Sorry dear that's true, I did. And you are right. Again. Do you think there is a way we can work past this? lol
Let me try and make amends..
Once I was driving through the Scottish Borders that part of the drive was great. It was driving through the North of England that broke my heart. All together including a couple of short breaks it was about 7 hours each way. I can't say it wasn't too bad, cos it was! But in the final analysis it was definitely worth it.
As you may remember I have had my eye on a Pioneer, believing it to be roomier than a 30s halfbelt but trimmer than a 50s HB. Well, it turns out it's basically an altered version of the 30s HB - in Ken's own words it's 20s/30s influenced. As it seems are the Speedway, Sunburst and Dustbowl. Sure these are some very pretty designs but fit wise they're 30s HB esque, with those high cut armholes that I don't get on with. That type of fit is not what I'm looking for this time, so that ruled out the Pioneer. That was the bad news.
The good news is there is a jacket that fits between a 30s HB and a 50s HB and it's killer. I'm talking about the Original Hercules. There's only one been made and fortunately for me it's a 38! The fit was exquisite. Comfortable without any excess material and no high armholes. I'd compare it to trying on a well fitted jacket in a dept store, though obviously once you look down at what you're actually wearing the comparisons end right there. This one now has to be sent away for 'grading' which is the process of working out that pattern for the other sizes. Ken showed me the one it was made from - his original - and this one he's come up with is better cos the original has errors on it. Wonkey seams and dodgy stitching, which he told me was common back in those days as these were of course ordered to be worn as workwear. Not for poncing around in like us lot, rather for doing actual physical manly labour in. Everything about that one is class and it's the one he is most proud of. Kinda explains the price tag I suppose, which btw also reflects the difficulty involved in producing one with any degree of precision; specifically we are talking about the back here. When I tried it on inevitably the sleeves were too short but to my surprise the body was pretty good. Ken thought it was perfect on me (though he is advising me to wear my jeans higher) and I thought it needed an extra half an inch. Fyi the front overhangs the back a little bit like the 30s halfbelt does but the dip is much less pronounced, more rounded. The result is, as I've said already, a jacket that fits superbly well. Needless to say this one is now down for my first order. Nearly forgot, it has one of those expensive hookless zippers, which I struggled with. If you know what to do they're not rocket science - but I didn't! You have to carefully make sure it's properly lined up before you pull
So, after my Pioneer and Speedway hopes were shattered I flat out asked Ken what he thought might be a good style for me. He suggested I try on a Cropduster. Whenever I've seen that one on the website or anywhere else I've always flicked right past it. I don't like the pockets or the elasticated waist. But you know what? I put it on and I fell in love. The elasticated sides lend the fit a wonderful elegance - it just fits so well and looks so right. Those pockets that I had previously thought of as unsightly I realised are actually very practical and in my revised opinion, I would say keep the thing from looking too poncey i.e. they balance it by adding a practical (masculine if you will) element that is needed. I really like that design and it was such an awesome fit - so I put that one down for my second order.
All in all, I was there for about 4 hours. I met all the family who were good hosts and all the workers except for Julie Leitch who was on a, by all accounts well deserved, break at that time.
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