Club Obi Wan

Hey there,

if you have the opportunity to get a dead on screen accurate shirt made based on an original MBA Raiders shirt from back in the 80'ies, what would you want.

Personally, I'd really like to see something that is tough as nails without losing it's screen accuracity - think of a custome vs. real world shirt or beaver vs. rabbit felt.

What about you? What would have it made of? 100 poplin? Pure cotton? The exact same material that the original had?

Please share your opinions.

Thanks,

Marc

I'm a poplin fan myself.

Regards! Michaelson

webhead73 wrote: naturally wrinkle resistant.

Sacrilege!

I think you know my answer, Marc.

You do that, Web, and we'll take you out back and shoot you.

Regards! Michaelson

Just trying to save you from yourself. They haven't listened to me for years....don't go down that road.

Regards! Michaelson

Well, the answer's easy:

I would like something that is tough enough to survive a rough trip through a thorn hedge, something that is light enough to wear it in the desert without cooking in it. I support the suggested wrinkel resistance and of course the shirt has to be "good enough" to wear it together with a Tweed Jacket if there is need for ...

As I said ... all to easy!

I have a shirt from Noel Howard that is labled "MBA ltd." and it's made from 100% poplin..and to me it must be poplin and made exactly like this one. It's awsome and I won't send my money on any other from now on. I have Magnolis but IMHO the material is just too heavy and/or thick compared to the Noel Howard shirt. I wish Magnoli would source some thin poplin cause his shirts are quality..I wouldn't say that the Noel Howard/MBA shirt is wrinkle resistant either and I wouldn't want it to be. I love lightweight material anyway cause of the Texas heat and I can always add an undershirt for the winter months.

Doug C

webhead73 wrote:

Jens wrote:...I support the suggested wrinkle resistance ...

Michaelson, I guess that makes three of us...any room under the Plymouth?

Always!

Regards! Michaelson

A material as close to the original shirt as possible, but perhaps a tad thicker. While my circa 1999 MBA shirt has held up extremely well for the last 8 or so years, and while I wouldn't argue that the thin material is dead on screen-accurate, I WOULD like another shirt of the same design that would be a little more capable and sturdy in real-world use.

And I'd also prefer a shirt that, if you took an iron to it, would look great with a tie and a sport coat. It's a tricky balancing act, but if anyone can pull it off, Marc, I have faith that it's you!

-GCR

I'd love a shirt as close to the 80's MBA shirt, as long as it's tough.
P Bring it on baby.

Best regards,
Kim[/b]

i've always thought a shirt with a hint of linen in it would be nice. looking at the cairo scenes, the way the shirt drapes and its texture reminds me of a shirt with linen in it. linen will give you the nice wrinkley pleats that everyone wants if they're from the SA camp and it will also help keep you cool on those 'cairo' days.....not 100% linen of course as that would just wrinkle up entirely and not give you the same weight as THE shirt.

another thing i would like to see would be a discount for multiple orders...maybe in shipping or in the construction itself. my 2 cents.

I've said it before and I'll say it again...I LOVE my MrsDeadlock shirt! For something Frankensteined together from a WalMart shirt, I think it is VERY screen accurate, the cotton is durable, and held up throughout a Canadian winter, and an Ottawa summer!! (-35C to +35C)

I wear it once or twice a week, and only recently did it get one of those DARN 'dryer holes' - so it's off to the clothes line for it, when drying!

Ok, I made a mistake here... I mistook poplin for a certain material and it's not. Poplin is a certain way to make the material for the shirt from the actual fabric. Please read here for further information: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poplin

The MBA shirt I have here, says 100% cotton. So THAT'S the material the original shirts were made of and I believe that's what the NH shirt is made of too (don't have one right here currently). Thanks to Doug C, who mentioned that his MBA shirt had a 100% poplin sign. So it's a pure cotton poplin shirt. That would be quite tough and a little easier to iron (for wearing with a tweed jacket ), but nowhere wrinkle RESISTENT (just as beaver is not water resistent but more water repellent than other felts - for the lack of better words).

