Aero Highwayman fit advice wanted

[jglf]

Get the premier version and add shoulder gussets or an action back to make it more comfortable in the shoulder area.

 

[Psant25]

I tried a couple premier highwaymans and they looked great in pics but just too tight in the upper back/shoulders. I tried a couple zip sleeve highwaymans and a CHP. I think at first when stiff they fit real good esp in the body. As the leather eased up i feel like the large body was accentuated. I also felt like it pinched in the front shoulder I just did not have the range of motion. I have only a Langlitz and a johnson leather now. Sold off 6-7 aeros. Still think about every other week of trying aero again lol. Maybe taking 1 inch off each side panel. I go direct from aero. Carrie and company are super nice. I feel like judging off pics alone I was a couple times getting talked into a jacket that was too small for me. If you stick around a while I think you may see that given the new aeros coming in and then getting flipped.

 

[LAW7]

I really appreciate every one of these comments. Every person adds something useful. The civility, knowledge, helpfulness, and good vibes of this group is off the charts. So refreshing, so unusual these days.

Here's where I am right now: Whatever the problems might be with Aero, I'm already committed to Thurston Bros financially, I don't think I want to go the Thedi or Vanson routes, and I like the Highwayman for looks and wearability. I live in Washington DC, not Hawaii or Southern California, and I'll want to wear it zipped and with thicker shirts or a sweater in the colder months. I completely agree with those who say I look better in the PHWM and that the HWM is boxy. But I fear I will not wear the Premier much for the same reasons Mrfrown continues to struggle a bit with his. His fit is now fabulous and that jacket works for him in his rotation of jackets. This jacket is going to be my rotation.

Carrie suggested tapering the size 40 standard. I basically followed her instructions to figure out how big the taper should be: wearing a tee shirt and a heavy (14 oz) raw denim shirt, with the tabs of the HWM fit jacket unbuckled, I can pinch almost the entire gusset or panel or whatever you call it where the buckle is, on both sides, at the bottom of the fit jacket. The taper will apparently be based on that somehow.

I'm thinking Tumbled Brown, olive cotton drill lining, standard HWM front but zip sleeves like the Zip Sleeve HWM. Thanks to everyone for the extremely valuable input.

 

[ton312]

I think the PHWM is best in a lighter hide. It looks brilliant on you @LAW7. Mine was too tight in the shoulders, arms and around the neck, but wildly too large in the gut (and I took a full 2” out of the hem). I hate to add more complicated calculus to the equation, but what about a 46” PHWM tapered to a 44” torso?

 

[ton312]

Nahhh, because Ton is still around in Oct

LOOOL. Dude. That was perfect. But I think it actually burns the Sox more than the Cubs. They have a legit, albeit young, team. Cubbies won’t see me in the stands again unless beers go back to $3.50 and tickets are $8. I will pay no more than $2.75 for a hot dog. Bring back the days of too drunk to care. Go Cubs!

 

[LAW7]

I think the PHWM is best in a lighter hide. It looks brilliant on you @LAW7. Mine was too tight in the shoulders, arms and around the neck, but wildly too large in the gut (and I took a full 2” out of the hem). I hate to add more complicated calculus to the equation, but what about a 46” PHWM tapered to a 44” torso?

Yes, that might work for well for fit, but with lighter hides, I didn't like the Vicenza in my fit jacket, and judging from photos I don't like the shine of some of the others. Plus the shiny ones apparently squeak. I much preferred the Brown FQHH in the other fit jacket. The leather look I'm actually going for, at least based on photos, is this Armoury x RM jacket, which is apparently high-end Shinki. Best internet look at it is at https://www.permanentstyle.com/2019/01/how-to-wear-a-horsehide-jacket-armoury-x-real-mccoys.html
Seems like Tumbled Brown is the closest thing Aero has to that.

 

[BlueSteel]

Looks like a much better fit to me than the standard one.

Yes - I agree with this opinion!

 

[AeroFan_07]

Sounds like you are on a good track - good but not perfect fit, durable (cotton drill lining is my preffered) and simple, straightforward styling. That FQHH in Brown will look amazing after some wear in as well.

 

[LAW7]

Sounds like you are on a good track - good but not perfect fit, durable (cotton drill lining is my preffered) and simple, straightforward styling. That FQHH in Brown will look amazing after some wear in as well.

Thanks. It's completely counter-intuitive to choose the style with the inferior-looking fit. But I guess that's what I'm in the process of doing.

