Ask a Question, Get An Answer About Outerwear

[MrProper]

Interesting. I'm six two, I tend to wear a back length that is 26.5 inches, which is only an inch longer than yours at five ten. This falls just over the back pockets of my mid rise jeans. I wouldn't want anything shorter than this.

I think that is always related to the proportion between the upper and lower body length. I am 6.5 / 196 cm and my preferred jacket length is 26.75

 

[Nathan Ford]

IMO, the CR style is best for tall slim builds.

Did you ever think there's a relationship between the collar shape and the face shape?

It’s also one of the few styles where heavier leather isn’t always a good choice.

Yeah, I remember someone pointed out the same things, who end up by selling his J100 (maybe Carlos840??)

 

[Pandemic]

Did you ever think there's a relationship between the collar shape and the face shape?

Years ago I had a shirt with a banded collar that I liked a lot, until my gf of the time told me that it didn’t suit me. Something about having a long neck and head shape. While I didn’t really take her opinions too seriously, it was enough to take the shine of that shirt. I hardly worse it after.

 

[handymike]

I agree. I have always felt that the mandarin collar makes my head and neck look weird. Then a year or so ago, I bought a cafe racer for cheap. It had one end of the collar longer to snap around the neck. I ended up liking the look. Now I enjoy wearing my cafe racer with neck strap, and I don’t feel as self-conscious.

 

[Monitor]

I would say baseline or standard would be better than "gold standard." Red Wing especially does not deserve that moniker at all and I don't think that CXL does by any means either. Do I agree CXL is the modern baseline/standard leather that we measure against? Well, if there is one, CXL is it.

Thing is, unlike Red Wing that isn't doing anything particularly worth of this moniker at all, to me personally, CXL is still among the top 3 best looking leather on the market right now with none other being specifically nicer.
Fine Creek is all about leather (don't now what they're using really) and it barely competes to worn in Horween, with everything else falling well behind. I can't think of any other leather that's more photogenic, too. Even RMC's shinki, while softer and nicer to wear, looks kind of flat compared to it. Any dramatic shift in contrast and texture it may have simply fades, compared to Horween. I know it's a personal preference but Horween's CXL is crazy beautiful. It stands out.

Also, while most decent tanneries in Europe can easily match the look of, I don't know, Vicenza (it's a pretty standard looking leather anyway) or anything else with that vibe, for Horween's CXL, I really and honestly wouldn't know where else to turn to if I wanted a similar alternative.

 

[Jin431]

I think cxl makes some of the best leather in the world too, the brown and cordovan really stand out. Tony just had the midnight blue aero and that looks stunning. Granting it's not the easiest leather to work with and break in so some might not like it so much compared to the vegetable tanned counterpart

Im not sure if it's just me but I think redwing makes better boots for the Japanese market lol

 

[Pandemic]

I might of derailed this thread a bit, by referencing the Gold Standard - something young folks these days are unaware of or what the idiom means (ie, a widely known, universal baseline). Sorry!

 

[Jin431]

I might of derailed this thread a bit, by referencing the Gold Standard - something young folks these days are unaware of or what the idiom means (ie, a widely known, universal baseline). Sorry!

I totally get what you were trying to imply. I didn't know squat about boots about 10 years ago but I knew redwing was a trusted go to footwear choice. so even now it is my standard if the boot/bootmaker is par/subpar/over the quality of red wings.

 

[Jules Myers]

Is there a business like Thurston Bros that would allow you to go through the fitting process for an Eastman jacket?

 

[Marc mndt]

Is there a business like Thurston Bros that would allow you to go through the fitting process for an Eastman jacket?

Eastman only makes OTR (non-custom). You can just order a jacket and send it back for a size exchange if it doesn't fit.

 

[Jules Myers]

Eastman only makes OTR (non-custom). You can just order a jacket and send it back for a size exchange if it doesn't fit.

Gotcha. Thanks very much.

