Indy and the half belt

Carolina Tom · Post by **Carolina Tom** » Wed Jan 21, 2015 6:49 am

I was just thinking that the era of Indy was also the era of half belts on jackets. I am surprised that they didn't include a half belt on his jacket, as it looks like it's made to have one. I am thinking of getting a half belt jacket soon, and was just wondering, does a half belt in back of a jacket make a person look shorter? I am 5'7", so I am not sure I want to go this route if it does. I am following the conventional wisdom of shorter folks avoiding wide belts, horizontal stripes etc. Don't know whether it would apply to jackets though, since it is all the same color. Any thoughts? Thanks!

Post by **Indiana Jeff** » Wed Jan 21, 2015 7:07 am

We've had plenty of members here over the years of all sorts of heights wear half-belts and look great. I don't think there's an issue with a half-belt making a person look shorter. If anything, these jackets tend to be cut shorter so should help 'lengthen' the legs. As opposed to a car coat length that could make a person look shorter.

Regards,

Indiana Jeff

Indydawg · Post by **Indydawg** » Wed Jan 21, 2015 9:33 am

Definitely would make you look taller, actually...

Gorak · Post by **Gorak** » Wed Jan 21, 2015 10:54 am

Especially considering that the belt tends to give you an inverted pyramid sillouhette with the pleated back panel..

Hollowpond · Post by **Hollowpond** » Wed Jan 21, 2015 11:34 am

Yup. You do look taller... I'm normally 6' even, but I'm 6'5" in my half-belt...

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Forrest For the Trees · Wed Jan 21, 2015 1:16 pm

When I wore a half belted jacket, my legs got longer, but my torso shrank, so a zero sum gain. Had to get rid of it as my body couldn't take it anymore.

Charybdis · Post by **Charybdis** » Wed Jan 21, 2015 1:17 pm

As far as the era being the era of half-belts, I think it was a certain style that was out there. I watch a lot of those old movies on TCM and I have to say, their suits look a lot like our suits of today! In fact, I would argue that the actors in those old movies are usually wearing a suit without a half-belt. So, I guess it was just a certain style of the day and you could have one if you wanted it...

Speaking of half belts, take a look at what I found out there!

http://www.aeroleatherclothing.com/prod ... hp?id=2212" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Carolina Tom · Post by **Carolina Tom** » Wed Jan 21, 2015 1:53 pm

You guys convinced me! Thanks!

lantzn · Post by **lantzn** » Wed Jan 21, 2015 3:33 pm

Hollowpond wrote:Yup. You do look taller... I'm normally 6' even, but I'm 6'5" in my half-belt...

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Well then are you 7 foot with a full belt?

Post by **Michaelson** » Wed Jan 21, 2015 4:40 pm

I see guys that had several belts in them that thought they were 10 feet high.....but that's another subject.

Regard! Michaelson

Hollowpond · Post by **Hollowpond** » Wed Jan 21, 2015 4:52 pm

lantzn wrote:
Hollowpond wrote:Yup. You do look taller... I'm normally 6' even, but I'm 6'5" in my half-belt...

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Well then are you 7 foot with a full belt?

Nope...only 6' 11 1/2"

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Texan Scott · Post by **Texan Scott** » Wed Jan 21, 2015 5:55 pm

...c'mon! Everybody knows that a half-belt makes you look half as tall...!

You revisionest theorists first wanting to put Indian Bones in an A-2 and now a half-belt.

Whats the Indy uni coming to....?

Illinois James · Post by **Illinois James** » Wed Jan 21, 2015 9:10 pm

Michaelson wrote:I see guys that had several belts in them that thought they were 10 feet high.....but that's another subject.

Regard! Michaelson

LOL! AND bulletproof!!

Post by **Michaelson** » Wed Jan 21, 2015 9:22 pm

Indydawg · Post by **Indydawg** » Wed Jan 21, 2015 10:38 pm

CM · Post by CM » Thu Jan 22, 2015 6:22 am

I love a half belt - won't make you look shorter as it is just a discreet design feature at the rear of your jacket and in most cases height will be assessed from in front. Very period accurate and it would have been nice if the designers had given Indy a half-belt. And a chest pocket - certainly more accurate.

Carolina Tom · Post by **Carolina Tom** » Thu Jan 22, 2015 1:16 pm

Thanks for all the great advice! You guys are the best!

Indydawg · Post by **Indydawg** » Thu Jan 22, 2015 2:20 pm

You know...in the Raiders spoof during the Weird Al Yankovich movie, UHF, Al is wearing a half-belt as "Indy."

So...yeah...period accurate, for sure...and I love the half-belt design, personally. I've got one of the TNO Surrogate half-belts, and, though it doesn't fit me as well as I'd like (it's got a period-accurate fit-very neat, so the sleeves don't come down quite far enough), when I wear it, I feel like I'm wearing a jacket that my grandfather might have owned back in the 30s.

It's a great jacket, and a fantastic design.

Carolina Tom · Post by **Carolina Tom** » Thu Jan 22, 2015 7:29 pm

If it's good enough for Wierd Al, it's good enough for me!

I am considering a Ryder jacket from Lost Worlds.

Ridgerunner58 · Post by **Ridgerunner58** » Thu Jan 22, 2015 8:41 pm

The Levis Vintage Menlo half belt from Skyfall is by far my favorite jacket. I probably wear it more than any other leather jacket I own.
(And I own a lot of leather jackets.)

