question about the 'Smithsonian' jacket

[Obersalzberg]

Hello, i was wondering something I've noticed while looking at some pictures of the smithsonian jacket. its about the placement of the right cargo pocket ( left pocket in pictures ) is it me or is it off center? what i mean is it looks like it was placed exactly the same distance from the zipper that the other pocket is placed from the edge of the storm flap, so when the jacket is zippered up it looks as if the pocket on the zipper side is further away. I've never seen this detail on any repo jackets out there. so am i seeing things, or is this yet another quirk of the LC film used jacket?

thanks, Christopher

[Tibor]

I've thought I've seen that on screen as well... It's funny but Dubow did that with their A-2 jackets during WWII and John Chapman reproduces that in his Good Wear Leather replicas.

[Forrest For the Trees]

That is definitely a case of a screen accurate feature I would NOT want on my jacket.

[Obersalzberg]

i dunno, i actually kinda like it for some reason...

[Chewbacca Jones]

I recall that at least one repro had that. It might have been a Wested from years back, but I'm not sure. It's not something I like.

[Holt]

This is not of center. The pockets are placed exactly the same away from the edges on the jacket panels. The illusion here is the stormflap stitch that makes the right hand pocket seem further away from the left hand pocket (right in photo)

This is one of the quirks I have allways liked about the LC jacket.

[Kt Templar]

It's hard to tell because the jacket is not zipped up.

[Cajunkraut]

This is not off center. The pockets are placed exactly the same away from the edges on the jacket panels. The illusion here is the stormflap stitch that makes the right hand pocket seem further away from the left hand pocket (right in photo)

This.

[adiemilio]

This is not of center. The pockets are placed exactly the same away from the edges on the jacket panels. The illusion here is the stormflap stitch that makes the right hand pocket seem further away from the left hand pocket (right in photo).

Agree.

[Obersalzberg]

Yea, I definitely agree that it looks like a illusion. It's funny I've never noticed that all the years I've been studying the LC jacket and watching the film.

[Forrest For the Trees]

It looks weird, IMO. The correct way to center the pockets would be to measure from the storm flap, not from the side panels. But, to each his (or her) own in the pursuit of screen accuracy.

But then again, if the pockets are centered around the storm flap, won't the hand warmers be off-center to the side panels?

Okay, looking again at that photo, it looks like the left side of the jacket (our right) is too narrow. The two front panels of the jacket are only equal when you include the storm flap with jacket's left side, but that throws the pockets off center. That's a weird jacket.

[Obersalzberg]

Lol that's what I love about the LC jacket. It's definitely my favorite with TOD a close second.
I wonder if the other screen used jackets have this weird feature (Chicago/Lucas)

[Chewbacca Jones]

I would think that the pockets should be evenly spaced from the zipper, disregarding the storm flap. That would put them in the right place for the hand warmer use, lessen the off-center look while the jacket is open, and even it when closed. The storm flap would, basically, be half to the right, half to the left of the zipper when closed.

[Tibor]

The storm flap in A2s and Indy jackets is never half and half, because the cloth zipper tape where the teeth are isn't that wide.

There's a lot more common heritage between some of the original A2 jacket contracts and the Indy jackets... Collars, pocket flaps, even the otherwise odd shoulder seam of the Raiders jacket is easily explained if you start with an A2 and cut the knits and epaulets off.

[Kt Templar]

I would think that the pockets should be evenly spaced from the zipper, disregarding the storm flap. That would put them in the right place for the hand warmer use, lessen the off-center look while the jacket is open, and even it when closed. The storm flap would, basically, be half to the right, half to the left of the zipper when closed.

On Indy jackets you treat the closed storm flap as the centre and position the pockets so they appear equally spaced from it. When the jacket is open you really wouldn't ever notice the 1/2" difference.

[Holt]

Lol that's what I love about the LC jacket. It's definitely my favorite with TOD a close second.
I wonder if the other screen used jackets have this weird feature (Chicago/Lucas)

Yes, they are all made the same.

[afalzon]

This is not of center. The pockets are placed exactly the same away from the edges on the jacket panels. The illusion here is the stormflap stitch that makes the right hand pocket seem further away from the left hand pocket (right in photo)

What you described above is what is called "off center" pockets.

In the A-2s it was Aero and not Dubow that did this a lot.

In our LC jacket (coming soon) the standard offering will be with "off center" pockets but there will also be an option for normal/centered pockets too.

[Obersalzberg]

I'll look forward to seeing that. I'm going to pull the trigger on a Steele & jones LC jacket pretty soon, I'll ask if they can do the pockets 'off center'. I assume most people don't like the look of that, but personally I dig it.

[Indiego Jones]

I'll look forward to seeing that. I'm going to pull the trigger on a Steele & jones LC jacket pretty soon, I'll ask if they can do the pockets 'off center'. I assume most people don't like the look of that, but personally I dig it.

Yes, we do.
Most people don't like that. (I do...LOL!)

Cheers.-

[Kt Templar]

Ok looked at all the pics of the jacket, there is definitely more space between the zipper and the left hand pocket edge.

Now this makes me think. The right hand pocket is pretty tight on both sides, we see it quite clearly in a lot of the publicity shots. There was talk about making the pocket bigger.

Now this just occurred to me. Is the right hand pocket (the one the grail diary is pulled from) actually slightly wider than the left hand pocket....

[Indiego Jones]

I can see everyone is trying to figured out WHAT'S WRONG WITH THAT POCKET?!?!?!

Pockets are right. And both measures the same.
It's a matter of patterning....of the whole jacket.
Of course, I know why this occurs.

Due to the fact that we are in the accurate replica business too, you will understand why I can't share all the info.
I'm sorry. I hope you comprehend this.

Kind regards.-

[Obersalzberg]

I hope i didn't open a can of worms lol

[Indiego Jones]

I hope i didn't open a can of worms lol

IMO, not at all.

In fact, I was amazed why nobody noticed or asked about it, before.
I've found out while studying the LC jacket in order to make the correct patterns.

We started offering this style recently, and it was the hardest to make.
In fact no LC jacket from us have the "off center" pockets, yet.
We asked to the first orderers, and nobody wanted that.

I'm sure I'll make mine with that feature...but I'm the last in the line!

[Obersalzberg]

well, i maybe the first to order one of those. and im surprised to that noone has ever mentioned this before either. considering how a lot of us are hunting for the 'perfect' replica.


KT, it doesn't look to me that the grail diary pocket is any wider...maybe im wrong but i remember hearing somewhere that there was a jacket made just for the diary i.e. a bigger pocket. again i may be wrong.

[Michaelson]

'We' were discussing this back in 2007. Unfortunately the jacket in question's photo is gone, but scroll down the discussion. You'll see that pocket placement had us puzzled back then.

viewtopic.php?f=2&t=20706&hilit=off+center+pockets" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Regard! Michaelson

[Holt]

yes, this is old news.

It's like fashion.. everything old comes back

[Obersalzberg]

Thanks Michaelson I guess I'm a johnny come lately on this one.

[Michaelson]

Not really. You stated surprise no one had ever mentioned this before. I just wanted to mention there's a lot of stuff that has floated around for years we've puzzled over, then moved on, then it resurfaces again to continue to puzzle us. Nothing more.

Regards! M

[Indy Magnoli]

Yep... just wait till the underwear discussion comes up again...

[CM]

Not really. You stated surprise no one had ever mentioned this before. I just wanted to mention there's a lot of stuff that has floated around for years we've puzzled over, then moved on, then it resurfaces again to continue to puzzle us. Nothing more.

Regards! M

That is so true. Some questions seem to be riding on a merry-go-round.