 

[handymike]

History Preservation Assoc. Is the closest thing to that in the US. Charles is very knowledgeable about Eastman items and gives great fit advice.
https://www.historypreservation.com/

 

[Jules Myers]

History Preservation Assoc. Is the closest thing to that in the US. Charles is very knowledgeable about Eastman items and gives great fit advice.
https://www.historypreservation.com/

I'll check it out. You guys are a phenomenal resource. I just ordered my first Aero jacket, and it is a result of spending weeks digging through various threads on this forum. Many questions answered here.

 

[navetsea]

View attachment 304719

Looks like 125 degrees.

If the angle is too small like with whis Boss hanger, a diagonal crease will be formed. Looks like your hanger has the perfect angle.
View attachment 304720

this might sound very strange, but try to put the hanger backward, to me it reduce diagonal crease but it takes more space on your rail.

1st pic hanger facing forward, 2nd pic hanger facing backward, it reduces severity of creases to a point, sorry can only use denim jacket as example since my leathers all with very steep shoulder drop and thus never have problem with suit hanger, but my denim jackets do have diagonal creases from hanger with too steep of a drop, i dont really mind but i know putting it backward does lessen it but taking too much space for me and i have 3 denim jackets in that small rails... so i didnt do what I preach.

The angle of the hanger is the main culprit as you already know, but if you dont have the right hanger yet, just using it backward works, here another example

I think the shape of the shoulder ends matter, the black hanger has too much of protruding curve, probably serves well on a shoulder padded jacket like a suit jacket but on non padded leather or denim jacket it is causing creases, worse if the jacket is hanged unzipped.

 

[Marc mndt]

this might sound very strange, but try to put the hanger backward, to me it reduce diagonal crease but it takes more space on your rail.
View attachment 305083
1st pic hanger facing forward, 2nd pic hanger facing backward, it reduces severity of creases to a point, sorry can only use denim jacket as example since my leathers all with very steep shoulder drop and thus never have problem with suit hanger, but my denim jackets do have diagonal creases from hanger with too steep of a drop, i dont really mind but i know putting it backward does lessen it but taking too much space for me and i have 3 denim jackets in that small rails... so i didnt do what I preach.

The angle of the hanger is the main culprit as you already know, but if you dont have the right hanger yet, just using it backward works, here another example
View attachment 305101
I think the shape of the shoulder ends matter, the black hanger has too much of protruding curve, probably serves well on a shoulder padded jacket like a suit jacket but on non padded leather or denim jacket it is causing creases, worse if the jacket is hanged unzipped.
View attachment 305102

Yesterday I've spent an hour searching the internet for hangers that's have the optimal width, depth and slope. Eventually I've ordered these from Amazon.

https://www.amazon.nl/SONGMICS-kostuumhanger-kleerhanger-schouders-anti-slip/dp/B07PPHBL4W

@Harris HTM I've also looked into the ones that you suggested from bol.com. These hangers from Amazon are cheaper and it looks like they have an ever wider angle at 135 degrees. I'll let you know whether they're up to the job. Rated at max 5kg so weight shouldn't be an issue

@navetsea unfortunately I have too many jackets / not enough rail to use the hangers backwards. I'm already short on space.

 

[Harris HTM]

Yesterday I've spent an hour searching the internet for hangers that's have the optimal width, depth and slope. Eventually I've ordered these from Amazon.
View attachment 305154 View attachment 305153
https://www.amazon.nl/SONGMICS-kostuumhanger-kleerhanger-schouders-anti-slip/dp/B07PPHBL4W

@Harris HTM I've also looked into the ones that you suggested from bol.com. These hangers from Amazon are cheaper and it looks like they have an ever wider angle at 135 degrees. I'll let you know whether they're up to the job. Rated at max 5kg so weight shouldn't be an issue

@navetsea unfortunately I have too many jackets / not enough rail to use the hangers backwards. I'm already short on space.

