A quick jacket question:

Captain D · Post by **Captain D** » Mon May 30, 2005 7:45 pm

Hello all,

This has probably been mentioned before, but I had a lil' hard time finding some of the info but....

I have a Flightsuits goatskin jacket, I love it, it fits great. But, I had to go up a size since I tend to need a lil' extra room in the shoulder and sleeve areas in my jackets. Everything fits great, but I was wondering about the back panel not "laying flat" down along my back....it tends to poof out in other words.

The jacket is still in great shape, new, and probably not well "broken-in" just yet. After enough wear, and as the goatskin shapes & molds itself to the shape of my body, will it eventually lay flat and not "poof out" as much? Will, perhaps, folding it help?

Any tips, suggestions, and/or ideas will be highly appreciated!
Kind Regards,
Captain D

BendingOak · Post by **BendingOak** » Mon May 30, 2005 7:59 pm

Do you have any pics off this as to get a better idea of whats going on.

Bjones · Post by **Bjones** » Mon May 30, 2005 11:19 pm

It may not lay totally flat, but if you went up a size, the extra room is prolly the culprit of "puffiness". It seems that shoulder shape is important too - examples were shown of someone with "sloping" shoulders, and though the jacket was the correct size, it bunched up in the back a bit. The question is , are YOU happy with it? That's what matters.

Captain D · Post by **Captain D** » Tue May 31, 2005 12:32 am

Thank you for the replies guys!

I'm afraid that I don't have a way to post any pics, so I'll try to explain it as best as I can here, so here she goes:

When I put the jacket on, the sleeve length is fine, the action-pleats definitely stay closed...no problem there at all whatsoever. But, if I hang my arm down at my side and simply look in the mirror at myself sideways, I can see the bottom portion of the jacket "puffing out," as if I'm a bell of some sort, regardless if it is my Wested or Flightsuit jacket.

So, it poofs out instead of simply laying flat. I realize that it's most likely due to the fact that I ordered up a size in the jacket and because of the added room in the body of the jacket, it doesn't lay flat....So, anyone know if this will eventually flatten out as the jacket "breaks-in"?

I hope my description helps out

and thank you for any help as well.
High Regards,
Captain D

Rob · Post by **Rob** » Tue May 31, 2005 7:52 am

I think any jacket, to varying degrees, will slacken and loosen as you wear it more. It sounds like you need the extra size and obviously can't go backwards, so returning isn't an option (although why you didn't buy a Wested in the first place is beyond me

), so just go with the flow and see what happens. I don't really see what option you have, anyway?

J_Weaver · Post by **J_Weaver** » Tue May 31, 2005 10:16 am

Captain D, do you mean that the bottom of the jacket hangs away from your back? I know this is hard to explain.

Captain D · Post by **Captain D** » Tue May 31, 2005 11:05 am

Yea, it hangs "away from my back"....its not bad, just something I thought I'd mention here to see if anyone else had experienced this with their jackets as well....

I thought I had read somewhere, a long time ago here at COW, that someone had a similar issue with a jacket they owned but I can't seem to find it...

Kind Regards,
Captain D

Rixter · Post by **Rixter** » Tue May 31, 2005 12:29 pm

Well, I think I know what you are saying.

It took much longer for my goatskin to lay flat in the back when unzipped. I recall having to adjust my jacket by sliding it further back on my shoulders to eliminate the problem. I believe it had as much to do with the slickness of the lining on my Expedition as it did with the newness of the goatskin hide itself. I never had quite the same problem with my lambskin Expedition since it just draped to the back rather than flare outward, especially near the bottom as my goatskin did. But, since my goatskin has broken in nicely over the years, I do not have nearly as much of the problem you mentioned although sometimes I still will notice that it needs an occasional adjustment here and there after moving around with it unzipped. When it was new I just found it slightly easier to just zip the jacket even if only was just an inch or two to help keep it riding normally on my shoulders. I always figures it was just the nature of the jacket itself and the back panel even though the jacket may fit you perfectly as does mine. I'm not sure if this is what you are referring to.

At least I've never had the opposite happen that many folks here seemed to have experienced with their Weseds where they felt they needed an extra inch or so added to the front to prevent the front of the jacket from riding up.

Captain D · Post by **Captain D** » Tue May 31, 2005 12:50 pm

Exactly! You hit the nail on the head there Rixter!

I wish that I could post a pic, but you are correct in your description! Yea, the jacket fits just fine but tends to flare out slightly at the very bottom of the jacket.

I agree, hopefully with regular wear n' tear the goatskin will do the same for me as it did for yours. Did you try folding it any or did you just simply wear it to the point that the goatskin finally relaxed up?

Thank you,
Captain D

J_Weaver · Post by **J_Weaver** » Tue May 31, 2005 1:03 pm

Yup, my Wested goat does that sometimes too. Its nothing worry about. Mine only does it sometimes; it really depends on my body position and how I'm wearing the jacket.

Lao Feng · Post by **Lao Feng** » Tue May 31, 2005 2:20 pm

Hi Captain D (and others on this thread)

CPT D---I know EXACTLY what you are talking about. As another esteemed collegaue said on this thread, this also happens with the Wested (I have had a Wested and now also have a G & B Expo).

....and by the way...this also happens on a Levy's denim jacket IF you dont get a skin-tight fit.

1. Try pulling in the side straps a little. (Don't panic Michealson

)

2. The goat WILL loosen up over time and lay flatter.

3. I also went up a size with my G & B. If you had a tighter fit (your regular size), the problem would be that the bottom flap of the back panel would be hugging your butt...ya just can't win! (Like you, my shoulders and chest are bigger than my waist...so its a trade off...close fit in waist and too tight up top or visa versa).

4. If it's comfortable, then don't sweat it ! It will loosen up.

Post by **Michaelson** » Tue May 31, 2005 2:23 pm

Lao Feng wrote:
1. Try pulling in the side straps a little. (Don't panic Michealson )

.

I'm taking deep breaths as we 'speak'.

Regards! Michaelson

Captain D · Post by **Captain D** » Wed Jun 01, 2005 12:36 am

Hello there Lao Feng, it's good chatting with you again my friend, & thank you for your (and everyone's) helpful replies!

I'll wear the heck out of this ol' goat and see how things go, and I'm sure you're right that it'll lay flat in time with use. Relax there Michaelson, and exhale, I'll be sure not to pull the straps too tight, lol,

Highest Regards,
Captain D

Post by **Michaelson** » Wed Jun 01, 2005 11:07 am

Regards! Michaelson