Aero 30's Half Belt Fitting Advice

[zimmy65]

Carrie at Thurston Bros is helping me get sized up for a jacket. I just received the fit jacket today (see pics below - forgive the bare feet). Apart from the length adjustments needed, I'm thinking it's not a good fit. I particularly don't like all the excess material in the upper back and arms. I'm wondering if I should go up a size and consider the Premier 1930s Half Belt.

What do you think?

 

[Bfd70]

I’d size down 1.
About 1.5”. Chest
1” back length
Many here will like the sleeves but i’d shorten .5”
Why would you go up a size in premiere?

 

[ProteinNerd]

The premier will be much narrower through the shoulders even if you size up. This isn’t a terrible fit though, I’d look at just trying the next size down in the standard 30s half belt.

 

[HoosierDaddy]

Just send that fit pic to Carrie and she will give you best advice on what to adjust for a better fit. That's why Thurston Bros send fit jackets.

 

[lina]

Another option to as for shoulder gussets, which might pull in some of the excess material..

 

[Fanch]

Just send that fit pic to Carrie and she will give you best advice on what to adjust for a better fit. That's why Thurston Bros send fit jackets.

I was preparing exactly the same answer HD's when I saw his response. The problem with sizing down from what appears to me to be a fit jacket that already looks pretty good is a jacket slightly too loose will still make you but a jacket slightly too tight will make you

Is that fit jacket that Carrie sent you CXL FQHH or Vicenza? In any case, send the pictures to Carrie and she'll give you better advice on how you should proceed than any of us. She is a professional and is incredibly talented at what she does.

Once I rotated your pictures, it appears to be the jacket might be too tight if you sized down, but the body length and sleeves might be a tad too long, maybe 1/2" to 1" each. HOWEVER, I am not an expert here, but Carrie is. Ask her!

 

[zimmy65]

Thanks for the input everyone! I talked to Carrie and she said she’d look at the photos. Based on the conversation I had with her, she thought going up one size to the Premier may be the solution.

The fit jacket is Vicenza. I’ll probably go with the tumbled CXL for my jacket. She thought that would help tighten the back up too.

The reason sizing up and going with the Premier may solve the problem is that the chest size will stay the same but the arms will tighten as will the arm holes. I don’t think I could size down with the chest size as it actually feels just right in that regard.

Despite the imperfect fit, it’s a gorgeous jacket. This will be my first real leather jacket.

 

[Fanch]

Sounds like you are definitely on the right track. What I was trying to tell you in my earlier post is that the fit jacket looked OK to me in the chest and shoulders, and if you sized down the jacket appeared to me it would be too tight.

I generally wear a size 42 1930's Half Belt with 1" added to the body and 2" to the sleeves. On one occasion I tried on a friend's size 42 Premier Highwayman and found the fit too tight in the chest and shoulders, and would need a size 44 Premier highwayman. My experience is consistent with what Carrie is telling you regarding going up one size in the Premier that might better conform to your anatomy.

Let us know what Carrie's input is and highly recommend you follow her lead.

 

[zimmy65]

Thanks Fanch! I agree that going down a size would likely result in the jacket being too tight around my chest and shoulders. Carrie looked at the photos and has basically said what you said: to either take in the jacket a little or move up one size and go with the Premier fit. Her recommendation is that if I go with the CXL it would be better to stick with the standard fit in the current size but if I go with the Vicenza (which is what the fit jacket is) then I'd be better off to size up and go with the Premier. Tough decision.

BTW how were you able to rotate the photos? Thanks for doing that. They looked okay on my phone but were rotated to the side on my laptop when I posted them.

 

[navetsea]

looking at the profile picture that dimple on the upper sleeve just under the shoulder seam, and the underarm messy folds, i think you can wear a 1 size smaller.

 

[Mich486]

Yep go Premiere. If you size down the excess at the back of the arms will likely still be there and the chest too thought.

Btw I saw on the Aero website they have reworked this pattern (there is a test jacket on the sale page) slimming the back and sleeves and rising the armholes. Might be something to consider as well.


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[Fanch]

CXL FQHH is packed with waxes that adds significant weight to the jacket, and based on my opinion, the primary advantage is greater water resistance. My CXL FQHH brown Teamster has body shell lined with moleskin and sleeves lined with cotton sateen. I can layer underneath it too but look and feel like the Michelin Man when I layer underneath a shorter jacket like a 1930's HB.

No doubt Carrie's advice is solid and would not deviate from her recommendation(s) if I were you. My preference would be to select Seal Vicenza, size up and go with the Premier. The Seal Vicenza is a magnificant color with fantastic feel, look and drape that is worth the upcharge and then some. A Vicenza jacket is IMO more wearable than CXL FQHH, and I am more likely to grab a Vicenza from my closet on the fly than I am a heavier CXL FQHH, although others here will have a different perspective than I. It all depends on the general use you have in mind regarding your selection.