Yes, please let me know what you think!

 

[TheBigEraser]

Does anyone besides for Lost Worlds and Freewheeler do a Leathertogs B style jacket?

I know Himel does something similar with the Chevalier, but I can’t think of/find any else.

RMC J-31
TMC "Eight Ball"
Freewheelers Daredevil (without the eight balls in front)
RRL

 

[dudewuttheheck]

Thing is, unlike Red Wing that isn't doing anything particularly worth of this moniker at all, to me personally, CXL is still among the top 3 best looking leather on the market right now with none other being specifically nicer.
Fine Creek is all about leather (don't now what they're using really) and it barely competes to worn in Horween, with everything else falling well behind. I can't think of any other leather that's more photogenic, too. Even RMC's shinki, while softer and nicer to wear, looks kind of flat compared to it. Any dramatic shift in contrast and texture it may have simply fades, compared to Horween. I know it's a personal preference but Horween's CXL is crazy beautiful. It stands out.

Also, while most decent tanneries in Europe can easily match the look of, I don't know, Vicenza (it's a pretty standard looking leather anyway) or anything else with that vibe, for Horween's CXL, I really and honestly wouldn't know where else to turn to if I wanted a similar alternative.

I obviously disagree very strongly. I really don't like CXL on boots. It's OK on a jacket, but having handled it, I would likely never purchase a CXL jacket. I'm not sure by what standards you're comparing Shinki and CXL and saying it "falls behind." They both do some things better than the other.

Either way, I will admit that CXL jacket leather is comparatively better than Red Wing boots. That's why I conceded it to being able to be called a gold standard of sorts more than Red Wing.

Interestingly, I actually don't think it stands out most of the time. Even some examples of Shinki don't stand out. The Good Wear I owned had very dull Shinki that I wasn't a fan of. Maybe I've just seen too many jackets now. Only some examples of Shinki, Badalassi, and interesting colored leathers from the likes of Thedi and Tenjin stand out to me now.

@ton312 's new Aero does actually stand out to me, though more for the shade of the leather than the leather itself.

 

[Monitor]

I obviously disagree very strongly. I really don't like CXL on boots. It's OK on a jacket, but having handled it, I would likely never purchase a CXL jacket. I'm not sure by what standards you're comparing Shinki and CXL and saying it "falls behind." They both do some things better than the other.

Either way, I will admit that CXL jacket leather is comparatively better than Red Wing boots. That's why I conceded it to being able to be called a gold standard of sorts more than Red Wing.

Interestingly, I actually don't think it stands out most of the time. Even some examples of Shinki don't stand out. The Good Wear I owned had very dull Shinki that I wasn't a fan of. Maybe I've just seen too many jackets now. Only some examples of Shinki, Badalassi, and interesting colored leathers from the likes of Thedi and Tenjin stand out to me now.

@ton312 's new Aero does actually stand out to me, though more for the shade of the leather than the leather itself.

Maybe it's a cultural thing but Shinki - at least some that I've seen (J-24 and a couple of A-2's) but the photos give off the same impression - while perfectly nice still looks pretty much as most European tanned mainstream leather of the 60's and the 70's, especially the stuff that came outta Italy. A lot of great leather jackets here were made from what could've easily been variations of Shinki or Vicenza or whatever of the sort. Or in other words, it's not that special if you're used to it.

Horween CXL is. It's unlike anything that I've seen or handled prior to my first Horween jacket and yeah, to me, Shinki is just a bit less impressive. Every characteristic that it has is very slightly toned down compared to Horween's CXL. The gradient effect in brown isn't as pronounced, the color is less saturated and frantic and more... Well, not flat but more straight, to the point. Brown is brown while on CXL brown will be three colors at once. It's weird, which is what I prefer, personally.

 

[handymike]

I agree that Brown CXL is unique, but they offer many other interesting tannages too. Here is Horween black Roadmaster: