Ive just got into the whole Indy costuming thing, I was fortunate enough to buy a full costume form a fellow club member. Soft parts are Wested, Im a little concerned about my jackets sleeve length as I have short arms. Im not sure if it looks ok, or wether to send it back to have the sleeves altered or wether they may shrnk abit with a hot wash. Ive started distressing it all, going to use the surgical spirt or rubbing alcohol thing to remove more shie. Should I try that after the hot wash though?
Some of the bits are very budget like the whip and fedora, so these will be updated wne funds allow, I was gunna go for a decent 8' whip as I want to learn to crack, best option for the temple style fedora is confusing me though.
Trousers also want taking up some, and not sure if there too baggy
How old is the jacket - Westeds have a tendency to shrink, but it's not much. I think the fit looks good on you, but would take a bit off the sleeve length.
Was near the Needles recently myself in Fedora and Indy jacket !
taking the sleeves in is the easiest thing in the world. really! Just pull the cuff glue apart, soak the sleeves, then make a new cuff fold and let dry under preasure.
Thanks for your input guys, its the re stitching of the lining inside the sleeves Im worried about though. I can sew and have a machine, but not sure im up to this job.
I would urge you to be very careful not to make them too short. It's very easy to do. Slightly long sleeves are better than slightly short, cos you will REALLY notice them when driving and such. You may need them slight tapered at the cuff too.
The top sleeve seam is single stitched so doesn't appear hard to open up and sew narrower.... though I wouldn't like to try doing it!
Wested can do it for you if you give them the sleeve length and the across cuff measure. The sleeves are slightly tapered, so when you remove a chunk the cuff you are left with is wider in my experience.
A local alterations place can probably do it too, but I had one place nearly ruin a jacket because they sewed around the cuff! So you have to make sure they totally understand that they must not do that.
