My Wested experience and new Doctor Who/Das Boot Jacket

[Nos402]

This is my first post here, and it's going to be a doozy!

Disclaimer:
I hesitated to post this because I know Peter from Wested is a member here and I certainly do not want to seem like I'm at all bashing Wested. I have purchased from them twice and plan to buy an Indy jacket from them someday too. My purpose here is to simply try and honestly convey my entire experience. No disrespect to Peter or Wested. I think they offer great products for very reasonable prices.

My experience with Wested started when I discovered the whole Indy jacket thing and their history of involvement with them. I thought about getting an Indy jacket, but as much I wanted one because of its association, I never really thought it was my style of jacket. I emailed them to ask if they could make this jacket:



Peter replied and said they certainly could and for a very reasonable price too! I waited with anticipation. The months ticked by and I would check in with Peter who would tell me my jacket was still being made etc. At one point, there was a problem and something had to be redone or recut or something like that. no problem, I was getting a custom tailored jacket for a great price. About 6 months or more later, I received this jacket:

Needless to say, I was a bit disappointed since it in no way resembled the jacket I wanted other than being black and leather. However after that long of a wait, and not wanting to deal with the hassle of returning it, and also not wanting to be a pest to Peter, I decided to just keep it. It wasn't at all what I had ordered, but it was still a nice leather jacket custom tailored to me.

Fast forward to present day. I've lost a lot of weight, and have never really had my jacket itch scratched since I didn't really get a jacket I wanted. The Indy jacket once again pops up in my mind. I start researching it again, and my research leads me to this forum. Again, I'm really tempted by Indy jackets, but feel that they're not really my style as my "main jacket". That's when I discover this post. It's as if I found the holy grail. This is THE jacket for me. Not only is it just a totally cool style and exactly what I've been looking for, but it also has the double whammy of being from both Dr. Who and Das Boot. Exponential coolness in my book. I start my obsessive research. I'm a little put off by the fact that Wested's website has quite a few typos (no big deal, sometimes I've had things wrong with my website and eventually find out that no one has bothered to tell me about it) and that there's no actual pictures of any of their jackets, just production stills from Dr. Who. I email Wested to ask a few questions and have what ends up being one of the most frustrating email exchanges of my life.

I am very interested in one of your Dr. Who jackets but had a few questions. Are they only available in the "off the rack" sizes or can they be custom fitted like your Indy jackets?

If so, I really want to make sure to get you the info you need and make sure I get the sizes taken correctly so any guidelines are appreciated! Thanks.

Dear Sir,
We can make custom jackets in this style but there will be an extra charge for this.
Please advise what would need to be different for this to the other jackets

I'm referring only to sizing. I didn't know if they only came in "S, M, L" etc., or if you took individual sizes like you do with the Indy jackets. I wouldn't want any design changes.

Dear Sir,
We only have them made in small medium, large. Any problems feel free to contact me

Sorry, I just want to make sure I understand this:

So you can NOT make the Dr. Who coat tailored to my personal measurements or are you saying that you can but it would cost extra?

I'm just a bit confused, since I first learned of this coat from a gentleman who ordered one from you and said that it was made to his personal measurements much like your Indy jackets are.

Dear Sir,
We can make this but there will be an extra charge

What would be the cost of a Dr. Who jacket in a size 40R.

Also as an alternative, if I decided to get one "off the rack", which size would fit a 40R?

Cheers!

Dear Sir,
This will be a size medium off the rack so this will cost £215

Sorry to ask so many questions, I just want to make sure I get everything correct.

Is a Medium size exactly a 40R or is it just close?

What would be the total if I wanted a jacket made exactly to size 40R?

Thanks for all your help. Again, sorry to be such a nuisance, but I'm definitely getting this jacket and just want to make sure I get it all right so I'm happy with it.

Dear Sir,
The medium jacket will fit 40-42 reg. Theses are the only sizes we offer.

