Club Obi Wan

I've read enough posts to convince me to add a little extra to the front of the jacket when ordering - the question is - how much? Some have said 1", some 1.5". Also, if I give them my correct neck size, will this also add length to the front? Any insight from the experienced is appreciated...

Do you mean add a little to the sleeve length or are you looking for a ToD jacket?

i guess if you got a belly, then add more

I'm guessing he means the chest size, which was a bit tight on my jacket when it's zipped up all the way. I ordered a 38 from Peter, same as my jacket size. As for your question I don't know how much more to add, sorry. I would assume an inch and a half would be plenty added to your normal jacket size... maybe too much?
Dylan

The adding I'm refering to is in the length of the front of the jacket - so that when zipped the front and the back appear even. I've seen pics (MK's especially) where the unaltered jacket rides up in the front. I guess I'm trying to make sure that it's a no lose situation to add the 1.5" - I don't have much of a gut to speak of, then again that doesn't mean I won't eventually grow one...

Add at least the inch. If you are tall, say over 5 feet, 10 inches, then
add the inch and half.

I am 6 feet, 1 inches tall, and I asked Peter to make my size 44R Raiders
jacket front 24.5 inches. Thats the storm flap total length from the very
top, to the very bottom of the jacket. It actually came out to 24.75 or
so, so I think I got slightly more than an inch added.

But it makes a HUGE difference in the way the jacket looks from the side!

Whether zipped or unzipped, it sits very level, and does not ride up at
all!

Get the extra added in, and your all set!

Flathead

Sound like a no lose situation to me - so at 6'1" you got a 44 Reg? I'm 6'1" and all my jackets are 42 Long. Did you go 44 for the extra room? just curious...

I wonder if it would be a good idea to order the jacket in the "long" size, and just make sure the sleeves are the correct length. I'm thinking of ordering a new Wested, but I def. want it to be a little longer.

Take a look at Indiana Johns Ebay page, scroll down to the pic.
http://members.ebay.com/aboutme/indygear/

THAT seems like the perfect length Indy jacket IMHO. Looks alot like the TofD style.

I'm kind of thinking along those lines - a slightly longer Raiders - not quite a ToD, but not a "member's only" short style either...

Actually if you order a long size, the front is still going to be higher than
the back if you don't add the extra length to it.

The reason the jackets ride up is because the front and back of the
jacket are even with each other. If you take the jacket, and lay it down
on a bed for example, most jackets will have the front and the back lined
up with each other.

When you stand up straight, or if you have a gut, the front will rise up
and be naturally higher than the back. This is also the case with most
women who wear mens jackets, for obvious reasons...

But if you add in an extra inch to inch and half to just the front, then the
front of the jacket, when laid out the same way as above, will be longer
by this amount.

This is what helps with the ride-up. If you get a long size, you are still
going to have this problem, only the jacket will just be down farther on
your body.

Sound like a no lose situation to me - so at 6'1" you got a 44 Reg? I'm 6'1" and all my jackets are 42 Long. Did you go 44 for the extra room? just curious

I am indeed a normal size 42!! My brother!!!

Yes, I did get the size 44 for extra room, and I am glad I did!! These
Wested jackets are cut more twards a military size, which is a slimmer
cut, than most of todays jackets. If you want to wear anything other than
a tee shirt under your Wested, you should go a size up.

For example, my size 44R Wested has a total chest measurement of
48 inches total. The size 42R will have a chest measurement of 46 inches
total.

Most of todays jackets, in a size 44R will have a total chest measurement
of about 50 inches, and the 42R will be about 48 inches. Thats in todays
sizes on most jackets other than a Wested, or an A-2 or the like.

Because of this, if you order your normal size in a Wested, it will be
tight across the chest and upper arms when you reach or you are driving,
I can guarantee that. Order a size up, or ask for more room in your
normal size or you will be sorry.

Go back and read thru all the folks who ordered their normal size, only
to find in a few weeks or months that their jackets have now magically
"shrunk" or are now "too tight across the chest and arms". This happens
all the time to people who don't think ahead a little. Also, as we age, you
are going to put on weight, so going up a size will afford you more years
with your jacket.

People will wear a jacket that is slightly large on them, with no problem.
But how many times do you read about people who say their jackets are
just a bit too small, and they end up just hanging in their closets because
they are uncomfortable to wear anyplace?

Just to sum it up, if you want a slim fit, with no extra room in your jacket,
order your normal size. If you want a jacket to wear layers under, and
have it fit like your normal jackets of today, then order the next size up
from what you would normally wear. Trust me you will be much happier
with the fit!