Thanks for your inputs and opinions Gents. Let them keep comming.

Thanks,

Marc

Marc wrote:So it's a pure cotton poplin shirt. That would be quite tough and a little easier to iron (for wearing with a tweed jacket ), but nowhere wrinkle RESISTENT (just as beaver is not water resistent but more water repellent than other felts - for the lack of better words).

Well, that's good enough for my requirements at least.

Marc I would say: original material, same design, very cheap price, nothing more than that. So we're not scared to wear it
Honestly the Noel Howard shirt is a masterpiece, not much to be changed apart from the price
The material cannot be changed because it won't look accurate anymore (at least not for die-hard fans of the shirt like me). It even gets sweat stains exactly like the ones we see in ROTLA in Cairo plus is very easy to iron... I do it by myself

I thought the shirt was made from 100% Swiss mercerized cotton? What is that exactly? I've always wondered. It feels like cotton/poly blend, but it is 100% cotton.

Uh Oh... The cotton has to be mercerized before it is woven poplin style into the material the shirt is made of... I must say that the price Noel charges for his seems more and more fair, the more I look into this piece of gear... Well, I shall see if it could be done for a better price, without making any cuts on the screen accuracy and the quality.

Thanks,

Marc

Me I'd be interested. Have a Wested, IM, WPG and a Noel Howard.
Just be sure to do your research in the details of the look.
Keep us posted.

Croft

What are the specs of the origanal shirt as far as material, shape ect.?

IndyFan89 wrote:What are the specs of the origanal shirt as far as material, shape ect.?

According to Noel, the same that he's making now.

50% nylon and 50% cotton would be a good mix. It works well in our hotweather BDU's. The further away from cotton the better. It just doesn't work well in the heat and that is were I think most people would wear their shirts in.

Putting aside the material, the other vendors have failed completely to recreate the shirt. They are just offering a pleated shirt.

Perhaps if someone who owns the NH shirt can make an exact replica, not necessarily made out of the same material, just to offer to us poor guys a cheaper alternative.

davyjones007 wrote:50% nylon and 50% cotton would be a good mix. It works well in our hotweather BDU's. The further away from cotton the better. It just doesn't work well in the heat and that is were I think most people would wear their shirts in.

No nylon for this Jones please, I never wear nylon.

Best regards,
Kim

Yes, the Noel Howard or MBA is far and beyond the others I have. And I'm not just saying that because you have to pay a premium for it, it really is different than the Magnoli's I've had, (Not downing Magnoli's shirt, it's a very high quality item too..just different). Basically it's the thin poplin material, but other things too like 1) no stiffener in the collar, 2) longer tails and a roughly sewn hemm aroung the bottom of those tails, 3) A shorter opening at the bottom of the sleeves [opening above the cuffs] 4)Even the collar contorts like what you see on screen, because of the lighter material I think.

Personally I can't see a need for a heavier material, I wear these shirts pretty hard and there are no signs of it "falling apart", nobody should be afraid to wear the #### out of it, IMO.

Doug C

I'm not a big fan of the thinner material. I happen to like a bit of thickness in my shirt. I dont like the see-thru look of the thinner material nor do I like the feel of it. I like a bit of material in my shirt even though it may be a touch warmer, it just feels better to me.

I agree Kev, the thin see-thru material is not my cop of tea either.

-Kim

Glad to hear I'm not the only one who thinks that way!

The NH shirt material is not see through at all.

Yes, I know I'm really late on this thread. I'd like to see the shirt in its original material. I have an MBA and a Wested, and I love the feel of the MBA. It just feels good next to the skin and it is so much lighter.

Now, if you want to make one for fun, I'd love to get one in silk

Mike

The MBA shirt I had (which is now given to my contact in China), is absolutely s.a. as far as I can tell, after comparing it to countless screen graps. It fits tight and nice and I am truly thrilled by both the fit and the craftmanship. Something I requested to have copied down to the very last detail (incl. custom made buttons in the right color, size and everything).

