what does YOUR Indy jacket need to be?

[Holt]

I'm inerested to hear. What does your Indy jacket need to be?

Screen accurate? World functional? best of both worlds?

does it need snaps and a big collar like LC/CS? does it need a high yoke or low yolk.

does the jacket ned to be roomy or close fitting? how bout facings? how'bout what skin?

would you add more features to the jacket? like vent holes under the arms? and extra seam here and there? an extra pocket? how bout a chest cicarette pocket with zip?

well, you get the point. what does your Indy jacket need to be?

[Texan Scott]

What's with all the questions?

I like my jacket to be what we seen on screen and wearable. Accurate but functional. I also like for the Raiders jacket and the LC jacket to be as different from each other as possible. I could give you a laundry list, but I'll spare ya' this time, Holty!

[Tennessee Smith]

Good topic H!

The most important thing to me are the sleeves, odd I know but I want the wrinkled TOD sleeves that don't ride up to my elbow once they're wrinkled.

That and the body length to be an inch, inch and a half below my belt.


-TS

[Holt]

What's with all the questions?

what's with all the questions?...

well, I need to know who I can trust.. I have created this circle and if your view of the jacket is the same as mine your in, if not?.. well.. your not..

[Arca Perdida]

It only needs to do one thing for me: Help me get the girl. Then it's a good jacket.

[Forrest For the Trees]

I'm inerested to hear. What does your Indy jacket need to be?

Screen accurate? World functional? best of both worlds?

does it need snaps and a big collar like LC/CS? does it need a high yoke or low yolk.

does the jacket ned to be roomy or close fitting? how bout facings? how'bout what skin?

would you add more features to the jacket? like vent holes under the arms? and extra seam here and there? an extra pocket? how bout a chest cicarette pocket with zip?

well, you get the point. what does your Indy jacket need to be?

All of the above.

[Tibor]

Well now, here's the thing... I want it to "impression-accurate". It needs to be screen accurate to a point, but more importantly, it has to be proportioned to fit me like Harrison's fit him. I'm not too much different from his size, but a bit, and a bit different in proportion I think. The jacket needs to ride the same way, and give the same "look" that Indy's has on-screen, without necessarily being near identical to what they actually used.

It gets back to my "mind's eye". For me it's all about what I think I saw on the screen, not what it actually was. As for must have details: a high yoke, medium size pockets, good long sleeves, and dark brown, almost black leather. Also, based on comments of those who've held the originals, I need it to be well build and durable, which evidently the originals were not.

[Weston]

Hmmm.....good topic! I'll agree; the sleeves have got to be long enough, and wrinkle up clear to the shoulders and not come up short! Sleeve seam has to be at or below the yoke seam otherwise it drives me crazy (though my first one didn't, yet I won't part with it for anything. Looks weird though!). The leather has to be rugged but lightweight, whatever the hide. Patch pockets, not cut in. It has to be built for use, not just pictures.

It does have to look unmistakeably Indy overall, though not specific to any one film or scene necessarily. It has to have enough room to move, or layer up if need be. It has to be nice enough to take pride in, but not so fine, fragile, or expensive that I'm afraid to really use it.

Weston

[Rick Deckard]

My Indy jacket would be the LC jacket with sleeves that came down to the first knuckle of my thumb, gussets to keep the sleeves from riding up my wrist, patch pockets (no side entry), a nice dark brown leather made out of either a soft horsehide or cowhide, LC sized pockets and, in keeping with the LC jacket and functionality, snaps. It has to have a normal fit, even slightly big, so that I can comfortably fit a sweater underneath it and wear the jacket throughout most of the winter months. (That seems to be the way the LC fits, though, so I guess it's not much of a change.)

So it's a LC jacket with a few modifications.

[Solo4114]

I've mentioned this in the past, but basically I want my jacket to be "an Indy jacket" that's highly functional and durable. Screen accuracy is great, to the extent I can get it, but I'm more interested in that the jacket be the Indy style, that it fit me like a glove, and that it be tough as nails and wearable/functional. I'm looking for a jacket that I can wear on a semi-daily basis and, oh, by the way, also works perfectly for an Indy costume. I don't follow things like how big is the yoke, how big is the collar stand, etc.

