Club Obi Wan

For Christmas, I finally got my Wested lambskin Raiders. LOVE it!

But! I find that the collar is HUGE compared to both of my cowhide offerings.

The collar width of the lambskin is 3 1/4" at the stormflap. The cowhide seems shorter than this. Now, I did make the jacket measurements a little bigger this time around, for a more relaxed (less tightness in the shoulders) fit.

Is there a specific collar width for each film jacket? or is the collar in proportion to the jacket size as a whole?

3 1/4" seems more like a LC collar size, rather than Raiders. I have been tempted to send it back for a collar swap, but can't be bothered...it just tends to bug me some days, cuz it seems too big. Seems kinda 'Fonzie'.

Thoughts?

Sounds like an LC collar to me, Gater! Regards. Michaelson

I asked for my Raiders collar to be at 2 1/2". Looks right to me. I used to have a Wested with a wider collar and it didn't look right for a Raiders collar.
You can alwys have that taken in at. Shouldn't be a problem to do that.

I was tempted to send it back for adjustment, but it is just starting to get to 'lambskin' weather, and I'd hate to be without it for a few weeks.

Decisions decisions....

You may be surprised if you start wearing the jacket, and suddenly get used to the collar size. That's kind of like what we did when the first tall crown fedoras came out. Now you don't even notice the the extra crown. It's the same with the collar, or at least is was when I got my LC Wested. After a bit you don't even notice it. Try it...you may like it! Regards. Michaelson

thanks Michaelson,

I have been wearing it almost daily since Christmas, and, for the most part, I don't notice it, but once in a while, if I get a glance in a reflective window, it just looks big. Not annoyingly carnival side-show big, but bigger than what I was accustomed to on the cowhide.

I know I'll learn to live with it, so I'm not too concerned.

I am curious as to why Wested would put an LC collar on a Raiders jacket (all other features:storm flap, cargo pockets etc) are Raiders...just not the collar. They even put the X-box stitching, as per my request. Seems...odd.

Someone probably grabbed the wrong collar when they were putting it together, plain and simple. It happens sometimes. Regards. Michaelson

Why send it back to England? That seems like a minor alteration and I'd say you could more than likely find someone local to do it It'd maybe be cheaper and you'd also get it back alot faster. You could probably even sketch out exactly what you want the tips of the collar to look like.

Good point, agent5. It shouldn't be that big a deal for a good tailor to fix for you if you give them proper instructions. Regards. Michaelson

hmmmmmmmmm...something to consider. Thanks for the tip.

Heck, I could even bring the cowhide to show what I want.

EDIT: just got off of the phone with a local leather repair shop that said that they could make the alterations for around $65.00 "no problem"

I figure I'll give it a week or so to decide if I really wanna change it that badly, and if so, I'll go for it.

thanks, guys!

Be sure that they understand EXACTLY how wide you want it AFTER they take off whatever you ask them to take off. I learned this lesson the VERY hard way when I got my very first Wested LC distressed cowhide. I got it from Michaelson years ago, before they changed the side straps and such (which I still wish they had not done-I think it contributes to the action back not laying flat against my lower back and "flying" out making me look like Superman or somethin'), and I felt like the collar was too wide. I took it to a local guy who said he could fix it, "no problem", and I told him I wanted 1/8" off it. Well, he took the 1/8" off, then folded the collar under ANOTHER 1/8", glued and stitched it....the result was a little over 1/4" off the collar-WAY too much and it then looked even MORE ridiculous than it did before. Needless to say, I was sick to my stomach about it, and still kick myself in the arse even today when I think about it. I wish I had it back-I'd have just left it like it was-that was one awesome jacket. I suppose I've been searching ever since for one like it, trying to correct that mistake I made years ago. The closest I've come is my current FS distressed cowhide, but it's still not a dark enough reddish brown. It will continue to darken over the years, I know, with Pecards applications and exposure to the sun and just wearing it....but that old Wested was one FINE jacket.

Anyway-the moral of the story is, IF you do this, BE SURE they know exactly how much you want off the jacket TOTAL-not how much you want taken off before they re-glue and stitch.

Good luck!
Indydawg