Club Obi Wan

I stopped by the Wested shop a few years ago to get measured for my Raiders jacket. The 1.5" action pleats eventually opened up, so I decided to get a new Wested with the 3" pleats and elastic. When I submitted my order by snail mail I sent my first jacket to Wested so they could take the measurements right off a jacket that I was comfortable fit me. (I was more than a little concerned I'd mess up the new jacket's fit if I supplied my own measurements.)

I love this second jacket. It's nicer all the way around than my last one, but wouldn't you know it. The pleats are opening up a bit. I'm wondering if the problem is the jacket is too big for me so that the yoke extends over my end of shoulders, so the yoke drops and the pleats open. (Check out the photo of the back of the jacket.) Michaelson suggested I loosen up the side straps, but that hasn't helped enough. Who knows, maybe I've always bought my clothes too big.

I need some feedback. Do you think this jacket fits me? Is it too big through the shoulders? Is the amount the pleats are open reasonable, or am I being too picky? Feel free to comment on any aspect of the fit. I want to make sure I ask for the right thing if I order another jacket. I'm emailing the photos and questions to Wested this week as well, but I appreciate any feedback.

Thanks in advance !
Rigor

Finally seeing photos, looks like it's to broad in the shoulders for you. Regards. Michaelson

Seems to be far too wide across the chest too - can see a lot of extra material and I think it might be good to get it taken in towards the waist to make a more tapered downwards V shape.

Ken

(sigh) I thought I had made the right move by getting measured at Wested. Looks like it's time to start researching in COW about taking my own measurements. Thanks guys.

Well I think you still need to be specific about exact fit - last time I was there I got emasured and emphasised how I wanted a tight fit, that previous jackets had been way to roomy around the waist and that I must have a very particular body shape or something and when I explained all this and they looked at it they agreed and made me a jacket which I am really happy about. Even now though I would still like it even tighter round the waist.

Ken

Yeah, the shoulders look a little broad to me too. Have you taken measurements of both jackets to see if they are the same, because if not, you might want to contact Wested if they didn't get the measurements the same.

I kind of agree with everyone else about the shoulders, but maybe it should be said overall that it's pretty darn close. It's not like you're swimming, and if you ask me, the more squared character of the jacket is appropriate for Temple of Doom. It depend on what you are going for. Sounds like you are looking for an exact fit, in which case it's not.

This thread actually answers a question I had about what kind of fit in the shoulders folks think is right for this jacket. A lot of contemporary jackets are designed for the shoulders of the jacket to come down the arms a tad, but I had a feeling the Indy jacket was best served with the shoulder ending at the end of the shoulder on your body, and the top of the sleeve taking up the rest.

If it were me, I would be tempted to live with the fit you have, but everyone has to make their own choice, ultimately. (Duh!)

Cordially,
Lord Clarence

yeah shoulders could be up an inch, but remember if your taking an inch off the each shoulder thats 2 inches that you have to add to the sleeves because that'll cause the arm pits to be where they are, and will also have the sleeves rise, but if you get the correct shoulder length, the shoulders wont ride up, and you wont have a miami vice look where the sleeves ride up to your fore arms...hahah




Regards, Dan

I agree with all previous posts and posters about the extra fabric through the shoulders and chest. However, if it looks good unzipped, as Indy wore it and as most of us wear ours, then it might not be bad to have the extra fabric there to put a sweater on underneath when it gets cold (depending where you live) or to allow for that spread that seems to happen to most of us (translation=me) when we hit our mid-thirties. In summation: it could be tighter, but it's not that bad at all.

Good points, HJ. That's why I own a size 44 Wested, and a size 42 FS. I wear the Wested in weather when the temps are cold, and I want to layer with a good sweater. I wear the FS when it's shirt only underneath. You may want to put this one back for cold weather, as once you put a sweater under there, those extra inches in the shoulders will magically disappear, and your pleats will work like they're designed to work. Regards. Michaelson

I appreciate all the feedback very much. Thank you so much!

I spent a fair amount of time researching through the forum last night to come up to speed on taking measurements and what to expect in terms of fit. Here's a quote from Flathead that I found helpful:

On modern jackets and most other clothing, there is between 6 and 8 inches of movement room built in. Thus the large, sometimes baggy fit of todays styles.

Now, Wested uses the WWII standards of fit, which is 4 inches of movement room. This allows for a more traditional, tailored, neat apprearance, as well as allowing the user room in the garment to move and function normally.

I've guess I've just gotten used to the looser fitting clothes. I never gave it a thought on my older Wested. Once I get new measurements taken I'll have a conversation with someone at Wested and get the next jacket just right. Looks like it's time to head over to the Classifieds to sell some gear!