At this point I give up and decide to just order a medium. I order a medium black (undistressed as I want all the distressing and character to come from me). I click on the credit card button. It lets me enter in my discover card and sends me an order receipt. Several days later I receive this email:

Dear Sir,
Unfortunately I was unable to process your order as the card type you wish to place the order with we don't accept

Argh! Then why did it let me put it in and place the order? I re-order and use paypal this time. I get an email about the paypal transaction but not another order receipt and # so I email them to make sure the order went through. No response. I later show the funds transferred out of my account so I write again to make sure all is going as planned. No response.

A little over a week later, my jacket arrives! I never got a response, but I got my jacket!

Unfortunately, I'm not sure I'm happy with it. I definitely find its screen accuracy lacking. I know www.thebadwolf.com makes a jacket they claim to be extremely screen accurate, but there is no way I will ever spend that much money on a jacket.

Here's my Dr. Who/Das Boot Jacket:




My chest seems to be just under 40 inches when I take a full breath. The medium is supposed to fit a 40-42. I find it a bit tight, but not necessarily in a bad way. It is definitely fitted when buttoned. Very snug. It's very possible this could be the intended fit, I'm not sure.

My main issues with the jacket:

1. The belt on the back. First of all, the back belt should be more of a "flared arrow" like the wrist straps are. They got the wrist straps at least basically the right shape (obviously, not having a screen used jacket I can't compare exactly). They start out slightly skinnier then flare wider at the head of the arrow.



The belt is supposed to do the same, but as you can see it does not. Also on the screen jacket AND on Billy3ci's jacket here on the forum, the belt stitching is different. There is stitching further away from the edge of the belt as compared to mine.



I really like the horizontal front and back stitching on Billy3ci's Wested also which appears much pointier than my stitching. His vertical pockets also seem much more angled and pointy than mine.



I'm not sure of which is more authentic to the screen jacket, but I think Billy3ci's looks sharper than mine.

My jacket also has two buttons way up high on the coat. They're not really visible unless you button it all the way up, since they would normally be hidden under the collar. The problem is that these buttons are held on with small clear buttons on the back which show when the collar is down.



As you can see in this production still, this is not the case on the screen jacket.


Also the screen jacket and Billy3ci's Wested seem to have stitching on either side of the vertical back seams. Mine do not.



A few things I'm not sure about: I wonder if the original jacket is a little longer. The horizontal stitching and the vertical pockets seem like they might be placed a little lower on the screen jacket. I've scrutinized pictures, but it's hard to tell, especially since mine is new leather that hasn't been broken in so I don't know what it will do or how it will settle over time. All I know is that those vertical pockets are so high that they're really awkward to reach into. I can't quite place the length issue. On both the screen jacket and Billy3ci's Wested, it looks like there are a few inches from the bottom of the sleeve to the bottom of the jacket, but my sleeves seem to be almost the same length as the jacket. I feel like the jacket should be longer than it is.

I found it particularly strange that though mine and Billy3ci's jackets are both Wested, they do not appear to have been made to the same specs/pattern.

Overall, my jacket is still a REALLY nice jacket, but I'm just trying to decide if these little imperfections will continue to niggle at me over the years and if so, what I should do about it. I'm also wondering if I might have been happier with the Predistressed option.

So there you go. Full disclosure and review.

Again, I am not in any way trying to appear "anti-Wested" or anything. From what I've read Peter seems like a great guy who listens and works with his clientèle. I think that maybe I've just had an atypically difficult time.

[McFly]

How do you like these?

https://host385.ipowerweb.com/~indyprop ... a7a83cac6e

https://host385.ipowerweb.com/~indyprop ... a7a83cac6e

If you email Magnoli, I'm sure he can make you a great copy of either of the jackets you've pictured. He's a stickler for details and tries very hard to make his customers happy.

The jackets you have there are also nice though!