I tend to think of Indy primarily in "Raiders" terms, so I suppose I prefer a jacket that most evokes Raiders, but that's just it: evokes. It doesn't have to perfectly replicate it, just evoke it. Obviously, the closer I can get to the actual film look is ideal, but I won't sacrifice fit or function for that.

[Indiego Jones]

My Indy jacket must look on me as close as possible as it looks on Indy on screen.
In terms of drape, skin, size, color, details and all the nuances possible.
NOT Ford's size...because i'm not.
So, screen-accurate, YES. BUT...according to my body structure.

I don't want a world functional jacket wich "looks" like an Indy jacket...I have 2 allready.

[Mark Brody]

It has to fit comfortably. That's number 1! Beyond that, it has to be well made, to include stitching and durable leather (I don't care for lambskin). If you can meet those criteria, than it needs some screen accurate details adjusted for practicality, such as accurately shaped pockets that are large enough to be used, or the right dimensions on a storm flap with leather facings.

[RaidersBash]

WOW. Great topic and great responses.

I know I've said this many times before, but for me the jacket WAS NOT a heavy motorcycle type jacket. It was really more of a durable, protective wind breaker that could be worn in the swealtering humid jungles of South America, allowing for running the 440 away from nearly naked native, or fighting a giant in the deserts just outside of Cairo.

At the same time, though the fit should be loose enough to fit a sweater under (Ala Mystery of the Blues), it shouldn't look that roomy when a sweater isn't being worn.

Then the proper movie details of a small yoke, correct pockets, mis-aligned sleeve seams, etc.

For me my TODD"S STANDARD fits the bill almost perfectly. I would like the enhanced fit so the jacket doesn't bell out so much, but aside from that, the jacket does everything I want it to, and the lamb hide is plenty tough to protect me from some gnarly things. I've bucked lumber in that jacket, gone through some nastly thorny stuff that I thought for sure had to have put a hole through it and the hide just continues to hold up.

And the grain details are SPECTACULAR.

[donovan]

this may sound strange, but for me its more about the way the jacket 'feels' when im wearing it- the way it hangs off the shoulders,the wrinkling of the sleeves, just gives me that indy vibe .

[Mark Raats]

If we are talking Indy jackets here, I know I can never look like Ford so my jacket ultimately needs to perform the same function as Indy's and be just as relaxed/scruffy in their fitting as his jackets all are.

If you look at his jackets they are not carefully tailored things (or that's the way they are intended to be portrayed by the character), but purely functional, hardworking items of clothing that just happen to be hammered and look seriously cool.

Calliper correct collars, zippers, stormflaps - all chasing shadows in my opinion and really, far too hard to be bothered with...
Long sleeves as Michael said and a nice relaxed fit in robust leather is all that I want and finally, it must just look like something the character of Indy might have worn..

Regards

MARK

[Tibor]

So Holt,

Have any of us made it into "Holt's Right-thinking Circle of Indy Jacket Afficianados" yet?

[Chewbacca Jones]

Well, it sounds like we could be talking "ideal/fantasy" Indy jacket, or a jacket specifically for Indy gear. As a piece of gear, I think the answer is simple - pick a movie and make it as SA as possible while still having it fit me properly.

In a case of the perfect fantasy ideal, the answer is more complex. The outside appearance needs that "vibe" as donovan describes it. For me, such an ideal jacket could never be SA. For starters, like the "gear jacket" above, it would have to fit right on me. Secondly, my ideal Indy jacket would be an amalgam of the 4 film jackets - a greatest hits, if you will. The length and storm flap snaps of LC, the roominess of CS, a hide like Raiders, the wrinkled sleeves of ToD, distressing that balances the look of the first three movies, a ToD collar, Raiders pockets, straps, yoke, and back panel. Most likely an impossible beast, but there it is.

The interior would have to be completely practical - all satin lining, pockets similar to Magnoli's non-SA pocket set up; a zipper pocket, an open pocket, and a mini pocket for a cell phone or other small item. I'd add a way to zipper or button the small pocket, too.

Finally, the quality would be top-notch. It should be tough enough to survive the real world, within the normal limitations that the materials have. So, no mythical lambskin with the strength of horsehide. Just the best hide, best hardware, put together as well as can be.

[Holt]

So Holt,

Have any of us made it into "Holt's Right-thinking Circle of Indy Jacket Afficianados" yet?

lol. I never say more then I have to and I will not say who is in and who is no in public. ya'll who get a pm knows your in. lol. kidding, kidding.

I'm really liking all the responses and I think it's funny how different opinions we have about the jacket. it's funny and interesting. so keep'em coming.

Me? well as I am pretty know for being a stithc nazi screen accurate psycho.. or just psycho alone..lol. I actually also love the idea of having a real world Indy jacket with more hardwear features. I would love a jacket that is like a Indy style, you know, bi swing, pockets. straps but it has no recognizeable features to one movie alone. then I think it becomes MY adventure jacket and not like Indy's from raiders, tofd, LC or CS. that is allureing to me. for example: a Indy jacket style with pleats, pockets, straps and something totally different on it like hardwearing cuffs like on the surrogates jacket.

[Michaelson]

Sounds like you just described a G8 to me, Eric.



Regards! Michaelson

[Holt]

lol. yeah, actually when I think about it I did.

[Michaelson]

[Dr. Evil]

An Aero Leather Halfbelt Deluxe or Long Halfbelt in Horsehide. That's my ideal Indy jacket. I'm kidding, sort of.

I think the ideal indy jacket has the demon role, is ultra slim-fitting so when it's unzipped, the edges of the front panel hang close to the sides of your torso, has that bit of a taper in the back panel, has a large collar, and is made of a heavy, vegetable tanned leather. Smaller pockets would also be good. The big ones look a little silly. No hand warmers needed. Lots of pockets. A real liner, maybe. And yes, hard wearing cuffs would also be great, instead of the glued cuffs.

[Long John Tinfoil]

It needs to be tough enough for my real world, fit well enough that I don't notice it when I'm wearing it, have pockets and closures that are "intuitive" for me so that I don't have to feel around to get at them. Since I'm here, I obviously like the Indy "style", but I secretly wish it was less dark and more "brown". Maybe that means I'd like more of a reddish tone, I'm not strong on describing colour. My G & B goat hits all the rest of the bases, and my Todd's std. in lamb gets me through the warmer months and has been tough enough so far.

LJ

[Hollowpond]

Yeah, I am afraid MY Indy jacket is actually a half belt in thick indestructible goat. Just picture a goat version of the sears hercules that that lucky S.O.B. Forrest got here recently...THAT is a real 30's adventurers jacket!

Travis

[Holt]

can't argue with that. I may have one on the way myself. ponny

[Tennessee Smith]

I hate both of you.

[Hollowpond]

I hate both of you.

+1(0000000000000000000)

[Tennessee Smith]

My location says it all....

[Holt]

you two get away from me! all the pm's!

Tenness. how many pm's have we shared tonight? 412? my fingers hurt man..lol and now Travis have started sending some too!!

[Tennessee Smith]

Charlatans!!! I say!!!! bewitched and bedeviled by you two!!!!

[Holt]

[Tennessee Smith]

good times...





...and back to our regular scheduled program...



"Gee Mrs. Myers, I really would like it if my jacket had a more functional yolk".

"Yes Timmy, We all do"

[MARQ]

If this does not asure anybody to buy Todds Standard, man nothing will!!!

I know I've said this many times before, but for me the jacket WAS NOT a heavy motorcycle type jacket. It was really more of a durable, protective wind breaker that could be worn in the swealtering humid jungles of South America, allowing for running the 440 away from nearly naked native, or fighting a giant in the deserts just outside of Cairo.

At the same time, though the fit should be loose enough to fit a sweater under (Ala Mystery of the Blues), it shouldn't look that roomy when a sweater isn't being worn.

Then the proper movie details of a small yoke, correct pockets, mis-aligned sleeve seams, etc.

For me my TODD"S STANDARD fits the bill almost perfectly. I would like the enhanced fit so the jacket doesn't bell out so much, but aside from that, the jacket does everything I want it to, and the lamb hide is plenty tough to protect me from some gnarly things. I've bucked lumber in that jacket, gone through some nastly thorny stuff that I thought for sure had to have put a hole through it and the hide just continues to hold up.

