back in their original place.

ob1al wrote:

Cool and the gang dude, as long as you don't try to cut apart London Bridge in a foolhardy attempt to avoid buying your round of drinks.

Tower Bridge would be easier - just pull the lever and watch angry gearheads with empty glasses in their hands tumble towards the Thames (no crocs, though)

IndyMcFly wrote:

What turns me off about the MBA shirts is how ruffled the pleats are

So are the Wested pleats after a few washes - look carefully at mine in the above pic.

Plus, you have to redye them

I think it's time to out an end to this redyeing business...

I'm a firm believer in that what NH delivered, that's what you saw on screen. The Cairo scenes were shot in the desert, in bright sunlight - the shirt's true color got washed out in the process. In ToD and LC, the shirt's color never looks that light. The Wested shirt emulates the lighter color seen in the Egypt scenes.
That's a nice theory, you Swedish person, I hear you say... prove it!
O.K.... picture yourself wearing a white shirt on a really hot summer day. Someone stuffs your GF in a wicker basket and runs away with her, so you run after them... you keep running and end up in the midst of the National Wicker Basket Owners' Annual Convention. The thugs carrying your missus sneak away in the crowd, and you run mindlessly around, thrashing people's baskets, hoping to find your lady... "get to the point", you say. Very well - it's hot outside. You're running around, sweating immensely... and your white shirt gets all wet from the sweat. But, because you're wearing a white shirt, the sweat stains are not that obvious... the stains form darker, possibly transparent areas, but not necessarily that much darker than the shirt...
Try the same stunt again, this time wearing a, say, brown shirt. The stains are definitively darker than the surrounding dry areas of the shirt.
Are there any visible sweat stains on Indy's shirt? Oh yes:

And does the shirt get darker when it's wet? Hmm...

The shirt is a light khaki, drawn to the pinkish side... the colours just got washed out in these direct sunlight scenes. Maybe somebody with a knack for photography might shed some further light (!) on this.

VP · Post by VP » Sat Aug 28, 2004 10:12 am

Scandinavia Jones wrote:Are there any visible sweat stains on Indy's shirt? Oh yes:

PETER · Post by **PETER** » Sat Aug 28, 2004 10:32 am

Hi, Peter here, just about to make a new batch of shirts. Do you think that by making the pocket flap shorter it is more screen accurate? I used a NH shirt for patterning but am open to suggestions.
Cheers
Peter

McFly · Post by **McFly** » Sat Aug 28, 2004 10:39 am

I think it might be a good idea to do that... (just don't change the color!

)

And I don't think I've ever thanked you, Peter, for having provided the community with such awesome jackets, pants, and shirts. So - Thank you very much Peter, for providing the community with such awesome jackets, pants, and shirts.

In Christ,
Shane

Scandinavia Jones · Post by **Scandinavia Jones** » Sat Aug 28, 2004 11:03 am

Hi there, Peter!

Sent you an e-mail...

Cheers,

Scandinavia Jones · Post by **Scandinavia Jones** » Sat Aug 28, 2004 11:11 am

VP - thanks for the additional pics!

My point exactly...

antiquity collector · Post by **antiquity collector** » Sat Aug 28, 2004 7:25 pm

Hi Peter,

I love the shirt I received, but I would like to know if I'm the only one who prefers NOT to have the pen opening. After having one explode on me a long time ago I never will put a pen there again. Besides, that's what the side bag is for. Anyone else with a preference? I would prefer to not have it (also makes sewing a bit simpler on Peter's end).

Haven't looked close enough on the pocket flap size. Will get back on this in a bit.

AC

Bufflehead Jones · Post by **Bufflehead Jones** » Sat Aug 28, 2004 9:05 pm

antiquity collector wrote:Hi Peter,

I love the shirt I received, but I would like to know if I'm the only one who prefers NOT to have the pen opening. After having one explode on me a long time ago I never will put a pen there again. Besides, that's what the side bag is for. Anyone else with a preference? I would prefer to not have it (also makes sewing a bit simpler on Peter's end).

Haven't looked close enough on the pocket flap size. Will get back on this in a bit.

AC

You would prefer a pen explode in a mint, sixty year old bag that has survived a world war, than in a brand new shirt that can be replaced with another brand new shirt? I hope Swindy doesn't hear you say that. I don't think that in Indy's travels, he carried a credit card. So, he wouldn't carry a pen, even if the shirt had a place for one.

antiquity collector · Sat Aug 28, 2004 11:40 pm

No, I wouldn't prefer a pen to explode in my bag either. But a bag has thicker material and most have stains on them already. It would be more acceptable than ruining a shirt that can't be worn with a huge ink stain. Plus, it would most likely stain the bottom of the bag which at least is not the most visible part.

I won't put pens in a brand new looking original WWII bag. Unless it's in a case or maybe a ziploc bag.

Please don't think I'm complaining about the shirt as I love it and will never complain about anything Peter does as he has done excellent work on my previous purchases. I just see it as an extra sewing chore for something I will never ever use. Plus I like my replicas screen accurate more for display, NOT for regular wear.

AC

Swindiana · Post by **Swindiana** » Sun Aug 29, 2004 6:52 pm

I hope Swindy doesn't hear you say that.

Hear what?

SJ: Other than the flaps, are the pockets of equal size? I thought the pockets on the Wested shirt looked a little bigger but maybe that's just bacause of the flaps going further down on the pocket?

Other than that, I'd love it if Wested would make one the same colour as the MBA, with the MBA collar. I know, I know... A crowd hard to please.

Regards,
Swindiana

Scandinavia Jones · Post by **Scandinavia Jones** » Sun Aug 29, 2004 7:09 pm

The MBA pockets are actually a bit smaller:

Unaltered Wested on the left, MBA Raiders on the right.

I agree on the colour - as my above post states, I believe the MBA colour is the accurate one. On the other hand, I also like the "Cairo" shirt!

I know, I know... A crowd hard to please.

Shirt colour... and collar shape... and the slight scalloping of the pocket flaps...

IMHO, I'm happy with the Wested being Wested - the shirt holds it's ground... a good piece of garment!

I've discussed the flaps with Peter - he's likely to incorporate the change in the next batch, which is being cut on Tuesday.

Swindiana · Post by **Swindiana** » Sun Aug 29, 2004 9:10 pm

Nice to hear!

Also, would you say the epaulets have more of a "front setting" on the MBA shirt?

Regards,
Swindiana

Scandinavia Jones · Post by **Scandinavia Jones** » Sun Aug 29, 2004 9:14 pm

Not really... they're parallell to the shoulder seams. The MBA just hangs more sloppily on it's hanger in that pic.
The MBA epaulets are considerably shorter, though.

antiquity collector · Sun Aug 29, 2004 10:10 pm

Just wondering about your comparison pic. What size is the Wested? I have a Large and yours seems to have different button placement than mine. 3rd button should line up with the bottom of the flap and 4th with bottom of the pocket (which is how mine does). Have these changed?

AC

Scandinavia Jones · Post by **Scandinavia Jones** » Mon Aug 30, 2004 3:41 am

Both the Wested and the MBA are size XXL.