In Christ,
Shane

[Garzo]

Hey Nos, sorry to hear that you're not really satisfied with your new coat. I recently ordered the same coat after seeing that same thread but got mine in predistressed off the rack - size large. I also asked to make sure if an L would fit a 44R, my regular size. The coat fit spot on, although perhaps not as roomy as my old woolen peacoat, which had a similar cut but was much roomier all around. Nevertheless, I dig the coat and wear it regularly (although the predistressed is not that warm when temperatures in Berlin drop below zero).
But you are absolutely right about the differences. Mine has all the details that billy3ci's coat has and the same differences from yours, including the sharply slanted vertical pockes, belt-stitching and double stitching on the back seam and the sharper and rounder front yoke. Strange, it does look like your jacket was made by another manufacturer -- unless the leather is so different in weight and thickness that it is cut and sewn in a different way, although that seems unlikely. Or maybe the fact that it was made special order from scratch. Maybe the off-the-rack coats are made simply put together with ready-made pieces or something. Have you asked Peter for an explanation? Perhaps you can just return it or exchange it for a rack size? The predistressed is nice but very brown. I also treated it with some leather balm and it got a bit darker but it's still brown, so not ideal if you really want black.
It's funny -- the Dr. Who coat is obviously cut very differently than the Indy jacket, but the off-the-rack L coat seems to fit me better than my supposedly cut-to-fit horsehide Indy jacket that I got from Wested last year. The coat is nicely cut with higher armholes and a more slender fit, while the Indy was cut very wide (I had it taken in by a local tailor so it fits nicer now).
The problem with Wested is that they seem to be very unspecific about everything. Regarding your "Angel" jacket, you obviously wanted that specific cut. It looks like they simply grabbed their standard Mission Impossbile jacket http://www.ekmpowershop4.com/ekmps/shop ... oductid=17
off the rack and shipped it out to you, figuring it was close enough -- and that's just not on. If they can't make the coat exactly like it's in the photo (which may be tough as it doesn't show the backside), they should at least say so and recommend their M:I jacket as an alternative. The difference is glaring, starting with the fewer buttons on the lapel. Having said that, I quite like the Wested M:I jacket since it does not have the horizontal seam going across the mid-section, as the Angel jacket appears to have.
I'd definitly call or write Peter and explain and/or just return the coat if you're really not happy with it (or you can always sell it on ebay, which is what the other buyer of the predistressed apparently did).

[Kt Templar]

I have one of the "off the rack" black cowhide Doctor Who jackets.

The only slight issue I might have with it is the fold on the lapel, it is not creased down sharply enough, so appears puffy. Now I don't know if they usually 'iron' leather to get it to crease, if thay do they should probably have done thae with this one. Maybe that will settle with wear.

I also get the 2 little white button retainers showing. I think I'll just snip them off as I think I'm unlikely to wear the jacket buttoned up all the way anyway.

Other little differences with the screen look.... I honestly didn't notice, and I've been quite closely invoulved with the toys for the series.

The fit is pretty slim. I wear a 38 Raiders and a Medium in the Doctor Who, otherwise I usually wear a Small. My actual chest size is about 40/41. The sleeves feel exactly the right length, the shoulders fit very nicely and the armholes are nice and high. It depends on how tall you are but the length is good for me. Looking at the length on screen the jacket falls just about crotch level.



It is snug buttoned up, but that's more my tum than any fault with the pattern.

He made a batch in the black cow so any "customs" may be a later pattern with adjustments.

All in all the black cow is a lovely leather and I look forward to breaking it in.

However, if it's really niggling you I'd send it back. No point keeping a jacket you are not totally happy with.

[Nos402]

Perhaps you can just return it or exchange it for a rack size?