And the grain details are SPECTACULAR.

Report this post

[Noah]

It needs to be tough and durable, but yet not too thick. Strong enough to be able to take on an adventure. Maybe perhaps lambskin, and the color a very dark brown, like the Raiders jacket. The sleeves would have to be a perfect length, so when new it's a little long. I'd like the sleeves to be wrinkled like the TOD, but not as much, and gussets. The drape would be like the Raiders. Snaps on the stormflap like the LC and CS. Raiders or LC pockets. Fit comfortable, not too loose and not too snug.

I could go more but that's it for now.

[kwad]

After giving this some thought, I think I now have my perfect Indy jacket.

My US Wings Legend Import in Vintage Cow is everything I ever wanted in an Indy jacket.
It fits me without sliding off my shoulders (my Wested Raiders does this and it is irritating).
It is big enough to layer a sweater underneath without being too roomy without it.
The leather is REALLY tough, but, light enough not to feel like a motorcycle jacket.
And the best part is the range of motion. I can move my arms around without the jacket feeling tight or the sleeves riding up to my elbow (however, gussets would have been great).
The collar even lays nicely (I was always fighting with the collar on my Wested).

Sorry to keep goin' on about this jacket, but, I am in love.

[Ravenswood]

I'm pretty well set with the current custom offering from Wested. I am positively hooked with the wide collar opening and the wavy (silver) zipper. Perhaps if I got nit-picky I'd and ask for slightly thicker cut lambskin with a little bit more grain in it, and of course misaligned sleeve and yoke seems to seal the deal

[RedburnIV]

Like others, I was putting some thought towards this question as well, and I think if I were to answer when I first joined the forum, I'd expect my answer would be that I craved the look and feel of Indy's gear. I think, at the time, I expected a jacket to be accurate and similar to what is seen on film, but low and behold, unless you're Ford himself, the look is very difficult to get especially for us big guys. I think now I'm more aware of the movie magic, and expect a jacket with similar qualities but one I hope fits well and makes me feel good while wearing it. By that, I mean we all have our articles of clothing that makes us feel like we look good while wearing it, and I'd hope to have that feeling with a jacket, but one that I could call mine and one that would accompany me through any adventures I may see. I think growing up a bit and coming in to my own has allowed me to realize the importance of making your own story, creating your own gear, living your adventure instead of wishing I could copy the look of someone else. I think I struck a real winner with the new lamb, but I wouldn't mind getting another goat for the durablity. I had a goat in the past and I was amazed by how much stronger it seemed than the lamb. That might be the next buy.

[Indiana Bugs]

As with my hats, my jacket needs dont have to be screen-accurate. 'Screen-reminiscent' is the term I use for how my hats and jacket should look.

My jacket should be brown leather, my favorite being cowhide because I prefer heavier, motorcycle-jacket-weight. I need the front pockets with the flaps, and hand warmers. The side straps dont need to be anything special - just there. I like a cotton or satin lining, and it needs to be roomy enough to fit a thick sweater or sweatshirt under it. I prefer a wingback. I like a jacket to be long enough to not let drafts in at waist level, and the sleeves need to down past my wrists, but thats a normal fit issue, afaic. I like the high yoke, and the shortest collar of the film Indy jackets.

Basically, it has to feel substantial when I wear it. I have tried on thin-leathered jackets and have never been happy with them. Give me a motorcycle-weight leather every time.

[Ravenswood]

Perhaps if I got nit-picky I'd and ask for slightly thicker cut lambskin with a little bit more grain in it

I should correct myself. I think what I really mean there is "Sheepskin" as opposed to "thicker cut lambskin". I have had experience with the latter, and that isn't the best if you want that crinkled up sleeve look (which I do).
I have not however had any experience with sheepskin jackets. I am simply going by what I have seen mentioned that the screen used Raiders jacket was made from.

