Just got a new LC jacket and had a couple of questions.
1) How wide should the LC collar be? I thought it was 3 1/8 ", so that's what I got. However, it looks a little big. So that leads to my next question.
2) If my collar IS too big, can it be trimmed down and re-stitched? If so, who would I take it to?
To question 1: I have no idea. Holt would probably be your best resource.
To question 2: a tailor that specializes in leather work should be able to do it. A word of caution though, IndyDawg did just that to a jacket years ago and has regretted it ever since. The wider collar can be like the ROLA fedora, it seems huge at first, but then you get used to the proportions.
And you may want to be more specific with the topic title. It'll get more traffic that way.
Depends on several Things. if the size is a 44 the collar specs is accurate to the size of the jacket. However, if you got lambskin the collar may look bigger due to the nature of the skin. The collar becomes flat and limp. If you got it in HH (like I have) the collar gets that Perfect roll and looks accurate to the thicker looking jacket used in the film.
Knibs, I went all out on my LC spec'd jacket (still not done with it yet), and I went for 3" collar which I think works well ( the jacket is a 40 though). I know what you mean about wanting every detail right - I forgot to ask Peter for no leather facings and its been a debacle trying to correct it. I paid a leather tailor around here to re-line the jacket the SA way and they relined it with the facings still in ($200 down the drain!). But thats another story...
Actually, I'm kind of thinking about contacting wested to see if Peter might be willing/able to alter it for me...maybe he could do the same for you? Anybody have experience with sending a jacket back for more work from wested?
Personally, I would have been tempted to order a 3" collar, sized around a 44. The difference is the width of the collar stand. Per the original specs, the collar stand would be around 3/4" to 1". As noted, in the LC Repro thread, if you have a wide collar stand and it is soft, pliable lamb, then you will have significant collar roll and the collar will appear wider, but these specs are relative to a size 44, and should be adjusted up and down, depending on the size. All in all, the difference between 3" and 3 1/8" is not that significant, I mean, look at it on a ruler, but there may be other specs at work here, I suspect?
On your jacket, I'd be tempted to look at the collar stand first, trim it down if needed and then see what you have?
Anyone seriously considering placing an order for a LC should read those specs in the "LC Repro." thread. They were placed there for a reason. It benefits you and takes a lot of the guess work out of it.
These days, vendors have refined their specs so that if you place an order for a Raiders jacket from: BK, Wested, Todd's, Mag's and the like, you will receive a much more accurate jacket than in days gone by.
Such is not the case with the LC jacket. Most vendors do not specifically make them, so you have to spec. it.
