Club Obi Wan

Okay - here is another overly obsessing question...

Have any of you noticed any adverse effects when draping your jacket over a chair?

For example, I hung a "car coat" type lambskin jacket over my chair at a restaurant. An hour later, it had developed "wings" where it was resting on the chair. They never quite went away!

After years of wearing lambskin jackets, I've become quite cautious. Granted, those "mall" jackets don't come anywhere near the quality or toughness of my Wested goatskin, but just figured I'd ask!

I've only noticed an adverse effect if I hung the jacket over the chair while I was still wearing it.

Otherwise, no problem. Eventually all wrinkles and bulges work themselves out.

Of the jacket, I mean.

I disagree. If you stretch leather out too much, it stays stretched out. It depends on the leather too. I had a horsehide that had a crease that would not come out. If you stretch a lambskin, the area starts to get lighter in color and physically thinnner as it stretches as well.

It kinda depends on if you want yor jacket naturally distressed or not. Hanging a Wested on your chair will have not 'll effect on it. Some advocate wadding it up and chucking it in the corner to help the aging!
I think I need o start doing this, my lambskin jacket still looks the same as when it was new. I have a a leather workchair with a straight top and it is fairly thick so no pointy bits to cause odd shapes in a jacket.

The type of distressing has nothing to do with this. Balling up a jacket is not the same as stretching the jacket which is where those marks come from. The weight of the jacket - as light as it is - causes it to pull the area that is contacting the chair out of shape. I have seen coat hangers make marks in jackets that you can not get out. I use the thick plastic hangars with pipe insulation for padding to protect my jackets from getting these marks. And I like to artificially distress my jackets.

Whenever I drape a jacket over a chair, I do so not by puttin the shoulders on the top of the chair back (unless for a limited time to dry it), but rather hold it by the coller and lay it over the back, or arm, bundled up, thus it drapes over with no stress points poking through the shoulders. Makes for uncomfortable seating though if you’re using the chair ... but then I generally toss it to another chair if I'm going to sit.

The weight of the jacket - as light as it is - causes it to pull the area that is contacting the chair out of shape. I have seen coat hangers make marks in jackets that you can not get out.

This is very true. I have several B-3 Shearling jackets that I only use 2 inch
wide wooden hangers for, and thats only when I hang the jackets at work.
When the jackets are at my house, I lay them either flat on the bed, or
I keep them in a box under my bed. When I go over to someones house,
I ask them to lay the jacket on a bed, or on a chair, and not to hang it
in their closet. At first, they would look at me kind of funny, but once
I told them that the jacket costs well over $600.00, then they
always say no problem. They are used to me now, which is good!

If you keep any type of leather jackets on skinny hangers for long periods of time,
they will get indentations on the shoulders that you will never, ever get
out. Like Rick said, the leather will stretch out of shape.

Do yourself a favor, and get some nice, large, wooden hangers from a
place like Bed Bath and Beyond, or Linens and Things, stores that sell
bedding and kitchen supplies. They carry many types of hangers for
clothes, and they will have the nice wide wooden hangers, which are made
for hanging men suits. They are perfect for leather jackets. And the
shoulder sections are nice and rounded too so you don't have to worry
about sharp edges.

If you are out at a restaurant, or something like that, do as Mike
says and fold it over the chair so its safe.

Flathead

I totally agree. I get VERY nervous when i try to put my jacket over a chair with the shoulders. My girlfriend things im being silly by actually draping my jacket over the chair like Mike said. I have a goat and the weight of the jacket *DOES* seem to pull the jacket down. Either way i'd prefer to be safe and be sure my jacket won't be damaged, rather than taking the risk and having a possibility of it having creating unsightly creases.

rick5150 wrote:The type of distressing has nothing to do with this. Balling up a jacket is not the same as stretching the jacket which is where those marks come from. The weight of the jacket - as light as it is - causes it to pull the area that is contacting the chair out of shape. I have seen coat hangers make marks in jackets that you can not get out. I use the thick plastic hangars with pipe insulation for padding to protect my jackets from getting these marks. And I like to artificially distress my jackets.

There seems to be some strong feelings about this subject here!

And a lot of sharp pointy chair backs! My particular work chair has a 2-3 inch deep padding and is as wide as my shoulders so essentially it is the same as me wearing it, so I can't see it damaging it. I'd rather hang it there than using the tag loop to hang it on a peg, the pulled up loop annoys me when it digs into my neck.

Wested uses regular plastic hangars in the shop. So for the season or so that you would expect their coats to stay in the shop they have no worries about them becoming misshapen. Of couse YMMV!

I put mine over a chair at home, but there are a couple coats under that, so it's like having a "padded" chair. Fortunately, my work chair has a rounded back. I find I'll hang mine on a chair, but if I can see it poking at the shoulders I won't put it there. You're right, Kt, I had no idea there were such strong opinions regarding this. I'm going to be more aware now!

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