Aero half belt. Advice needed

[sweetfights]

narrowing my choice down.
Anyone have advice on 50’s vs 30’s half belt fit?

 

[ton312]

I had both. The 50's is a bit roomier. Best I can do is show you pics. Both size 42"
30's HB has a drop front, 50's is cut straight at the hem. Armholes slightly higher on the 30's.
30's HB: Midnight blue FQHH

50's HB: Black FQHH

There's not a huge difference between the two. I might size down one size in the 50's HB if I did it over again. I had the belt pulled all the way in in these pics.

 

[sweetfights]

I had both. The 50's is a bit roomier. Best I can do is show you pics. Both size 42"
30's HB has a drop front, 50's is cut straight at the hem. Armholes slightly higher on the 30's.
30's HB: Midnight blue FQHH
View attachment 113453
View attachment 113455
50's HB: Black FQHH
View attachment 113454
View attachment 113456

There's not a huge difference between the two. I might size down one size in the 50's HB if I did it over again. I had the belt pulled all the way in in these pics.

Perfect advice with photos as usual Ton. Thank you

 

[ton312]

I will say if I could have one back....I couldn't decide which it would be.

 

[Seb Lucas]

That looks bloody great - makes me want one again. Ton what't the back length on yours when you get them, 27 inches?

 

[Fanch]

At least for me the 1930's HB is a much better fit than the 1950's. When I attempt to layer underneath a 1950's HB I look and feel like the Michelin Man. When the 1930's is zipped it tends to keep me warm as it keeps in the heat. I use my longer Teamster if I need to layer.

Although I know the side fasteners are designed to be adjustable, I don't particularly like to cinch in as it make the jacket look and feel misshapen if that makes any sense. This is somewhat illustrated by the pictures of @ton312 1930's vs. his 1950's and suspect he knows where I am coming from as his 1930's appears to be a perfect fit whereas his 1950's HB doesn't look like it fits as well as his 1930's HB. My concern with sizing down one size with a 1950's HB is that the chest and shoulders might then be too tight which is actually worse than a jacket that is baggy in the midsection. At one time I preferred a baggy fit, but no mas! Not to say there is anything wrong with the way Tony's 1950's HB fits him; it's simply a different design from the earlier, different era of the 1930's.

OK enough tap dancing on my part here. I'll just come out and say I like the 1930's better.

 

[ton312]

That looks bloody great - makes me want one again. Ton what't the back length on yours when you get them, 27 inches?

26.5" Seb. TBH on the 30's HB I should've reduced the back length by 1". The jacket had a good 2" of front drop and I think it would've been better a bit shorter. The 50's HB was 27" and perfect w/ the blunt/Flat Hem.

 

[AeroFan_07]

Very good questions here Sweetfights, and I agree with what has already been posted above. I briefly had a '50's HB which I did not find fit me all that well. However I still have and love this Steerhide 30's HB which came out of Thurston Brothers. It has been a fit jacket for a year before I bought it (so free break-in) and is lined with simple black cotton drill. It's one of the heavier Steerhide Aero's I've owned. I purchased the 4-pocket Cafe Racer first (which fits very similar to your LW Easy Ryder that I purchased from you and really enjoy). Both of those are very snug fitting. For the 30's HB I wanted a little more room to allow for thicker shirts, or a sweatshirt underneath. Mission accomplished there. This is a Daily driver of a jacket for me, it sees a lot of use.

Here's the dimensions:
Size 44 as per tag
Shoulders: 19.5"
Pit to Pit: 23.5"
Waist: 21"
Sleeve Straight Down: 25.5"
Sleeve Around: 26.5"
Torso length: 23"
Back length: 26"
Apx dip from side to center of front bottom: 1.25"

Fit photos:

 

[sweetfights]

Thank you- You guys are the best!!!

 

[sweetfights]

I had both. The 50's is a bit roomier. Best I can do is show you pics. Both size 42"
30's HB has a drop front, 50's is cut straight at the hem. Armholes slightly higher on the 30's.
30's HB: Midnight blue FQHH
View attachment 113453
View attachment 113455
50's HB: Black FQHH
View attachment 113454
View attachment 113456

There's not a huge difference between the two. I might size down one size in the 50's HB if I did it over again. I had the belt pulled all the way in in these pics.