 

[Colin G]

I used that 30's Half Belt as a test jacket from Thurston Bros for a Premiere version. I found the 30's version fit a bit big in the upper back and arms like you say, but not at the shoulder width. It did fit nice in width. I am a smaller guy but have a 39" chest and 18" shoulder width.

I found the 30's version fit a bit strange to be honest and I did not like it, but I like high arm hole placement hence me going with the Premiere version. A jacket cut with a high arm hole and smaller arm circumference should get rid of that extra material in the upper arm area. At least in my experience.

My jacket has not arrived yet so I can't comment just yet on fit and how Thurston Bros sizing recommendations turned out but I guess if the fit is off, it goes back for one that does fit.

 

[Bfd70]

I have a reg 1930’s in seal vicenza properly sized via Thurstons and do not feel there is any excessive bagginess. I’d guess the fqhh exaggerates some fit issues out of the box due to the initial lack of drape. Vicenza eleiminates this. I have a slim build and do nit find the sleeves or upperr back too baggy. The Picture below is after only a total of about 8 hours wear time. I am only wearing a t-shirt. There is room for light layering.

 

[zimmy65]

Thanks for the replies. My chest is 39" relaxed and my shoulders are just over 19" (measured to the bones) so, Colin G, we're pretty much the same size. Did you get the Premier in the size 40 or stay with the 38?

Bfd70 I looked at that photo many times when considering ordering the Half Belt. I wish the regular HB fit me that way. Yours looks great on you. The fit jacket in my photos is also Vicenza and you can see it fits nothing like the way yours does. I'll ask Carrie what she thinks about dropping down a size but she didn't mention that as a possible solution.

 

[Colin G]

I was sent a 40 in the 30's test jacket. They upsized me in the Premiere. Looks like they ordered me a 42.

Seems odd but she knows how these Aero models fit vs one another so I trust her judgement.

 

[zimmy65]

I just looked at my emails to her and the chest measurement of 39” I gave her was with a shirt and a light sweater on so it probably makes sense that you would be one size bigger.

 

[sweetfights]

I have a reg 1930’s in seal vicenza properly sized via Thurstons and do not feel there is any excessive bagginess. I’d guess the fqhh exaggerates some fit issues out of the box due to the initial lack of drape. Vicenza eleiminates this. I have a slim build and do nit find the sleeves or upperr back too baggy. The Picture below is after only a total of about 8 hours wear time. I am only wearing a t-shirt. There is room for light layering.


View attachment 148604

Right on!! Stellar fit too.

 

[Edward]

I’d size down 1.
About 1.5”. Chest
1” back length
Many here will like the sleeves but i’d shorten .5”
Why would you go up a size in premiere?

If memory serves, Insurrection as standard add 1" in length to all Aero jackets they hold in stock; don't know if this affects the fit-jackets, though.

The Premiere pattern is cut very significantly neater. It's the result o long consultation and design consideration - the realisation of what was, at a time, fabled as the "Aero Japanese fit" (c/f how a lot of MIJ jackets, including the likes of RMC's A2s) can be cut slimmer to fit the more common bodytypes for their local market. (Lewis Leathers also make a slim fit version with the same intent). As a rule, the upshot is that most people need to go up a size from one to the other - same as a Schott 118 in a 44 equates to a Schott 618 in a 46.

Just send that fit pic to Carrie and she will give you best advice on what to adjust for a better fit. That's why Thurston Bros send fit jackets.

Yes.

I have a reg 1930’s in seal vicenza properly sized via Thurstons and do not feel there is any excessive bagginess. I’d guess the fqhh exaggerates some fit issues out of the box due to the initial lack of drape. Vicenza eleiminates this. I have a slim build and do nit find the sleeves or upperr back too baggy. The Picture below is after only a total of about 8 hours wear time. I am only wearing a t-shirt. There is room for light layering.


View attachment 148604

Perfect fit; exactly how I like my jackets. Room for a thin sweater or a shirt and waistcoat, not for a heavy sweater. Not too tight either. Ideal.

I was sent a 40 in the 30's test jacket. They upsized me in the Premiere. Looks like they ordered me a 42.

Seems odd but she knows how these Aero models fit vs one another so I trust her judgement.

It'll be right. I wear 42 in a Highwayman, a 44 in a 30s HB, and a 46 in a Premiere Fit 30s HB. Different cuts entirely, so will fit the same boy in different ways.

 

[zimmy65]

Btw I saw on the Aero website they have reworked this pattern (there is a test jacket on the sale page) slimming the back and sleeves and rising the armholes. Might be something to consider as well.

That's interesting. It's hard to tell if this is a one off or something they plan on offering more widely.