Oh, and I did indeed ask Peter for my jacket to be between the normal
back length of a Raiders and TOD jacket. I asked for a 26 inch back
length, and a 24.5 inch front length. Thats a inch longer in back than a
normal size 44R Raiders. And the front is 2.5 inches longer than a normal
size 44R Raiders. (Thats the inch like on the back, plus the extra inch
and half for ride-up).

So, my jacket is indeed a between length jacket, and I love it!! Its not
short, or near my waist, but its not down past my butt either!

Flathead[/quote]

I'm think I may go with a 44 long - the sleeve size seems closest to my sleeve length - and have the 1.5 added to the front length. It's good to hear from someone more or less my size to confirm my suspicions. I'm also getting measured for a tux for a friend's wedding, so I'll be able to get some exact measurements there as well.
I have to admit though, after getting leather samples from Wested, I may change my mind and go with the Auth. Lamb instead of goat. The feel of the leather sold me - even my wife took one look and picked the lamb. I'll just have to make sure I treat it for the elements...

Make sure you send Peter your actual sleeve length. He can make the
jacket to any sleeve length you want.

If you get the long size, and then add the inch and half to the front on
top of that, its going to be REALLY long in front! Just be prepared for
that! You may just want the regular size with the added length to the
front, and not the long size. I specified my size 44 to have a back length
of 26 inches, and a front length of 24.5, and it fits beautifully! If I had
gone with a long size, even though I am 6 feet, 1 inches tall, and then
had Peter add the extra length to the front for ride-up, it would have
been down to my inseam!! Just be careful what you order!

And remember too, that with the longer size, the sleeves are longer too.
So, like I said above, make sure you send Peter your correct sleeve
length!

Flathead

So basically what I need to do is order a 44R with the lengths of a 42 Long plus the 1.5" in front and I'll be cool...?

Confusing, isn't it?

Ok here's another question (Flathead - please respond!) - if I go with a
44 and give my exact sleeve length, will the sleeve sit lower due to the fact that there's more room in the body? In other words, do I need to give a slightly shorter sleeve length or will my actual length sit correctly with the larger jacket?

If you look at the Wested website, and look at the
measurements of each size jacket, the difference between
a 42 and a 44 shoulder seam measurement is not that
different.

You should order your normal sleeve length, and not have
to worry about what little extra is there at the top along
the upper shoulder seam. The larger size of the jacket is mainly
in the body. The sleeves seem to be about the same
diameter in the normal sizes like 42, 44, 46 up in the
bicep area. The sleeves usually start getting wider in
sizes 48 and above for larger people, or if you request
them to be larger. Otherwise, they are basically the
same for the jacket sizes I mentioned. Most of the upper
shoulder seams have measurements of about 6.75 to 7.5
inches, and thats not enough to make a difference in your
normal sleeve length unless the shoulder seam is hanging
way down past your actual shoulder on your body.

Just take a jacket that fits you right now, measure the
sleeves from the shoulder seam to the cuff, and give that
to Peter along with your normal shirt sleeve measurement.

For example, most of my jackets, that fit me good, have
a shoulder seam to cuff measurement of 24 inches. Thats
about an inch shorter than the average person. Most jackets
that I get from vendors like Lands End, or LL Bean, the
jackets sleeves are always too long for me. Thats why
I have started going to custom made jackets from Wested
and Aero Leather in Scotland. I can specify exactly what I
want.

I have a Wings Old Cow Indy jacket, and I had to send it
to Cooper (Who made the jackets for Wings) to get the
sleeves shortened because Wings won't do those things for
you. Why? Because they sell standard size jackets in small
medium, large and x-large with whatever sleeve length
comes with them. So guys like me with short arms are
either out of luck, or we have to send them to get fixed
by someone else.

Also remember, that most leather jackets will start to get
creases in the sleeves after you wear it, and those creases
will take up some length of the sleeve. If you start out with
the sleeves about a half inch longer than you need, in about
a month or so of wearing the jacket, the creases will use
up this extra length, and the sleeves will be just right.

This is much more prevalent on Lambskin and goatskin
jackets than it is on Cowhide. Cowhide doesn't seem to
keep the creases in it like the other two do. My Wested
is a Lambskin, and the sleeves did indeed crease up by
about a half inch. The Wings Old Cow, that I have had for
over two years never creased at all, not even a smidge!
The sleeves are the same today as the day I had Cooper
fix the length.

Flathead

I spoke to somebody at Wested today - not sure whom - and they said the same thing - that my regular sleeve length would do...