Actually mine IS and off the rack medium. I also wondered if the differences might be due to the difference between predistressed and new leather. I wrote this:

I received my Dr. Who jacket, but was wondering what your return/exchange policy is? There are some details of the jacket which I'm not entirely happy with, and I was wondering if it was possible to have one made which addresses these particular details.

and received this

Dear Sir,
You can return the jacket at your expense and we will refund you minus postage cost

which did not really address my concerns. As I said, it's still a really sharp looking coat, so I'm trying to decide if I can live with it. I really want black, and prefereably undistressed, so if the design differences are due to the different leather, then I guess mine is as good as it's going to get. I mean the details I'm niggling over are really trivial, so I'm trying to just stop worrying and enjoy a really nice coat!

[Indiana Max]

Nice jackets

[Garzo]

Nos, maybe you should post some pics of yourself in the coat and get some feedback from the folks here. It often helps and we'll at least tell you honestly if it looks good or not.

I know taking pics of yourself can be a hassle -- I'm guilty of being either too busy or too lazy too bother except on rare occasion -- but it's good to get other people's opinions -- especially with concerns like the jacket being too short or nearly as long as the sleeves. There are a lot of people with a good eye who can offer helpful comments.

One of these days I will take some photos of myself in the Das Boot coat and Indy jacket and ask for feedback. To busy at the moment though.

By the way, my predistressed does not have the little clear buttons on the inside of the lapel. The big button is sewn on the inside of the leather.

[Michaelson]

Further shadows of this string...

viewtopic.php?t=20407

Regards! Michaelson

[Garzo]

Further shadows of this string...

viewtopic.php?t=20407

Regards! Michaelson

Yes, Wested is funny in that way. I guess it's either love 'em or leave 'em. Personally, I like their stuff a lot, but what I would really love to do for my next Wested is to go there myself and try a few on and buy the best one that fits. Either that or not send in all of my measurements and just ask for an off-the-rack Large, as they seem to fit me better than my tailor-made jacket.

Having looked at the leather blazer again, it is different than the M:I jacket as it has three buttons compared to the latter having only two. Angel's jacket, on the other hand, looks to be very unique. It's not really a leather blazer but more like a leather tuxedo jacket. Pretty cool at that But I digress. . .

[Michaelson]

Yes, Wested is funny in that way. I guess it's either love 'em or leave 'em. .

In this case, that's not quite it. It's simply a concern of wanting to receive what was requested/ordered, especially after many discussions back and forth as to what is expected, and what is promised.

It's nice you have the option of stopping by for a personal try on of jackets, but for those of us on this side of the Atlantic, that is not an option. We trust phone calls and written word to purchase a jacket, and when what we receive is substandard, then we get a bit upset...needless to say.

In my case, it was substandard workmanship and no recourse. In the case above, it was the lack of eye to detail after many back and forth emails addressing that concern. Nothing more.

We keep coming back to the well, but one gets leery of making the trip when this keeps occurring.

Here's yet another post in another string by Technonut to add even more to the discussion:

quote:

"Well, the jacket arrived today.... I am not happy at all.

Where to begin.....

Well, I originally ordered a goatskin jacket, was told there was no goatskin, and switched to horsehide for no additional cost. I spoke with Peter directly on the phone regarding this and some sizing info.

The jacket is in LAMBSKIN not horsehide... I purchased a Wested lambskin LC recently from a forum member, and the leather weight, grain, color, and hand is EXACTLY the same. I have horsehide jackets... This ain't it.

I #### near begged for Gemma to make sure that the right-handed zipper was installed.... I asked for the jacket to be checked before it went out... Guess what?

NO RIGHT-HAND ZIPPER....

I ordered a "Custom Made For" tag (With my entire name) Guess what?

NO LAST NAME ON TAG. (There is clearly enough room)

The upper seams on both arms are WAY OFF. (Not supposed to be seen with arms at your sides)

Custom-made.... What a joke... It appears that they just grabbed a 44R off the rack (factory seconds), stuck an incomplete "Custom Made For" tag on and sent it.

I don't know why so many folks take this abuse. It still is a sizeable amount of $$ to spend, not to mention getting your expectations up just to shatter them ....

There is no exuse in my book for letting that jacket out of the shop since I was in communication with a company representative right before it was dispatched. I have all the e-mails between Gemma and myself if anyone is interested.

I would have been better off buying a Gibson and Barnes... (and probably will after my experience with Wested) I have dealt with Gibson and Barnes before, and their quality and customer service is second to none....

I'm too ticked to go further right now... I need a beer... " :unquote


Regards! Michaelson

[Indy Magnoli]

The Dr. Who jacket doesn't look too bad, but that blazer is a joke. Forget the body being changed, the button stance nothing like the original, but the lack of peaked lapels is what kills me. I think the problem there might simply be that Wested is used to making "outerwear" type jackets, not suit-cut jackets.

Kind regards,
Indy

[PLATON]

Also the label reads "Hand Made by craftsmen" while it should read "Hand Made by British Craftsmen"

Maybe they switched from British craftsmen to Pakistani, hence all the mistakes.

I don't know guys, these are terrifying stories.... and I was just about to send in my next order.

[Garzo]

In this case, that's not quite it. It's simply a concern of wanting to receive what was requested/ordered, especially after many discussions back and forth as to what is expected, and what is promised.

It's nice you have the option of stopping by for a personal try on of jackets, but for those of us on this side of the Atlantic, that is not an option.

Actually, I was just being a bit sarcastic. Granted, I live in Germany and am closer to England than you folks Stateside, but it really doesn't mean it's that much easier to fly a Wested retrieval mission over Kent. To be honest, I feel fortunate having bought TWO items from Wested that fit OK. Like I've said, my horsehide Indy was a bit baggy until I had my local tailor take it in at the sides. I also got lucky with the Dr. Who coat off-the-rack size L, which fits nicely. But in all honesty, I think the next time I go for an Indy jacket, I will order from Gibson and Barnes. I have a couple of their WWII-style flight jackets and I couldn't be happier.

I can totally understand the frustration with Wested, but I also think they are the way they are and I don't expect them to suddenly change and become like Gibson and Barnes. I think they are funny that way and I think they will remain funny that way -- they seem to be a small quirky company and that's a big part of their charm. I've never heard anything about the chief exec of Gibson & Barnes going out for beers with a bunch of Indy fans and inviting them over to his house for yet more drinks.

That kind of relationship with customers goes a long, long way. Nevertheless, I think their stuff will continue to be hit and miss, maybe because their main focus is on their movie contracts and we're all just a side business.

I suppose increased competition from people like Todd and Magnoli and G&B and whoever else comes out with an Indy jacket -- and with the new movie on its way, I'm sure we can expect all kinds of jacket manufacturers coming out of the woodworks -- Wested will definitely be under pressure to offer consistent products, whether that means setting clear and strict terms about what they will and won't do, or trying to win over the market with even more custom options.

[Nos402]

I think I'm going to try and get over the "inaccuracies" because it's a really great coat that fits perfectly too (aside from me needing to lose some flab around my ###-ular region). I'd love to get a Bad Wold JAcket as they really seem to be concerned about accuracy, but there's just no way in #### I will ever pay that much for a jacket.

I am curious as to how it will wear as it breaks in. Will the lapels lie down and stop being so puffy? Will it stretch out a bit? Will its own weight maybe stretch its length a little longer? As the leather relaxes, wears and settles in will everything seem to shift down a bit?

I'm also curious as to what care I should take. When I emailed Wested they just said to let it wear naturally or maybe use a Letap spray.

[Michaelson]

[ I've never heard anything about the chief exec of Gibson & Barnes going out for beers with a bunch of Indy fans and inviting them over to his house for yet more drinks.

That kind of relationship with customers goes a long, long way. .

Very true, but when Dave Marshall was the director of sales and marketing at Flightsuits, that WAS done for any Indyfan that came to the factory, along with a free personal factory tour. Things have changed at G&B, though, and that personal touch has gone away since Dave left.

Regards! Michaelson

[Garzo]

[ I've never heard anything about the chief exec of Gibson & Barnes going out for beers with a bunch of Indy fans and inviting them over to his house for yet more drinks.

