Club Obi Wan

From Wikipedia:

Bespoke is usually a British English term for tailored clothing made at a customer's behest, and exactly to the customer's specification. Bespoke clothing is created without use of a pre-existing pattern, differentiating it from made to measure, which alters a standard-sized pattern to fit the customer.

My shoulders slope more than average and tip to the front. That means my jacket needs a bigger yoke panel than average. If I get an off-the-rack Wested with a big enough yoke, the rest of the jacket (the waist and chest) will be huge on me. I need a jacket made to my spec, not made to measure.

Does anyone else out there have a frame that requires bespoke? Anyone have any luck getting a bespoke jacket from Wested? Any suggestions on how to convince Wested I need bespoke?

Here's my jacket history to date.
Jacket 1. I took the measurements. Jacket waist, chest, sleeves fit perfectly, but the yoke was too small. I had to pull my shoulders back to get into the jacket, but once I did the jacket looked great but I was uncomfortable.

Jacket 2: I visited Wested and had them take my measurements. I got a made to measure jacket. The yoke and sleeves are fine. The jacket is a bit big around the chest. This jacket is from 1999, and I'd like to update it. (Edit: Jacket is size 44. Measures 48 inches around chest with small pleats. Was Wested using the 80s fit back in '99?)

Jacket 3: I sent Jacket 2 to Wested for them to create Jacket 3 in 2004 or 2005. Can't remember. Jacket fit as good as number 2. With my extra-sloping shoulders the 3 inch pleats started to open up. (My shoulders sloped down, the yoke dropped, and the pleats opened even with 3 inch pleats and elastic! (Edit: Jacket size was 44. Chest measured a swimming 50 inches.) I sold the jacket.

I hope I hear from people in the same boat as me, and I hope to get comments on how to convince Wested to work with me a bit more than a made to measure jacket needs. (It's not like I won't pay for the additional labor and time.)

Many thanks for all the help you've all given me over the years.

Warm regards,
Rigor

wow.....looks like some intense tailoring is needed and pattern alterations. perhaps indy magnoli could help if you require that kind of tolerance.

Ok here you are, size 44 OTR jacket:

Chest pit to pit 50"

Back: 27"

Pleats: 1.5"

Sleeves: 26"

Waist: 23"

Yoke width 20-18.5"

Yoke height: 6" tapering to 5"

The colour is exactly the same as my authentic brown lamb custom and marginally thinner in weight.

Many thanks, KT. One last thing. Do you have the OTR Raiders or the Special Offer Raiders? Wested's web site implies the OTR Raiders has the current, roomier fit and states that the Special Offer Raiders has a slimmer body (I'm assuming it's the 80s fit).
Thanks again.

That was one of the "Special Offer ROLTAA" jackets in the shop.

rigor,

I have a similar problem when buying jackets. In fact, every sports coat, blazer or suit I buy spends some time at the tailors for alterations. I have broad shoulders and need to have to collar lowered for the jackets to fit right. At the 2005 QM, I had Peter measure me for my jacket. When he was done measuring, I mentioned the fact that this was a problem for me on every jacket I own. He took a few extra measurements to account for the movement of the collar and the placement of the shoulders. I got home and ordered the jacket. It fit wonderfully, and I wish all my jackets fit this good. I am very pleased with it and I guess I had a better experience than you.

My suggestion would be to not only send your measurements, but make sure you discuss these concerns with Peter before placing your order. Like I said, he had completed the measurements, but didn't make the modifications until after I specifically mentioned my typical tailoring.

Best of luck.
Mike

Thanks, KT. On the chest pit to pit measurement, were the pleats open or closed? My jacket comes in at 48/50 closed/open. All in all though, my jacket from 1999 appears match the 80s pattern. My yoke is an inch shorter than your jacket. I think the Special Offer OTR may fit me pretty well! Even the shoulder pads could work in my favor, if I could just warm up to the idea....

Mike,
Thanks for the suggestion. What you're suggesting is basically what I've been trying to do with Wested via email and phone. I called and stated my concerns. Gemma (I think) said to email photos of me in my current jacket to show what the problem is, but my emails either don't arrive or go unread. (Read receipts haven't come back. Please note, I'm not complaining about Wested, just stating the facts.) My hope was that someone at Wested would look at the photos, confirm I need some additional tailoring, tell me how far they could push the pattern to help me, and tell me which additional measurements to take or estimate the changes needed to the jacket in the photos, then I send them the jacket.

Instead I could visit a tailor here in town and get measured and send those measurements to Peter. Then he can let me know if what I want is doable.

rigor wrote:Thanks, KT. On the chest pit to pit measurement, were the pleats open or closed? My jacket comes in at 48/50 closed/open. All in all though, my jacket from 1999 appears match the 80s pattern. My yoke is an inch shorter than your jacket. I think the Special Offer OTR may fit me pretty well! Even the shoulder pads could work in my favor, if I could just warm up to the idea....

That's with the jacket flat on the table with the pleats closed.

I was also off on the colour when I posted the close up shots in another thread, here is a comparison shot... top left is my 3 year old authentic brown, on top of that is a standard OTR dark brown, on the right the new special offer jacket, then front left the LC novepele and right on top is a dark brown lamb custom (yes with big pockets).

Aeris_Canon wrote:It's great to see these all together, KT. Thanks for stacking 'em up and shooting a few.

You know, that novepele doesn't look bad at all, really. the pocket size looks good, too. Now, the novepele is not the OTR, is it? It's the one you get without shoulder pads, right?

Thanks, it's was an interesting exercise, shame the light was a bit weird, but if you at least one of these leathers you can sort of guess what the other looks like. I'm always amazed at how red the dark brown looks in comparison to the authentic.

Yup, no shoulder pads, he has made up a few Raiders and a few LC in the novapele and they are ready to ship. He is now out of that skin for 2-3 weeks he estimates. Which is a shame!

nice collection KT!!! the new dark brown lamb...is that wested's usual suspect? it looks great btw.....and i of course love that novapelle.

G, I hasten to add the only jacket on that pile is the authentic brown lamb on the bottom. The Novapele LC there is a brand new one, mine has started to break in nicely so I didn't include it. That pic was taken in the Wested car park!

AC, the novapelle is a cowhide, the crunch is a slightly rust coloured slightly waxy looking lambskin.

Yes, there is the £125 special offer ROLTA Authentic, and the standard £145 OTR 'Raiders' they have slightly different specs, oddly enough the ROLTAA is more screen accurate (for most people).

Rigor, sorry to hijack your thread!

No worries. Now that I'm leaning towards an OTR jacket, these are all questions I'd have been getting to eventually!