Club Obi Wan

No, I don't have it yet. But I do have a question for all of you folks that have a leather that also feel that it fits very well on your frame. I'm sure that many will agree that there is a certain amount of "comfortable overlap" with the jacket unzipped and with one side placed over the other. My question is: how much should there be? I think that this question isn't ambiguous because it really doesn’t matter how the side straps are adjusted- I'm guessing that it will be about the same for most people. If you understand my question and think you can answer it, please do.

There shouldn't be much that all... it simply isn't "that kind" of jacket.

Interesting, unlike my contemporaries, I am not barrel shaped.

I voted 3" as the maximum overlap, but my jacket only has 2" if I **** my chest in and pull hard on the two sides of the jacket. When I'm not playing tug of war with the sides, my jacket is closely fitted all round, no baginess at all.

Like Rob says, there shouldn't really be a lot of overlap as I believe the original jacket was quite close fitting. I reckon 3" would be the max anyone would want to go, unless they planned on wearing a sweater underneath and ordered a larger jacket for that reason...having said that, it's all about what feels right for the individual, and that's a difficult thing to pin down.

That's the kind of info I'm looking for. Are your side straps cinched up all the way or not?

If you'll recall, we rarely saw Indy sitting down with his jacket on. When sitting, you have ride up. To short, and it's even with the top of your trousers. I, too, voted for the 3 inch overlap when standing. That pulls up to just below the belt line when sitting, and has NOTHING to do with barrel shaped individuals. Circumference measurement does...not rideup. Regards. Michaelson

Are your side straps cinched up all the way or not?

No, there is about 2 inches of play left on each side strap. I rarely pull them any tighter as I find it flares the action pleats out too much for my liking, the side-straps are pulled snug, but not tight if you know what I mean.

We're talkin' comfortable overlap, right? The kind of overlap where you can begin to feel the jacket on your sides kind of overlap. Not pulling-as-hard-as-you-can kind of overlap. I have the cotton version, I don't know how it compares to the leather, but I have the buckles cinched up and I still have about 3" of overlap.
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Can you tell I'm going insane? I've taken up drinking AND smoking since yesterday. At least I have this cool rasp now...

Yup, comfortable overlap.

...and Jack, you have old Jess to thank for that...right? I mean the smoking and drinking...the insanity is all yours:? 8-[ Regards. Michaelson

The overlap as you mention, is going to be different where the side
straps adjust than it is going to be up around your chest.

The average person should have a waist that is between 4 and 6 inches
smaller than their chest. This is for the average MAN, not woman.

Most jackets are cut pretty much straight down the sides. Meaning, the
chest of the jacket will have the same measurement as the part that is
around your waist. Most jackets do not taper like your body.

Also, the Wested's are made with 4 inches of movement room in them.
Meaning, the actual chest measurement is 4 inches bigger than the tagged
size.

So, using myself as an example, I have a 42 inch chest, and a 36 inch
waist. If I was to order a size 42 regular Wested, it would have 4 inches
of total overlap (they call it movement room) in the chest, but I would
have 10 inches of total overlap around my waist.

So, if you were standing if front of me while I was figuring this out,
I would be pulling one side of the zipper over the other, and the material would
overlap each other by 2 inches at the chest, and 5 inches at the waist.
Which would give you the 4 inches total at the chest, 10 inches at the waist.

You can't really fit a jacket using the method you are trying. You
need to find a jacket that fits you well, whether it be cloth or leather,
and measure it, and then order your Wested with this information.

Flathead

Yeah, I found a jacket at an eddie bauer store that fit me very well, then I got the measurements for it and used them when I ordered my Wested. By the way, here's the EB jacket:
Kinda familliar...

I keep my side straps in the middle and I have almost 3 inches of chest overlap.

I just don't want to look like a dork.

Hmm... dork-gear.com?

Jack Flanders wrote:Interesting, unlike my contemporaries, I am not barrel shaped.

I'm not sure what that is supposed to mean? Anyway, moving right along... the point is, whether you're as skinny as a rake, or as big as a barn door, the jacket isn't supposed to have a lot of overlap, which is what I said.

This is why, if you look at Ford wearing the jacket, it hangs quite open. It's not the kind of jacket that hangs together looking like it's zipped up, even when it's not.

Jack Flanders wrote:I just don't want to look like a dork.

Some of us don't have a choice. 8-[
Stick with the 3" overlap. Now if you'll excuse me, I need a fews shots of Gentleman Jack and a smoke.

I think if you plan on wearing anything like a sweater or flannel shirt under it you might need a little more, like 3-4 inches,plus it gives you room for those pesky holliday meals....mmmmmmm

Indiana Irwin wrote:I'm not sure what that is supposed to mean?

me niether, just sounded good

Jack Flanders wrote:Interesting, unlike my contemporaries, I am not barrel shaped.

What exactly are those contemporaries? Trekkies?

"Who knows, wags, pundits...look I'm not the one on trial here!"
-Kent Brockman, Springfield's finest anchorman

The amount of overlap inherent in all jackets. If you are standing up, and gently pull one side of the jacket over the other, so that the insides just begin to tough your sides, (not so that it is tight), then what is the distance between the zipper teeth?