That kind of relationship with customers goes a long, long way. .

Very true, but when Dave Marshall was the director of sales and marketing at Flightsuits, that WAS done for any Indyfan that came to the factory, along with a free personal factory tour. Things have changed at G&B, though, and that personal touch has gone away since Dave left.

Regards! Michaelson

Wow, I didn't know that. Sounds like Flightsuits used to be a very interesting company. Gibson & Barnes is extremely good and efficient, and I am certainly happy to buy from them again, but they do seem a tad corporate.

[Michaelson]

Your statement is absolutely dead on target, my friend.

They're still a good company to deal with, but the difference between how they run the shop 7 years ago and now are two completely different animals. It all happened when the father retired, and the son took over. Dave Marshall got lost in the shuffle, though he still works as consultant for the speciality A-2 jacket line.

Sad, but that's exactly the picture.

HIGH regards! Michaelson

[PETER]

The big bad wolf jacket prototype was made at Wested and the patterns are the same, however there are some slight differences in construction.
I think we have been following the Das Boot specs which are slighly diferrent to the Dr Who in fine detail.
Cheers
Peter

[Nos402]

Some of you wanted pics of the jacket actually being worn so here's a few. Not the greatest quality, but hopefully you'll get the idea.



I removed the top two buttons since the clear buttons that held them on showed on the collar (as seen in previous pics). I've also noticed in comparing my jacket to pictures of the real jacket that the button spacing seems wrong as does possibly the pocket placement. On the Doctor's jacket, the first button under the vertical seam is several inches lower. I'm trying to figure out the exact differences. The screen jacket may be a bit longer, but it's hard to tell. You can definitely see the differences if you study the seam, button and pocket placement though.

Again, if you can get past the screen inaccuracies, it's still a pretty #### fine jacket, and will probably get even better as the leather gets broken in.

[Gobler]

Man I love the Dr Who jacket. Did Peter make the jacket for the show?

Cheers,
Jeff

[Nos402]

As far as I know Peter did not make any jackets for the actual show. I seem to remember reading that the Doctor's jacket was an actual original Kriegsmarine Jacket that was bought at a thrift store, but I can't remember where I read that.

[moses]

I have an original german jacket that is identical to the dr. who jacket. Your Wested version is pretty close but you are right about the buttons - the first one is too high and they are spaced further apart than on the original. It's a minor point though. I'll try and find a means of getting photos of my jacket up at some point. The seams around the edge of the coat are also wider.

[Nos402]

What really baffles me is that the billy3ci's predistressed jacket from Wested (seen in this post) seems to be a little more accurate. I find it strange that both our jackets are from Wested but yet mine seems less accurate. You would think they would use the same pattern.

[davyjones007]

I think the jacket looks great and the fit seems almost perfect. I know the specs are off but, other than that I would say you have the only jacket like that in town. It does not look like every other 3/4 length car coat out there.

[Joe King]

Hello,

I have been tempted by the Dr. Who jacket for sometime now but before I order a off the rack Wested could any of you guys tell me
1. Is the jackets length screen accurate?
2. And what is the waiting time from order to delivery for some one in the UK?

Cheers

[Kt Templar]

Well I'm a short arse, but I've lent the jacket to people up to 6ft and as long as the chest size is right it looks pretty good. This jacket is much more forgiving than the Indy!

If they have your size in stock, I cn't see it taking more than a week to get to you.

One thing though, you do need to snip off the top two buttons for the collar to sit properly!

[Joe King]

KT

Thanks for the information and the photos

Looking good my man, you wear it well.

[Nos402]

KT's looks to be made exactly the same as mine with all the same differences I mentioned from the screen and pre-distressed Wested coats. Note how close the top button is to the horizontal seam as compared to the top button placement on the screen jacket or Billy3ci's pre-distressed Wested.

Still a #### fine jacket! Looks good on you, too!

