A fellow Indy fan dropped by today and as well as comparing MKVIIs, hats and downing a couple of cold beers, we compared our jackets. My brand new Wested Hero, size 40 in thin dark cowhide and his 1998 Wested lambskin in brown (authentic brown didn't exist at the time), size 38. I want to add that the distressing on his jacket is all natural through years of wear. I think his jacket has a great ToD vibe.
I have to admit I'm begining to think a 38 might suit me more than a 40..also wondering whether I might not prefer to go back to the less screen accurate Radiers pattern - but with longer sleeves than on my friend's jacket.
The distressing looks good on the jacket. I am getting more and more into the idea that it can`t really capture the Indy vib without some distressing. Your cow looks super thin even in pics!
BUT I couldn`t take my eyes off your hat!
The distessing on the old Wested looks even better in person - and it's completely natural. The old lambskin has a different under-colour than today's lamb - more of a tan than a grey.
The cow is very lightweight - it's the lighter of the two jackets in this case. I had a sample which I distressed and this leather distresses nicely - lovely rich dark brown under-colour.
I'm amazed the hat got any atention - it's a 2 or 3 year old Christies that has been very poorly treated. It has neither a liner nor a sweatband, but somehow seems to keep going.
I still have my first Wested jacket, circa 1998 Raiders lamb. Did your friend's jacket also have the backwards-facing shoulder seams? And the cloth-faced inner collar stand? And who can forget the classic mile-long side adjustment straps? Boy, that really takes me back to the day...
whipwarrior wrote:I still have my first Wested jacket, circa 1998 Raiders lamb. Did your friend's jacket also have the backwards-facing shoulder seams? And the cloth-faced inner collar stand? And who can forget the classic mile-long side adjustment straps? Boy, that really takes me back to the day...
My eldest daughter has a 1998 Wested exactly like yours, whip, and she's worn it for years, including working digs. Looks as good as the first photo above. As a matter of fact, if I hadn't seen her wearing it last trip up to her house, I'd swear that WAS hers!
A couple years later I returned the jacket to Wested to fix the collar facing, but after I outgrew the sleeves (or measured them too short to begin with) I simply kept it for sentimental value. Now, of course, a vintage Wested is a relic of IndyGear history, because they sure don't make 'em like that anymore!
The Indy jacket as it appeared on film, was not "THE" Indy jacket right off the cutter. It became the Indy jacket. No jacket has been 'yours' because you don't give it a chance. The vintage 1998 IS even though all the details are not quite there. It has lots of character and looks well lived in.
The Indy jacket isn't made, it becomes one. If you can get to the point where you will settle on one and determine to 'make' it yours, I think you will be on your way. Forget its an Indy jacket. Think of it as a sweater, or another utility jacket, and then wear the dickens out of it. After you get a couple or three years under your belt, then decide if it is or isn't.
I also agree! And I have had jackets that I've kept for years and really bonded with. My first goatskin Raiders from 2002 was perfect and I wore it for about 7 years until it was eventually too short for my "expanded physique". I took a long road to find a replacement that I could bond with - those were the bleak Novak, Todds and assorted RoLa years. The second jacket that really did it for..surprise, surprise.. was my first (I think even THE first) Hero in dark goat. Wore that one for 2 or 3 years until I finally got in shape. Lost 15Kg, which was great, but the jacket no longer fit. And I haven't found the right replacement yet. If dark brown goat was on the menu I would pounce at once!
SO long ramble short..I do know what it is I'm looking for in a Raiders jacket- I just can't seem to get it. This thin cow is a lovely leather, but if I keep it, it'll only serve me for about 4 months of the year.
Texan Scott wrote:The Indy jacket as it appeared on film, was not "THE" Indy jacket right off the cutter. It became the Indy jacket. No jacket has been 'yours' because you don't give it a chance. The vintage 1998 IS even though all the details are not quite there. It has lots of character and looks well lived in.
The Indy jacket isn't made, it becomes one. If you can get to the point where you will settle on one and determine to 'make' it yours, I think you will be on your way. Forget its an Indy jacket. Think of it as a sweater, or another utility jacket, and then wear the dickens out of it. After you get a couple or three years under your belt, then decide if it is or isn't.
I've been preaching this since the hobby began 'online' back in 1996, Tex.
See! I would've got one otherwise!
On the plus side - really starting to dig this cowhide. Took it on a 6 hour hike today and it stows nicely into a backpack when things warm up.
Nick how do you get your Hero collar to stay up like that? I have a Hero goat and the collar is splayed open over my shoulders and I can't get it to stay up like yours...
Cheers,
whipwarrior wrote:I still have my first Wested jacket, circa 1998 Raiders lamb. Did your friend's jacket also have the backwards-facing shoulder seams? And the cloth-faced inner collar stand? And who can forget the classic mile-long side adjustment straps? Boy, that really takes me back to the day...
I still have mine from that vintage, and it's got all of that! It originally came with a satin lining, including the collar stand. I had it rebuilt by Wested a few years ago, and they really gave it new life. Cotton lining, leather collar stand, and they even cleaned it and repaired the cuffs and pockets at no additional charge. On the inside, it's far better than it ever was, and the outside has all the character you could want!
I seem to have gone full circle on this. First, finding out that it was even possible to get "the" jacket from the original maker, to picking it apart detail by detail over the years and endlessly questing for the "perfect" Indy jacket, only to realize that for all these efforts, my first jacket now looks more the part than any of them in spite of the minor details. Texan said it very well!
Yea I have a 98 Wested and I love the bugger. Gotta enjoy an ebay bargain. Where was that hike? Looks great. Sorry I'm a hiking guide so I look at the backgrounds more than the content sometimes.
