My Wested: 9 years later (pics)

sebas · Post by **sebas** » Tue Oct 30, 2007 10:04 pm

Hi fellas,

I bought my Wested way back in April 1999 so I thought I'd post some pics to show you how it's fared for the better part of a decade.

It's a size 40 Raiders lambskin with cotton lining. The main difference between this jacket and the ones Wested makes today I guess would be absence the gussets and the side strap exterior stitching (mine are on the indside of the flap). I think Wested has improved the collar over the years as well (to me, its the jacket's only design flaw: the collar is uneven and doesn't sit well -check out the pic).

Overall, the jacket has aged beautifully and the natural wearing is oh so Indy. I have to say I haven't conditioned it in years, but I think part of the fun is "roughing it" with a jacket like this.

I hope Wested has improved the durability of the lining, because as you will see in the pictures, it's in tatters. Then again, the jacket has been through a lot... In any event, getting a new lining won't be so difficult.

Anyway, enough yapping: on to the pictures:

coronado3 · Post by **coronado3** » Tue Oct 30, 2007 10:41 pm

That is an absolutely fantastic looking wested!!!! And I really like the older collar design... Except for the cloth collar stand. That had to go!!!

C3

eazybox · Post by **eazybox** » Tue Oct 30, 2007 10:59 pm

Nice vintage, "adventured-in" look-- and the hat is just perfect.

Jack

DeWayne · Post by **DeWayne** » Wed Oct 31, 2007 3:48 am

Wow! Awesome looking jacket! I love seeing some of the older ones still around.

In case you never saw it, here's mine from around the same time, I got it in late '98. viewtopic.php?t=17616&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=0 I know what you mean by the lining, mine is still shredded to bits.

They've made a lot of corrections since then, but I still love the look of these older Wested's. Congrats, I hope you continue to wear it well.

sebas · Post by **sebas** » Wed Oct 31, 2007 6:31 am

Thanks guys! Yeah DeWayne, our jackets are indeed very similar! The fraying in the same areas as well.

Is there anyone out there who owns an old lambskin Wested and has purchased another one recently? I'd love to hear how they compare from someone who wears both.

Also, when exactly did Wested modify in the collar? What were the changes? When did they stop stitching the side straps on the inside (underneath the back flap)?

Cheers!

Indiana Max · Post by **Indiana Max** » Wed Oct 31, 2007 10:10 am

Nice natural distressing on it

Beatiful collar

Kaplan · Post by **Kaplan** » Wed Oct 31, 2007 4:57 pm

Wow! looks like the yoke seam is above the arm seam.

Wested IS able to do that....I done seen it with me own eyes!

jeffry · Post by **jeffry** » Wed Oct 31, 2007 5:01 pm

Great Jacket!!
Compliments !

Alex

Kt Templar · Post by **Kt Templar** » Wed Oct 31, 2007 5:05 pm

I had one of those and I sold it recently, darn.

After staring a lot at the Kurtz jacket and talking to someone (not Peter) who had contact with a real LC jacket I sudden realise what this is.

It's an LC without the snaps and slightly modded collar. Note the slightly wide storm flap. At least it's CLOSELY related to that Kurtz jacket.

It really seems to me that at that time Peter had a very close LC pattern available to him.

If you look at it expecting a Raiders you see all sorts of bad stuff, but as an LC....

Pockets are way too big but bear with me, look at the shape of them.

Look at the proportions of the yoke, the pleats and the thickness of the straps. Ignore that the rear strap is inside the back panel

So what do you think?

Sebas that jacket has some deep roots.

sebas · Post by **sebas** » Thu Nov 01, 2007 2:07 pm

After staring a lot at the Kurtz jacket and talking to someone (not Peter) who had contact with a real LC jacket I sudden realise what this is.

It's an LC without the snaps and slightly modded collar. Note the slightly wide storm flap. At least it's CLOSELY related to that Kurtz jacket.

It really seems to me that at that time Peter had a very close LC pattern available to him.

Hummm. Interesting. So let me get this straight: You're saying that the patterns that Peter has used to make this Raiders jacket are based off LC patterns? Could be, although Peter states that the patterns for this jacket date from Raiders (although as you say, the DNA goes back to Raiders regardless whether it be ToD, LC or CS).

Despite the smilarities that you point out, the collar and the front pockets are indeed very different... The doubt this raises is: didn't Peter have the original patters since day one? Has he no duplicates of the Raiders jacket he made back in 1980?

Sebas that jacket has some deep roots.

So, are you saying this "vintange" (99') is substancially different from the Westeds produced today?

Kt Templar · Post by **Kt Templar** » Thu Nov 01, 2007 2:26 pm

sebas wrote:
After staring a lot at the Kurtz jacket and talking to someone (not Peter) who had contact with a real LC jacket I sudden realise what this is.

It's an LC without the snaps and slightly modded collar. Note the slightly wide storm flap. At least it's CLOSELY related to that Kurtz jacket.

It really seems to me that at that time Peter had a very close LC pattern available to him.
Hummm. Interesting. So let me get this straight: You're saying that the patterns that Peter has used to make this Raiders jacket are based off LC patterns? Could be, although Peter states that the patterns for this jacket date from Raiders (although as you say, the DNA goes back to Raiders regardless whether it be ToD, LC or CS).

Despite the smilarities that you point out, the collar and the front pockets are indeed very different... The doubt this raises is: didn't Peter have the original patters since day one? Has he no duplicates of the Raiders jacket he made back in 1980?

Sebas that jacket has some deep roots.
So, are you saying this "vintange" (99') is substancially different from the Westeds produced today?

I think most people have come to that conclusion by now don't you? That's why it needed to be reproduced for Last Crusade.

I'll also go a step further, I think that Kurtz jacket is the same pattern as the jacket you have and I had, except something drastically wrong happened with the pockets. Even so, look at the lower curve on the corners of the pockets, it is the same shape, forget that they are too big for this particular jacket. It's a size 38.

The outer shape of the collar is just trimming it to look more "Raiders" the construction is the same as the Kurtz.

I'd like to ask the question, was the Kurtz jacket really a production jacket or just one made sometime after?

Todays Westeds are pretty different to these, with all the changes we have asked for etc. But in many cases the changes make it more "Raiders", deep pleats and tall pockets excepted.

Some of the latest ones have been pretty nice, though there is a danger of pockets being made too small now. JMO.

[/b]

Ozraptor · Post by **Ozraptor** » Sat Nov 03, 2007 10:23 pm

My Wested LC, which I bought recently, has the same cartoonishly-large collar as the original poster's, judging from the pics. Does anyone know if Peter's alteration service extends to replacing these funny collars with more screen-accurate (or at least sensibly-sized) versions?

I'm not hugely fussed, but it does look pretty strange!

CM · Post by CM » Mon Nov 05, 2007 6:51 pm

That Kurtz jacket may have been used in the LC film for stunts or whatever, but after looking at the movie again last night, it doesn't look like any of the jackets we get to see closely. The pockets are totally wrong and the collar is suspect. I personally feel that even a standard Wested is better looking than that Kurtz jacket. The LC jacket on display at the Smithsonian is a far better looking object. Notice how severe those pockets are. Maybe not everyone's cup of tea.

Regarding the LC collar. The key to making it look good is folding it over like it is folded in the film. It appears to fold from about 1/2 to 3/4 of an inch above the collar stand. This makes the colar look less Elvis-like.

Regards - CM