[Kt Templar]

KT's looks to be made exactly the same as mine with all the same differences I mentioned from the screen and pre-distressed Wested coats. Note how close the top button is to the horizontal seam as compared to the top button placement on the screen jacket or Billy3ci's pre-distressed Wested.

Still a #### fine jacket! Looks good on you, too!

I'm sure mine and yours were made in the same batch, I think it's a stonkingly good jacket the slight differences you mention really don't bother me at all..

One thing I have felt is that it is so recognisable as a "Doctor Who" jacket, in the UK at least, that i feel slightly selfconscious wearing in the street it whereas there is none of that with the Indy jacket... All that will change come May 2008!

[Nos402]

There's a huge thread with lots of pics of the Bad Wolf jacket and some Wested's over here.

I already had to have my wife do some repairs on my jacket. Some stitching had come undone where the arm lining joins the body lining.

[VP]

One thing I have felt is that it is so recognisable as a "Doctor Who" jacket, in the UK at least, that i feel slightly selfconscious wearing in the street it whereas there is none of that with the Indy jacket... All that will change come May 2008!

Yeah, as long as they don't change the pattern radically.

[PLATON]

Eastman makes the same jacket

[whiskyman]

Well, it's similar - pockets and belt are different though.

[Nos402]

Does anyone know:

a) exactly what kind of leather the Wested Doctor Who jacket is made from? I'm guessing cowhide since someone on another website was complaining about how heavy it is (which I don't mind at all). Is it "top grain" cowhide?

b) What the original jacket would most likely have been made from?

c) The general differences in types of leathers? I've gathered that cowhide is more durable but quite a bit heavier while lambskin is much lighter, softer, and "luxurious" but not as durable as cowhide.

I'm determined to become an expert on this jacket!

[Nos402]

I called Peter today and he was incredibly helpful. I'm sure he's a busy man but he took all the time I needed to ask questions and get details straight about my jacket. Apparently the early batches of black jackets were made to the "Das Boot" specific pattern while the predistressed were the "Doctor Who" pattern thus accounting for the minor differences. From my obsessive, anal, and probably unhealthy studying of this jacket, it looks to me that the key differences are:
Collar shape, lower button placement and different spacing, pocket placement and shape of the vertical pockets, yoke shape is more angular, stitching detail, and the wrist straps are shorter and lower on the cuff on the "Doctor Who" pattern.

I'll update again as soon as I have a new black "Doctor Who" pattern jacket in my hands.

For anyone interested, I've collected every photo I could find of the jacket (the original, Wested, Bad Wolf, and MPM Costumes) and will continue to do so as a reference for anyone who might be interested in getting a jacket and wanting to see examples. They can be found here. I believe that I have personally received permission from all the original photo owners but if I missed someone or if anyone doesn't want their photos displayed, please let me know and I'll remove them.

[Nos402]

Another update:
Today I found what is thus far my holy grail of Doctor Who jacket photos:this photo.

When you compare it to this photo of the Wested Doctor Who, you can see that Wested's is really close. Just move the upper vertical pocket down so that it's only 1" above the lower pocket, move the bottom button up to where it's in line with the 1" space between the pockets, and move the middle button accordingly so it's midway between the top and bottom and I think he'd have it pretty dead on!


The Wested collar/lapels as seen in the previous pic and here and here might still need a tiny bit of tweaking such as even less space between them and maybe a straighter edge between them as seen here, although that's a bit tougher to call. I also thought that they might possibly need to meet in a straighter line so that it only slants down 30-45 degrees. Again a tough call and really nitpicking but isn't that what replicas are all about?

I sent Peter all this info in case he could use it to refine his already close pattern and I hope to have him make those changes on my jacket.

Bad Wolf's jacket might be closer to the authentic Kriegsmarine jacket they got their hands on, but I think Wested's is actually closer to the screen jacket with the exception of the lining.