[ron521]

I like the general look of Indy's jacket, but I'm not married to screen accuracy. I don't look at myself in glass store windows (well, not very much).
And in truth, I don't like the sloppy way Indy's jacket sometimes fits, it fits differently in some scenes and some movies than others.
If I could have screen accuracy AND a good fit with complete functionality, that would be great, but if any compromise is required, I will compromise in favor of a better fit and functionality.
For me, if the jacket doesn't fit right, it doesn't feel right, and I don't enjoy wearing it, no matter HOW screen accurate it may be.
Hence, my preference for my US Wings Signature Series over the G&B Expedition I owned briefly.
The G&B was well made, but it simply did not fit the way I wanted it to.

So, my PERFECT Indy jacket would have the fit in the shoulders like my Signature Series (seams at my natural shoulders, no droop.
Sleeves could be a little trimmer in the upper arm, and end at my first thumb knuckle (as they do on my US Wings).
I liked the gussets under the arms of the G&B.
I like facings, they serve a genuine purpose, which is why almost all jackets have them.
I'd be happy with no yoke at all, like an G1 or my Schott 141, but if there is going to be a yoke, I would prefer it high, as on the G&B or the new Legends.
Right hand zipper is more practical, as one doesn't have to fold the storm flap back as far to reach the tab.
Make the jacket out of a sturdy cowhide, as most jackets in the 30's would have been made of.

[MARQ]

S.A.,durable and thin,not tight but loosish...not blousy kind a thing. gosh.. Todd´s meets Wested Standard
And there is really is a "off-the-shoulders" factor,but it´s not that obvious as one might think...as I have noticed.

[CM]

I need it to be a G&B in goat. Close enough to the film jacket for my taste and strong. Not interested in lambskin or drape.

But I am wearing a horsehide halfbelt by Aero.

[Elk Grover]

[indy89]

My jacket needs to be close as possible to what we see in Raiders, but durable enough for everyday use. Cotton lining is preferred, and it MUST be cowhide. Lambskin is nice and soft, but it just won't cut it for me. It can't have a outrageous price tag either, so I always turn to "off the rack" jackets. Fortunately, I found MY jacket on uswings.com, but too bad it doesn't have a cotton lining. I may replace the polyester lining for cotton in the future.

[trdaggers]

All my jacket has got to do is make me feel good about myself when I put it on.

Gailen

[ChrisMD]

Well, it sounds like we could be talking "ideal/fantasy" Indy jacket, or a jacket specifically for Indy gear. As a piece of gear, I think the answer is simple - pick a movie and make it as SA as possible while still having it fit me properly.

In a case of the perfect fantasy ideal, the answer is more complex. The outside appearance needs that "vibe" as donovan describes it. For me, such an ideal jacket could never be SA. For starters, like the "gear jacket" above, it would have to fit right on me. Secondly, my ideal Indy jacket would be an amalgam of the 4 film jackets - a greatest hits, if you will. The length and storm flap snaps of LC, the roominess of CS, a hide like Raiders, the wrinkled sleeves of ToD, distressing that balances the look of the first three movies, a ToD collar, Raiders pockets, straps, yoke, and back panel. Most likely an impossible beast, but there it is.

The interior would have to be completely practical - all satin lining, pockets similar to Magnoli's non-SA pocket set up; a zipper pocket, an open pocket, and a mini pocket for a cell phone or other small item. I'd add a way to zipper or button the small pocket, too.

Finally, the quality would be top-notch. It should be tough enough to survive the real world, within the normal limitations that the materials have. So, no mythical lambskin with the strength of horsehide. Just the best hide, best hardware, put together as well as can be.

My thoughts exactly. Well put!

[whipwarrior]

My Indy jacket just needs to be awesome.

[MARQ]

Adding to my earlier; I am pro-lamb and lambskin alone..thinner the better and yes,awesome S.A.

[HDRnR]

My GnB Expo is it, it gets criticized by SA purists but it fits me perfectly which means I wear it all the time. If it doesn't fit right and is uncomfortable I'm not going to wear it so what would be the point in that ? Plus the GnB is real world tuff.

[Michaelson]

My GnB Expo is it, it gets criticized by SA purists....

...which is, in itself, kind of amusing, as it was the 'SA purists' that had a hand in its creation in the first place, so don't worry about them. Based on the opinions of the purists, NO one has made one right YET, and I doubt if one ever WILL!

You can't beat the quality of the Expo, that's a fact. Enjoy!

Regards! Michaelson