Since most people wanted an exact copy of the original shirt for a much more affordable price (or: a shirt that we can actually treat the way we'd like to, without having a bad feeling about it - as someone put it so very well), I went after that, instead of the bullet proof kevlar version, I had in mind originally. Whether or not my contact will be able to create as exact an replica as requested... we'll see. I think I pointed out at least a dozen times (within one hour), that others could reproduce a shirt, where the buttons are "really close" etc. etc. etc., but that this just wouldn't do and that I wanted something, that NO-ONE could tell appart from the original, even if it would be right in front of him. So I guess I made my points clear. It'll take some time yet, before he has sourced the exact same cotton, custom dyed it, custom made buttons etc. etc. etc., so don't expect pics of a prototype soon. But if I can get the "same" shirt for a fair price, I think we all would have a gain from that.

Regards,

Marc

I grew up among originals - original furniture, original paintings, etc etc, and you couldn't sit or be comfortable or touch a thing! So, I am not as demanding about "original" as some are. I would see at least 2 shirts. I am not as svelt as Ford was in the 80s, although I was then, since I was also a carpenter back then; unfortunately, I was never discovered by a Hollywood scout, maybe because I lived in Cambridge, MA!. So a trim fit I wouldn't want (and neither would anyone else seeing me and Cholmondley (my stomach) walk around in it)! Anyway, a real 1930s person would not wear tight-fitting clothes. I have pictures of my grandparents and parents from that era, and the only tight clothing they wore was the lower legs of their riding pants. So- a looser version than Ford wore, in TWO weights. Summer would be lighter, and winter heavier. I don't know what the film version was, but I prefer either 100% natural material, cotton, linen or silk. I hate ironing, but the natural material feels nicer on my flesh. Since Leon's Field Shirt, Long-Sleeve runs about $40, and since it is essentially THE SHORT, without the front pleats, I don't see why we can't get even a relatively limited production for around $60, max. Leon uses cotton poplin, which is a fine mid-weight material. I do think Ford's screen shirt was a bit see-thrpugh for the (ahem) older male. I wouldn;t want to see HIM in it now!
BTW, I don't know HOW Leon;s shirts are dyed, but I tried the old Rit color removed AND a strong bleach bath on my khaki-color shirt (the recommended taupe is no longer available), and the thing is still exactly the same color as it was when I opened the package!
David

I really like my Wested shirt but I'd certainly be up for something even more like the original. I like a lighter weight material- linen would be nice

didn't some of the higher end safari type catalogs use to offer a 'close enough shirt' in something called 'Egyptian' cotton back in the '80's? if i remember correctly, w&g,EB,& banana republic had them and they were strong,cool, and $80+ back then.regards hanson

hanson wrote:didn't some of the higher end safari type catalogs use to offer a 'close enough shirt' in something called 'Egyptian' cotton back in the '80's? if i remember correctly, w&g,EB,& banana republic had them and they were strong,cool, and $80+ back then.regards hanson

That's true, hanson. Egyptian cotton was a very popular material used in shirts back in the 80's. I remember LL Bean had a BUNCH of offerings made in that cloth. I had a few, and LOVED them. You now usually see it used in high end bath towels and the like.

Regards! Michaelson

Hello to All!!

I am new here and new to IJ gear collecting in general but I dove...err...uh fell in head first, and it appears I have been completely stunk in to this crazy world!!!!

I have been following the forum threads for a few months now, but I have been paying close attention to this one.
I am still waiting on a Wested shirt to arrive and I have a couple of Magnoli's on order as well, but can any one tell me if Noel Howard is still making/selling his shirts and other products, and if so how does one go about contacting him??? Thanks to all for the info & specs to date, and opening my eyes to a very addictive habit.... I mean hobby.


Marc- I am excited to see what you will be offering in the next few months, but you can put me down for two, sight un-seen.