Harrison Ford's Jacket Undersized?

Castor Dioscuri · Post by **Castor Dioscuri** » Tue May 27, 2008 3:32 am

I don't know if this has been debated before, but for ages now everyone has speculated about why and how Ford's jacket as Indy gapes open in that perfect, Indy manner to show off his shirt and physique. Folks here have suggested that he wore his jacket with the collar far back, with the sides flared, etc...

However, does anyone think that perhaps the way Ford gets that perfect S.A. look is by wearing a a jacket a size smaller? For example: In Raiders, when he was a size 40, he may have worn a size 38. In CS, he was 44, and maybe wore a size 42.

Folks here have always posted pictures of their perfect fitting jackets, but on almost every single picture, it just seems that while the fit is perfect for that individual, it isn't flattering in an Indy sort of way.

When Tony Nowak started offering his S.A. replica jackets, people complained that his size 44 jacket fit like a size 42 jacket, and I noticed that my size 40 jacket fit like a size 38 jacket, etc... Perhaps the reason for this is because... that's the way it was meant to be?

I mean, watching CS, I hardly notice the jacket riding high on the collar, instead the collar sits nicely. And if Ford were to try to zip that jacket up, I think he would have a rather hard time trying to do so. It just looked way too wide in the chest, and some of the perfect fit photos that I've seen popping up around here of TN's jacket look too big in the chest to be right. No offence meant to anyone.

So I suppose if we wanted a completely Indy-accurate jacket, we'd have to downsize our measurements. Sure that jacket wouldn't work for any real situations where we'd need to zip up, but then again, we must remember that this jacket was meant as a prop to make the lead look good. The question is, do we want to sacrifice accuracy for function?

Any thoughts? Agree, Disagree?

Rom Hunter · Post by **Rom Hunter** » Tue May 27, 2008 4:50 am

AFAIK Ford was wearing a 40R in Raiders.

IMO his jacket looks like something in between Standard cut and 80's fit.

The sleeves look standard cut, but the jacket's body looks somewhat slimmer.

Mississippi Jones · Post by **Mississippi Jones** » Tue May 27, 2008 9:03 am

I agree. I believe that if someone wants that "Indy flare" then going with a jacket one size too small is the way to go. At least in Raiders Indy's jacket did look one size too small. Now I know he wore a size 40, but I don't know what the alterations were for his jacket to look like it did. I think that's going to be a debate from now until the day we all die.

But I've been contemplating about my next jacket. I know I'm going with a Custom made Raiders, and know it's going to be the 80's fit....but I don't know if I should stay with my normal size, or go with a smaller size. I guess I'm just gonna have to take a chance.

TonyRush · Post by **TonyRush** » Tue May 27, 2008 5:37 pm

In my opinion, wearing a jacket that's too small........looks like you bought the wrong size and didn't know the difference.

There's one scene in Raiders where Indy's jacket looks too small -- can't remember which one it is -- and I always cringe.

Tony

Rom Hunter · Post by **Rom Hunter** » Tue May 27, 2008 6:18 pm

Mississippi Jones wrote:But I've been contemplating about my next jacket. I know I'm going with a Custom made Raiders, and know it's going to be the 80's fit....but I don't know if I should stay with my normal size, or go with a smaller size. I guess I'm just gonna have to take a chance.

My advice: stay with your normal size.

I own a size 40 standard cut and a size 40 80's fit and the 80's cut fits great.

The funny thing is: I like the body of my 80's fit and the sleeves of my standard cut.

Mississippi Jones · Post by **Mississippi Jones** » Tue May 27, 2008 8:46 pm

Yea, I'm gonna stay with my standard size. I was just thinking about that, and I think that an 80's cut would be just fine in my standard size.

Post by **Holt** » Tue May 27, 2008 9:48 pm

[/quote]
The funny thing is: I like the body of my 80's fit and the sleeves of my standard cut.

[/quote]

thats why I am getting my custom washed goat 80's cut with wider standard sleeves

bests
Holt

Castor Dioscuri · Post by **Castor Dioscuri** » Thu May 29, 2008 4:29 am

I agree that getting an 80's fit would be the way to go for a Wested, but what I'm trying to get at is that I believe Ford's jackets in the films were sized smaller than what he normally wore.

It's true that if you're going to buy something for yourself, you should get something that will fit. However, that's not the point. Looking at some of the pictures especially of the new film, I have serious doubts that Ford could zip up that jacket (or at least would have difficulty trying) even if he wanted to.

My point is that I think the screen used jacket was intentionally sized smaller in the chest. The sleeves, length, etc all were sized correctly, or even bigger perhaps, but I think that the body of the jacket was sized smaller to show off Ford's physique.

Once again, I'm not condoning getting a jacket sized smaller for yourself, unless of course you want it strictly for costuming purposes.

CM · Post by CM » Thu May 29, 2008 4:38 am

Castor Dioscuri wrote:I agree that getting an 80's fit would be the way to go for a Wested, but what I'm trying to get at is that I believe Ford's jackets in the films were sized smaller than what he normally wore.

It's true that if you're going to buy something for yourself, you should get something that will fit. However, that's not the point. Looking at some of the pictures especially of the new film, I have serious doubts that Ford could zip up that jacket (or at least would have difficulty trying) even if he wanted to.

My point is that I think the screen used jacket was intentionally sized smaller in the chest. The sleeves, length, etc all were sized correctly, or even bigger perhaps, but I think that the body of the jacket was sized smaller to show off Ford's physique.

Once again, I'm not condoning getting a jacket sized smaller for yourself, unless of course you want it strictly for costuming purposes.

Sure using smaller sizes (clothing and doorways) are a trick to make men look bigger in films, but I can't see it in Indy films, Castor. To me the jackets tend to look normal to large on Ford. It's just the posture he is in and when he wears it off the shoulders that it appears tighter. I just ran Raiders again and I can not find any scenes where the jacket looks one size too small, but I do see several where it looks one size too large.

What I've learned on these pages is that the quest for SA is not just down to differences caused by perspective and photography, but also people's perception. We all see different things. The main thing is to be happy with your jacket, be it too small, too large, too brown, not brown enough, too thin, too etc, etc.

agent5 · Post by **agent5** » Thu May 29, 2008 8:47 am

Anyone ever try a size up with the 80's cut?

Satipo · Post by **Satipo** » Thu May 29, 2008 2:37 pm

JMHO, but I think the wide open front look is an effect of the thin leather and its drape on Ford's physique. When viewed from the back, the jacket always looks a bit too big to me. Or, could it be that the back was deliberately cut wider than the combined width of the two front sections?