Thanks again, all.

A nice lookin' jacket you have there! Upon first looking at the pics, I'm assuming that it is the "authentic" (lighter brown color...? I didn't realize that the "authentic" brown is a lot lighter in color than I had thought . Perhaps color variations exist from pic to pic.... Overall, looks like a nice jacket!
Kind Regards,
Captain D

The photos are all tweaked in Photoshop to look decent on my truly ancient laptop screen; it makes *everything* look dark. When it comes time to sell it, I'll supply another shot of the jacket with an Indy DVD case as color reference? But you're right, it's authentic brown 44R, sliders(? Not D-rings), inside breast pocket on each side, very new, and very lightly worn. I'm going to take some measurements off it and put it up for sale.

Hi Folks,
Looking at the photo it is clear that the jacket is the correct size but unfortunately for Rigor he has sloping shoulders which is making that section sag. Had he been the usual more square shape he would have filled out the shoulder section and lost the folds
There are two remedies to this. Firstly to put in shoulder pads as found in most jackets to raise the shoulder level and /or secondly to raise the sloulder seam a tadge to take out the slack.
A local tailor could easily do the first and possibly the second. If not its a back to the UK.
Otherwise wear it as it does not seem to bad.
As a matter of interest I have just returned from Egypt and visited Petra in Jordan which most of you know from the Last Crusade. It was quite spectacular just as in the film but I had to laugh as near the entrance is a souvenir shop with Indy pictures and the shop sign ' Indiana Johns'
When I let slip to my guide that I made THE jacket he immediatly told everybody else and I spent quite a time answering questions and showing photos of the Indy Summit at my place last fall.
Cheers
Peter

Hey nice one Peter - good choice for a bit of summer sun (beats Ibiza I am sure anyway ).

Its really touching to think that you brought photos of the Indy summit over with you as well and showed them to people - we all had a great time attending and hopefully it will be one of many.

All the best!

Ken

What am i missing?

My jacket wore exactly like that when i recieved it, and the pleat looked just like that and i thought nothing of it. Well i guess it dosent matter since ive grown since then and the jacket it now close to tight fitting on me. Personally i like a loose jacket. I still dont understand why that small opening on the pleat is a problem.
Adam

Yeah... maybe an inch too big in the chest... but not enough to even worry about, frankly.

A new jacket will conform to the wearer's body after a while. If we're talking about discrepancies of merely an inch, I think the best would be to leave the jcket alone for a while, wear it and see what happens. Eventually, it will shape up.

Re: the action pleats - the pleats in that pic look just like the ones on my ToD lamb. I don't see the problem. They're supposed to open up - they're action pleats!

rigor - I think the jacket looks grand. Wear it for a few months and see if things change. If it still feels too roomy, you can 1) soak it in rain (the Swindiana Method) or 2) tumble dry it (put jacket in pillowcase and tumble dry with a couple of damp towels on LOW temperature for 5-10 minutes). This way, the jacket will lose about half a size. (Disclaimer - worked fine for me. Won't guarantee sucess on anybody else's jacket).

Frankly, I'd leave it the way it is. It will "shape up" a bit with wear - wait and see.

rigor - we (me & hubby) think it looks fine - especially if you reside in or visit cool weather, as it will still fit you well with a sweater beneath it - which others very aptly pointed out.

Also, as we age - and we all do, some of us tend to add some weight, and your jacket has some allowance for this as well.

I concur with Peter...the style/design of the Indy jackets are suited to shoulders with little slope or that are more squared. I personally think a half-belt design would be well suited to shoulders with steeper slope; the drape would be controlled by strategically placed small pleats or soft gathers horizontally across the top edge of the half belt, and you could still have the side pulls (see Jersey Jones custom horsehide jacket/coat).

PETER wrote:Hi Folks,
Looking at the photo it is clear that the jacket is the correct size but unfortunately for Rigor he has sloping shoulders which is making that section sag. Had he been the usual more square shape he would have filled out the shoulder section and lost the folds
There are two remedies to this. Firstly to put in shoulder pads as found in most jackets to raise the shoulder level and /or secondly to raise the sloulder seam a tadge to take out the slack.
A local tailor could easily do the first and possibly the second. If not its a back to the UK.
Otherwise wear it as it does not seem to bad.
As a matter of interest I have just returned from Egypt and visited Petra in Jordan which most of you know from the Last Crusade. It was quite spectacular just as in the film but I had to laugh as near the entrance is a souvenir shop with Indy pictures and the shop sign ' Indiana Johns'
When I let slip to my guide that I made THE jacket he immediatly told everybody else and I spent quite a time answering questions and showing photos of the Indy Summit at my place last fall.
Cheers
Peter