 

[Carlos840]

Carrie suggested tapering the size 40 standard. I basically followed her instructions to figure out how big the taper should be: wearing a tee shirt and a heavy (14 oz) raw denim shirt, with the tabs of the HWM fit jacket unbuckled, I can pinch almost the entire gusset or panel or whatever you call it where the buckle is, on both sides, at the bottom of the fit jacket. The taper will apparently be based on that somehow.

"Side panels" is what you meant.
They adjust tapering by making narrower side panels i think.
I think the 40 standard tapering down to a 38 at the waist might be a good solution too.

 

[MrProper]

I'm going to try to post the PHWN Vicenza pics again, here. I think I've done it so it will show each photo three times, unfortunately; sorry about that, if that happened. I uploaded each of the three once, and then clicked Full Image wherever that choice showed up.
View attachment 374005 View attachment 374006 View attachment 374005 View attachment 374006 View attachment 374007 View attachment 374005 View attachment 374006 View attachment 374007

Looks good. Still a little taper on the hem and fine.
It may feel tight on top, but visually it looks like enough room. I maintain after a period of acclimation and breaking in, the size would fit.

 

[LAW7]

"Side panels" is what you meant.
They adjust tapering by making narrower side panels i think.
I think the 40 standard tapering down to a 38 at the waist might be a good solution too.

Ok, thanks, side panels. Carrie suggested last night that based on the photos and my pinching report on the 40 Highwayman, they should make the side panels narrower by one inch.

 

[LAW7]

Looks good. Still a little taper on the hem and fine.
It may feel tight on top, but visually it looks like enough room. I maintain after a period of acclimation and breaking in, the size would fit.

I trust your eye and experience. Maybe my second jacket will be a well-broken-in 44 PHWM in a lighter leather, if one of this group is ever selling one.

 

[Monitor]

IMO, with Highwayman, size doesn't matter as much as the length of the jacket. That's where its at.

 

[navetsea]

I'm going to try to post the PHWN Vicenza pics again, here. I think I've done it so it will show each photo three times, unfortunately; sorry about that, if that happened. I uploaded each of the three once, and then clicked Full Image wherever that choice showed up.
View attachment 374005 View attachment 374006 View attachment 374005 View attachment 374006 View attachment 374007 View attachment 374005 View attachment 374006 View attachment 374007

I think this look fine on you, not at all too tight it looks even relax with plenty of room to me, I think you can wear it over a mid layer too with no problem. the jacket on P1 is too boxy on you.

 

[Tom71]

Personally, I believe the standard HWM fits the way it’s supposed too. CXL Horse takes a while to mould to your shape, but when it does it will “settle down” a bit and will appear less boxy.
Have you considered a 1950s Halfbelt? Still a comfortable pattern with very clean lines, but much less “square” than the HWM. Looks totally boss in brown FQHH too!

 

[LAW7]

Personally, I believe the standard HWM fits the way it’s supposed too. CXL Horse takes a while to mould to your shape, but when it does it will “settle down” a bit and will appear less boxy.
Have you considered a 1950s Halfbelt? Still a comfortable pattern with very clean lines, but much less “square” than the HWM. Looks totally boss in brown FQHH too!

Yes, for that reason I've looked at various Aero Half Belts. I'm an older guy who isn't a motorcyclist or a rock star and I like the HWM/PHWM because they're in between multi-zip motorcycle jackets (which Keith Richards and Ronnie Wood can wear but I shouldn't) and the classic 30's and 50's half belt styles that I fear would look stodgy on me (from the rear in particular).

 

[Canuck Panda]

Not to complicate things further. But I think you will like the basic half belts. I didn't either before this place. But I also can't get enough of them now. It's like a longer highwayman that I can cinch it in at the waist. Or like wearing a plain Norfolk type of sports jacket.
I would still get a HWYM first though. It's gonna be the one jacket you'll probably wear the most. At least that is the case for me.

 

[LAW7]

Not to complicate things further. But I think you will like the basic half belts. I didn't either before this place. But I also can't get enough of them now. It's like a longer highwayman that I can cinch it in at the waist. Or like wearing a plain Norfolk type of sports jacket.
I would still get a HWYM first though. It's gonna be the one jacket you'll probably wear the most. At least that is the case for me.

View attachment 374432

Both of those look great.

 

[TooManyHatsOnlyOneHead]

Think it was mentioned, maybe not, but maybe a 38? The 40 to me looks classic one size too big. But layering would be tricky in anything cxl if you want to know my opinion.

You got it right that slightly too big is better than slightly too small. The other hard cold truth has been said in other ways too. Looking good in photos may not equal comfortable too. And really hardcore aficionados will have a jacket to wear open, a jacket for warmer weather, a jacket for layering, etc.

The 40 with a taper could be a good compromise too. But that 40 seems a little big up top too.