Carolina Tom · Post by **Carolina Tom** » Thu Jan 22, 2015 10:12 pm

That is a great jacket! Those are going for big bucks now too. Here's the link to the Lost Worlds Ryder jacket:
http://www.lostworldsinc.com/Leather_Mo ... _Ryder.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

CM · Post by CM » Fri Jan 23, 2015 12:29 am

Peter at Wested does a good Menlo copy and in a much more robust leather. And at a fraction of the price.

Carolina Tom · Post by **Carolina Tom** » Fri Jan 23, 2015 7:03 am

More robust than 4 oz. horsehide?

Hollowpond · Post by **Hollowpond** » Fri Jan 23, 2015 8:00 am

Still digging my Logan's Closet Californian...

Ridgerunner58 · Post by **Ridgerunner58** » Fri Jan 23, 2015 9:41 am

CM wrote:Peter at Wested does a good Menlo copy and in a much more robust leather. And at a fraction of the price.

I think he was referring to the Levi's Vintage jacket, which is sheepskin, not the Ryder.

One of the things I love about the LV jacket is the lightweight and VERY pliable leather it's made of. It handles more like a lightweight nylon windbreaker than a leather jacket. Thicker, tougher leather, like cowhide would take away one of the things I like most about the jacket.

Carolina Tom · Post by **Carolina Tom** » Fri Jan 23, 2015 10:41 am

Hollowpond,
That is THE jacket! Pure perfection!

Indydawg · Post by **Indydawg** » Fri Jan 23, 2015 4:27 pm

You STOP that, HP! My LC/Vanson Surrogates has been on order since June...still no sign of it...I'm trying to be patient, but...man, it's killin' me!

Ready for that one to get here...will probably sell the TNO Surrogates when that one gets here.

Cheers!
ID

whipcracker · Post by **whipcracker** » Fri Jan 23, 2015 5:14 pm

Speaking of half-belt...anyone remember this one from Magnoli? I always liked it...

http://www.magnoliclothiers.com/images/ ... ge-248.jpg" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
http://www.magnoliclothiers.com/images/ ... ge-247.jpg" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Hollowpond · Post by **Hollowpond** » Fri Jan 23, 2015 7:37 pm

Chewbacca Jones had one if memory serves me correct.

And dawg...it is worth the wait!!

Post by **Cajunkraut** » Fri Jan 23, 2015 7:47 pm

Never in a million years did I think I'd have a contribution to this topic. Turns out that Indy and the half-belt are actually kinda related.

It JUST dawned on me that Kenner's 1982 IJ action figure (yep, had one back then) was molded with a half-belt. I'd always wondered why, since it wasn't SA:

http://tvandfilmtoys.com/index.php/2009 ... ana-jones/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Hollowpond · Post by **Hollowpond** » Fri Jan 23, 2015 8:25 pm

I'll be danged...Nice!

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Carolina Tom · Post by **Carolina Tom** » Fri Jan 23, 2015 9:33 pm

Cajunkraut wrote:Never in a million years did I think I'd have a contribution to this topic. Turns out that Indy and the half-belt are actually kinda related.

It JUST dawned on me that Kenner's 1982 IJ action figure (yep, had one back then) was molded with a half-belt. I'd always wondered why, since it wasn't SA:

http://tvandfilmtoys.com/index.php/2009 ... ana-jones/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

It looks really natural on him wouldn't you say?

Post by **Cajunkraut** » Fri Jan 23, 2015 11:19 pm

Carolina Tom wrote:It looks really natural on him wouldn't you say?

For sure.

CM · Post by CM » Mon Jan 26, 2015 6:17 am

Ridgerunner58 wrote:
CM wrote:Peter at Wested does a good Menlo copy and in a much more robust leather. And at a fraction of the price.
I think he was referring to the Levi's Vintage jacket, which is sheepskin, not the Ryder.

One of the things I love about the LV jacket is the lightweight and VERY pliable leather it's made of. It handles more like a lightweight nylon windbreaker than a leather jacket. Thicker, tougher leather, like cowhide would take away one of the things I like most about the jacket.

You're right about the first point. Not so much on the second. Peter uses a light lamb touch cowhide that has the lightness of lamb with the abrasion resistance of cow.

Chewbacca Jones · Post by **Chewbacca Jones** » Mon Jan 26, 2015 2:52 pm

Hollowpond wrote:Chewbacca Jones had one if memory serves me correct.

And dawg...it is worth the wait!!

Ah, yes. My baby! Absolutely the nicest and best of the many leather jackets I have owned over the years. I do miss it.

Ridgerunner58 · Post by **Ridgerunner58** » Mon Jan 26, 2015 6:00 pm

CM wrote:
Ridgerunner58 wrote:
CM wrote:Peter at Wested does a good Menlo copy and in a much more robust leather. And at a fraction of the price.
I think he was referring to the Levi's Vintage jacket, which is sheepskin, not the Ryder.

One of the things I love about the LV jacket is the lightweight and VERY pliable leather it's made of. It handles more like a lightweight nylon windbreaker than a leather jacket. Thicker, tougher leather, like cowhide would take away one of the things I like most about the jacket.
You're right about the first point. Not so much on the second. Peter uses a light lamb touch cowhide that has the lightness of lamb with the abrasion resistance of cow.

It's difficult to explain the difference if you've never handled the two together, but the LV sheepskin is not like either lambskin or even a thin cowhide. It has a lot of grain, it's fairly stretchy but if you hold it up by the collar with one finger it hangs more like a shirt than a jacket.