Ton- do you still have some photos of the back??

 

[ton312]

I've got this shot of the 30's HB. 50's HB had a full action back, sadly don't have a pic. Here's the 30's. Shoulder gussets and a single yolk. That back config is my jam apparently.

 

[AeroFan_07]

Yep Tony's has gussets, mine does not. Works either way it seems.

 

[marmalademan]

How tall are you? And what's your chest size @sweetfights

 

[Fanch]

26.5" Seb. TBH on the 30's HB I should've reduced the back length by 1". The jacket had a good 2" of front drop and I think it would've been better a bit shorter. The 50's HB was 27" and perfect w/ the blunt/Flat Hem.

Tony, I think the back length is optimal. If reduced by 1" IMO it would be too short in the back. This illustrates my only negative with the 1930's design that does not apply to the 1950's. Perhaps the 1930's design might have been better served without the ~2" drop from front to back and be more user friendly without the front dip which is IMO a virtue of the 1950's over the 1930's. One of the virtues of the Cafe Racer / Sheene designs is there is no front dip that makes my two Sheenes my best fitting jackets, bar none.

At least one member had his Maxwell reduced in the front by a professional leather goods tailor. It is my understanding that Aero is unwilling to alter the front drop from their 1930's pattern as it corrupts the original design of that particular era. When Ken and Lydia made the drive to Invergorton to meet me awhile back, Ken told me he is very much into original era patterns, and one has to respect his point of view, including not altering the front dip on the 1930's HB, Maxwell, Mulligan, etc. I will say I have gotten used to the fit of my Maxwell and Mulligan jackets, and if I were to buy another jacket, my next would likely be a 1930's HB.

 

[sweetfights]

Very good questions here Sweetfights, and I agree with what has already been posted above. I briefly had a '50's HB which I did not find fit me all that well. However I still have and love this Steerhide 30's HB which came out of Thurston Brothers. It has been a fit jacket for a year before I bought it (so free break-in) and is lined with simple black cotton drill. It's one of the heavier Steerhide Aero's I've owned. I purchased the 4-pocket Cafe Racer first (which fits very similar to your LW Easy Ryder that I purchased from you and really enjoy). Both of those are very snug fitting. For the 30's HB I wanted a little more room to allow for thicker shirts, or a sweatshirt underneath. Mission accomplished there. This is a Daily driver of a jacket for me, it sees a lot of use.

Here's the dimensions:
Size 44 as per tag
Shoulders: 19.5"
Pit to Pit: 23.5"
Waist: 21"
Sleeve Straight Down: 25.5"
Sleeve Around: 26.5"
Torso length: 23"
Back length: 26"
Apx dip from side to center of front bottom: 1.25"

Fit photos:
View attachment 113484 View attachment 113485 View attachment 113486

As usual there are some real inconsistencies in jacket measurements.
I am trying to get the best range for fit. In searching Aero and Thurston the measures are all over the place.

 

[sweetfights]

How tall are you? And what's your chest size @sweetfights

5'9" 190 pounds. Chest is 43

 

[Carlos840]

As usual there are some real inconsistencies in jacket measurements.
I am trying to get the best range for fit. In searching Aero and Thurston the measures are all over the place.

My best advice is don't worry about it too much!

All my jackets until now have had 26 to 27" backs, and i always thought 26" was the shortest i should have.
My Himel Chevalier has a 25" back, which i would have freaked out about, but it fits me great, and reaches to the same level as my longer back jackets do.

A specific back length doesn't mean much without knowing how it fits within a specific pattern i think, and 1" one way or another isn't really that big a deal after all.

 

[sweetfights]

I've got this shot of the 30's HB. 50's HB had a full action back, sadly don't have a pic. Here's the 30's. Shoulder gussets and a single yolk. That back config is my jam apparently.
View attachment 113492

Looks so good from the back too. Not always rhe case I find. But this back is perfection n my eye.

 

[Carlos840]

27" back:

26" back:

25" back:

As you can see, the shortest one is actually the one that fits best in this case, just because the proportions of the whole jacket work best on my frame.

 

[marmalademan]

5'9" 190 pounds. Chest is 43

I advise 30s should sh between 24 and 24.5".

50s an inch longer