Who WAS that masked man?! Good to see you back in the area again, Peter! I see the last time you stopped by was just before Christmas! Don't be off radar so long next time! High regards. Michaelson

Hey Ken nothing beats Ibiza for a wild night

Hey Rigor,
Just got a look at the pics of your jacket and can relate - I've got the same shoulder issue and the fit on my jacket is very similar. It drove me crazy for the longest time, especially as it was my second jacket, having ordered the first jacket too large altogether. The thing I finally came to accept was that I was the only one who was bothered by the look of my jacket - everyone else loved it and didn't see a thing wrong with it. I drove my wife so crazy obsessing about the jacket that she now refers to it as "the d*mn jacket" (she also refers to my Adventurebilt fedora as "the d*mn hat...") Bottom line, I've not only learned to live with the issue but have noticed that most of my other shirts and jackets fit the same way - so basically I've been walking around with this problem all my life! Maybe next Wested I'll figure out how to fix it, but for I'm going to be happy with what I've got. Best of luck in figuring out your jacket!

When my Wested arrived about three weeks ago, my my initial reaction was that it was a little too big for me. It seemed the shoulders were about half an inch too wide on either side. Then I checked out Raiders, and realized that's exactly how it fit Harrison Ford. My jacket has now shaped itself to my shoulders, particularly after I wore it in heavy rain a few days ago. Having the jacket shoulder end exactly where your own does hinders movement, and is a little uncomfortable for everyday wear.

I think it looks great. Ford never zipped his jacket up all the way like that so it's hard to say how it would have looked. In The Raven he seemed to always have his hands in his pockets, which would stretch it downward or he was leaning back on the bar with his elbows, stretching it as well. But the one thing that's for sure, Ford's jacket DEFINATELY draped off his shoulders a bit. There's a pic from Tunisia where it seems a bit tight but again, he's posed; one hand on his hip, one arm around Karen. Since his shoulder seams draped exactly like yours I can only guess it would look the same if there was a pic of Ford with his jacket zipped to the top and standing bolt upright like your pic.

Aside: Harrison Ford also had narrow sloped shoulders in those days. There are three good pics on the IG main site I believe on the shirt page to show that. Until ToD rolled around Ford was a pretty thin guy.

Hey ClintonHammond. Sure, I'll crate it up and send it to you. It would look, um , great on you.
~ Rigor

...looks like it's to broad in the shoulders for you. Regards. Michaelson

I agree. If you don't send the jacket back this might be a great excuse to go to the gym and bulk up. Any excuse to get into shape is a good one.

It does seem a tad too big for you and the sleeves need to come up a bit.

This is what I would do (and did!):

Wear it for a month, check the fit. I like the tighter cut. If you still think it is too bulky, wear it into the shower with warm water, hang it to air dry. Wear it again for a couple of days. If your still not happy, do the shower thing again, put it in the washer on SPIN cycle only to get most of the water out, then throw it in the dryer ON LOW for about 15 min. Check the fit. Add more dryer time as needed to get the fit right for you. The chest will shrink more so than the sleeve length, so use the chest fit as your guide. You can get the sleeves to "break in" or wrinkle up by just wetting them in the sink. Put on the jacket and push up the wet cuffs to your elbows, Miami Vice style. Remove the jacket taking care to keep the sleeves scrunched up and leave it alone to dry.

I did this to mine and am very happy with it now. It gets rid of the "new" look without distressing the jacket.

CAUTION: This is at your own risk !!!

There are many threads on this forum about shrinking up a jacket. Do a search and you'll see similar ideas about the shower and dryer thing.

zeus36 wrote:..wear it into the shower with warm water

If I did that, my wife would divorce me!

I don't think the size is the issue....read Peter's post above. Its the cut of the jacket vs his body geometry. Its causing the jacket to sag in those areas.

Well, I think the jacket looks darned fine on you. I've been thru this so many times I dont want to think about it. Trust me...a little bigger is better than too tight. KEEP IT!!!!!!! IT LOOKS GOOD.

rigor wrote:Hey ClintonHammond. Sure, I'll crate it up and send it to you. It would look, um , great on you.
~ Rigor

That's rates up there as one of the most disturbing things I've seen here for a while.

Regards! Michaelson

Well... The hair cut is kinda young Indy lookin'. The rest is just puzzling.

Regards,
Swindiana

The eyes remind me of Donovan's when he chose poorly.