I'm not sure if anyone really cares about this like I do (it is the Indygear forum after all) but being that this is where I discovered the Wested jacket, I figured it appropriate to post here in an all encompassing thread.

[Kittlemeier]

Most of the jackets on MPM Costumes website are made by Wested. It looks like they just tripled the price on them. Keep in mind if you're using it for reference.

[Kt Templar]

Most of the jackets on MPM Costumes website are made by Wested. It looks like they just tripled the price on them. Keep in mind if you're using it for reference.

Apparently, not so much these days. He's using another leather maker for the bulk of his work. Don't know who.

Yes and to the prices .

[Falstaff]

Well I just ordered a brown pre-distressed and, so long as it fits, I'll be happy. I'm not interested in screen accuracy in either Doctor Who or Das Boot, I just like the style and want something other than my Raiders jacket to wear. And if the leather reacts to Pecards like my pre-distressed Raiders did, it'll be much darker than the pictures on Wested's site.

[Falstaff]

My brown pre-distressed Dr. Who jacket arrived last night from Wested. It looks and fits fantastic. I'll post some photos this weekend with shots before and after I apply Pecards.

[Nos402]

So about 13 months ago I sent my "Das Boot" style jacket back to Wested to be exchanged for a "Doctor Who" style jacket. I also included a letter and a picture illustrating a few alterations I wanted made to make it as screen accurate as possible to my eyes (slight change in the pocket and button placement).

Throughout the past year contacted them several times for updates. 2 or three times throughout the year I was told it should arrive in about 10 business days.

At one point I was told that it was taking so long because of the custom alterations I wanted and because I wanted the "Das Boot" style instead of the standard "Doctor Who" style. I wrote back to clarify that in both the letter and illustration I had specifically said that I did NOT want the Das Boot style and to start with the Doctor Who style and make my alterations from there.

Then in another exchange I was told that they only did it "off the rack" and didn't do customizations. I wrote back addressing my concerns that I had previously been told that my customizations were what was taking so long. I was then assured that yes, indeed, my customizations were being done. I replied asking to please make sure they were being done to a Doctor Who style jacket as there seemed to have been some confusion. They said they would make sure that was the case.

13 months later: I get my Doctor Who jacket. It does appear to be the Doctor Who style, but does not appear to have any of my alterations done. Now, it's still a #### fine jacket and I am MUCH happier with it than I was with the "Das Boot" style, but I'm not very happy about waiting 13 months to get an off the rack jacket with none of my requested alterations. I will be keeping this one. Both jackets I've purchased through Wested have been an utterly frustrating experience that resulted in me not getting the jacket I wanted. When I do buy an Indy Jacket someday, I will more than likely be getting someone else's.

Don't get me wrong, Wested seems to be one of the most affordable places to get some really nice jackets but ultimately I have had two really bad experiences and I don't think I could muster the faith to try a third.

[lingarn]

I'm sorry to hear about your troubles, but thank you for posting about them.

Knowing how much trouble people have had can help us newer people make educated decisions.

[CM]

When I do buy an Indy Jacket someday, I will more than likely be getting someone else's.

Don't get me wrong, Wested seems to be one of the most affordable places to get some really nice jackets but ultimately I have had two really bad experiences and I don't think I could muster the faith to try a third.

Let's face it, Wested tries too hard to please us by offering almost endless custom options. The reality is that it is too hard for them to keep track of every customer's list of changes, etc.

[starks_6]

Let's face it, Wested tries too hard to please us by offering almost endless custom options. The reality is that it is too hard for them to keep track of every customer's list of changes, etc.

I agree, They do try hard to cater to what we ask for. Also to be taken into consideration, A Dr Who jacket thats most likely NOT taken from an original pattern but a close enough by photo comparison is in an entirely different ball park to an Indy jacket which we are constantly sending them emails and requests saying change this, it needs this, take that off etc etc. If Wested had that constant input into their other jackets I'm sure they would be a little more SA. Nos402, that is a really nice jacket all the same though