Wested sleeve design, and alteration questions

IndyBlues · Post by **IndyBlues** » Thu Apr 29, 2004 4:30 pm

Hey folks. I was wearing my new Wested goat the other day, and noticed something about the fit, that I hadn't noticed when I first recieved it.
I threw in the ol' Raiders DVD and starting looking to compare what I had noticed on my Wested.
What I felt was weird, was where the armpit area of the sleeve is connected to the body. It is kind of low, and I assume that it is so you can wear extra layers underneath, without binding yourself up.

I noticed in the film, that on Indy's jacket, the sleeve is connected to the body a little higher, and closer to the armpit area.
I immediatley jumped on the computer, and started searching thru COWs
old threads, for answers to this "problem" I use the word problem lightly, because it isn't a serious issue, jus something that I feel effects the way my arms can move inside the sleeves.

When I raise my arms in any direction, up comes the body of the jacket, and my range of movement is limited. I PMed a few of the COW veterans, to try and get some answers, and was told that the way I want my jacket, is the way it was first offered by Peter, until people started complaining they couldn't wear anything but a light shirt underneath.

So, back to the drawing board for my next order. I want to order an Authentic Lamb, but I definately want to revise the style from my last order. Has anyone else ordereda jacket like this? I heard it is to Chris Kings specs, but I'm not sure who he is, so I assume he is one of the pioneers in helping design the Wested jacket that we know and love today.
I also heard that it is his jacket that the Indy mannequin is wearing on Wested website, wearing the authentic lamb.
I was wondering if anyone has these specs for that design, so I can relay that to Wested when I order my new jacket. I also don't want to order it in a way that it would be uncomfortable to wear, either, so any help in this situation would be great.

Also, I'm thinking that if it had the slimmer cut on the sleeves, where attached to the body, then the gussets may work alot better than in the newer style, with the arms attached lower on the body. I hope this makes sense, and I'm hoping maybe some of you folks have some pics I can see to get an idea what the old style looks like.

Thanks in advance
IndyBlues.

BTW, if Peter is out there, maybe he can respond tho this, and maybe help me along with this situation.

Hemingway Jones · Post by **Hemingway Jones** » Thu Apr 29, 2004 4:54 pm

Blues,
I asked Peter for an authentic Raiders all the way, as close as he could match. I think he did a very good job. Photos can be found here:
http://public.fotki.com/HemingwayJones/ ... 002_2.html

Initially, I thought my jacket was too tight, but it most definitely is not. I wear a button-up shirt underneath it and that is about all I need to wear underneath it, especially if I am looking for screen accuracy. If I wanted to wear one during the colder weather, I would buy another one with enough room for layers. This one is perfect and dare I say, screen accurate enough, for me.

Post by **Michaelson** » Thu Apr 29, 2004 4:54 pm

No, Chris was not the 'pioneer' who did this work. He worked with Peter to re-create the 1980's version as made by the Leather Consessioner's (Pre-Wested name) with the slimmer sleeves and profile for a display he was making, and that was only a year or so ago. As to the sleeve question, I'm also not sure where that one came from, as I have a pre-updated Wested (well, at least my eldest daughter now has it) and it has exactly the same sleeve placement as the new jackets. The main discussions with Peter were regarding action pleat placement and depth, pocket placement, flap shape, and lining. Gussets came into the discussion right after the FS Expedition was introduced. The slimmer sleeves were opened up as requests came in from jacket wearers who wanted more room in the upper arms, but I'm not aware of the sleeve placement ever being a topic of discussion. I always found the 'original 'design from the late 80's through the late 90's the more uncomfortable of the two designs, so I'm not sure you're curing anything here. You may just be substituting one tight area and creating another. The original jacket pattern was made for use as a movie prop. The existing pattern is for real world use. The trick is to find the middle of the road, but that's just MY opinion. To answer your unasked question, yes, I was involved in some of those original change discussions, and my involvement goes back to 1997/98. Regards. Michaelson

Post by **Ken** » Thu Apr 29, 2004 5:01 pm

Ask Peter for the 1980s slimmer cut and you should get it! Thats what I did with my jacket.

Ken

Bufflehead Jones · Post by **Bufflehead Jones** » Thu Apr 29, 2004 5:28 pm

Blues,

Did you do as some people have suggested and order larger armholes for adding layers underneath? Or, some people order that way if they have large arms. I didn't order extra large armholes and mine fits very snug around the armpits. I have actually thought that if I order another jacket, that I would get the larger armholes.

binkmeisterRick · Post by **binkmeisterRick** » Thu Apr 29, 2004 5:38 pm

Or you could just sand your arms down a little.

I'm happy with the way my Wested fits. I think the current armholes are comfortable and well placed. If I was going to wear a bulky sweater, then the fit would get pretty snug, but I tried on my jacket with a button down shirt, and a heavier wool shirt over that to see how it would feel, and I was still okay with the fit. There's very little, if anything, that I'd personally change on my jacket. bink

Mattdeckard · Post by **Mattdeckard** » Thu Apr 29, 2004 6:25 pm

Armhole size is a good topic... I have a late 90's wested that has armholes which are uncomfortably large. When I move , the sleeves ride up, if I sit down the jacket rides up and is tight in the back. These are problems that would not exist if the armholes were smaller.

It's the same problem I have with modern suits... Vintage suits have small armholes, the jackets have to be put on one arm at a time and they feel like a sweater when you wear 'em. Modern suits have large armholes which are far below your armpit -- because the jacket is sewn to the extra material, the whole body of the jacket moves when you move, and when you stick your arms out the jacket rides up.

I need to get a new leather jacket. Does flightsuits take an armhole measuement?

IndyBlues · Post by **IndyBlues** » Thu Apr 29, 2004 7:33 pm

Indiana Ken wrote:Ask Peter for the 1980s slimmer cut and you should get it! Thats what I did with my jacket.

Ken

I may just have to do that, although I don't have my 80's slimmer cut physique that I once had.

Seriously, I also wonder if the size of the body of the jacket, coralates(sp)with the way the sleeves work? I have a size 50, which is pretty big, and the sleeves are 24" I'm thinking that maybe the guy who would ideally fit in a size 50, and the sleeves would be longer, maybe a 26 1/2, would be taller, and this size would fit them perfect. I'm 5' 9" and stocky, as you can see in the Gettysburg summit pic. My chest is still bigger than my stomach, altho if I'm not careful, it is gonna surpass it,

Anyway, any other guys who are of the shorter, and more sizable persuasion, have the same sort of jacket woes?