Can someone please help me find this type of leather jacket?

[MrProper]

I was thinking like this: Let's say I have a jacket that fits normally. The shoulder seams are sitting where they should be, but the jacket has my desired sleeve length of the original. I measure the sleeve of that jacket from shoulder seam to the end of the sleeve, then decide how much the shoulder seams need to drop, and then subtract that difference?

But if I subtract that amount... then I need to compensate for it somehow, by measuring the remainder of the upper sleeve portion? LMAO I know this sounds retarded.

Ah... I think I need to take a break from this guys, my thinking is totally slow right now.

I don't see what there is to compensate for.

 

[Formeruser012524]

I don't see what there is to compensate for.

I was thinking about the remaining (upper) portion of the sleeve? But maybe that can be determined by the rest of the measurements then, including jacket length from top to bottom, etc.? Am I thinking right?

 

[Formeruser012524]

OK, some minor progress:

My question #7 (post #213) was indeed already answered in the drawing and in the original photos, in particular the one where he is pointing the gun, and the other one where he's holding himself up / hanging down. The "third panel" of the sleeve - the underside portion - does not contain the (decorative) seam that is going around it. This seam ends right at the beginning of the "strap", so Monitor was (once again) spot on in his assessment.

And question #8 was resolved privately via PM: the "maybe?" part of the drawing is to indicate that the "kidney panel" portion on the backside must simply "end" somewhere. Where it ends however, is unfortunately not visible in the original photos.

Now, since I've decided on the plain, cotton lining (no pattern) in light beige color, there are no remaining questions aside from leather type and thickness. But those can be provided at the end, when all the dimensions are figured out. As of right now I'm leaning towards 1.6 mm steerhide, brown "custom distressed", instead of their standard brown distressed version. Speaking of which, if there is a good thread with pictures that shows the differences in various thicknesses and leather types (horsehide for instance), it would be great to see that.

Figuring out all the dimensions will take some time, and there's nothing you guys can really do to help me out with that one. I might take a risk and use the upper sleeve circumference version of that Ski-Jacket I posted earlier, as I really have no other jacket that comes close where I can figure out a circumference. My other jackets do not resemble the original one when it comes to the huge sleeve, and they are thin lamb leather which does not behave like that one in the movie. So right now I have no other option when it comes to that measurement.

Simply put: No custom made project is risk-free, and this one is no exception. I'll also be getting a prototype version in cheap fabric from Shawn before I get a final product... but like I've said at the beginning... if I get around 90% screen accuracy, I will be very pleased and consider it a success. I might even be pleased at 80%. But anything less than 80%, and I'd probably try again in the near future.

I wish everyone on this forum Happy Holidays, Merry Christmas, and a fantastic start in the New Year 2022!

 

[Monitor]

Probably my last revision to this, with some purely speculative observations about the side (underarm) part of the jacket, as it's something that never gets revealed. Thus the existence of the mid panel is merely a guess on my part, based on my purely amateurish understanding of leather jackets.
Maybe the front and back panels connect directly to one another at each side of the jacket but in such a case, it would annoy me to no end that a horizontal seam that splits the front (extending behind the pocket flaps) doesn't meet directly with the "kidney" panel. That would be ugly.

Another thing to note is the pronounced pocket piping, which is probably backed with something. Many of the seams are deliberately thick, while others clearly show that the maker was capable of very precise stitching so as a clear design feature, this too should be taken into the account and pointed out to the maker of the reproduction, alongside with screenshots from the series.

Lastly, observing the details today made me realize that the jacket is definitely made from relatively thin leather. I'm thinking 0.9 to 1.3 mm at the very extreme! 1.6 mm leather isn't capable creasing in a way clearly visible on many of the photos we've taken. So 1.6 mm would be a massive overkill and it would as well completely negate the drape effect which is absolutely essential for the fit of this particular jacket.
Any kind of leather that would hold its form in any extent, would turn this jacket into a leather bell. The shoulders wouldn't droop as they do on the actor, but would instead stick out, making the wearer look like they've put on a wardrobe.

In short; The lighter - The better.

@Zangy003 , if you want my advice, either thin cowhide or goatskin or sheepskin. The softer, the better. You'll look stupid in this, if made in thick hide.

 

[Will Zach]

Yeah, in a thick stiff hide it'll look like a tent. This needs to drape.

 

[Formeruser012524]

Probably my last revision to this, with some purely speculative observations about the side (underarm) part of the jacket, as it's something that never gets revealed. Thus the existence of the mid panel is merely a guess on my part, based on my purely amateurish understanding of leather jackets.
Maybe the front and back panels connect directly to one another at each side of the jacket but in such a case, it would annoy me to no end that a horizontal seam that splits the front (extending behind the pocket flaps) doesn't meet directly with the "kidney" panel. That would be ugly.

Another thing to note is the pronounced pocket piping, which is probably backed with something. Many of the seams are deliberately thick, while others clearly show that the maker was capable of very precise stitching so as a clear design feature, this too should be taken into the account and pointed out to the maker of the reproduction, alongside with screenshots from the series.

Lastly, observing the details today made me realize that the jacket is definitely made from relatively thin leather. I'm thinking 0.9 to 1.3 mm at the very extreme! 1.6 mm leather isn't capable creasing in a way clearly visible on many of the photos we've taken. So 1.6 mm would be a massive overkill and it would as well completely negate the drape effect which is absolutely essential for the fit of this particular jacket.
Any kind of leather that would hold its form in any extent, would turn this jacket into a leather bell. The shoulders wouldn't droop as they do on the actor, but would instead stick out, making the wearer look like they've put on a wardrobe.

In short; The lighter - The better.

@Zangy003 , if you want my advice, either thin cowhide or goatskin or sheepskin. The softer, the better. You'll look stupid in this, if made in thick hide.

Thank you, and you are 100% right about the pockets! Clearly evident now that I know "where to look", in the photos below...

 

[Formeruser012524]

Update: Shawn is really impressed with this most recent (possibly final) drawing, and also told me among other things that I must've spent a lot of time on it, to which I replied "no, someone else did it for me who wants to help me very much."

And he, too, thinks that 1.6 mm would not be ideal, and strongly suggests that I stick with 1.3 mm steerhide leather.

 

[Formeruser012524]

Also looking at the photos, it appears to me that this could be a really old jacket. Like... maybe even from the early 80s. I mean it's irrelevant now because I'm going for the custom made option, but it's interesting to think about.

Even though this was filmed in 1994, just take a look at all the wear that is visible on some parts of the jacket, which isn't IMO consistent with the classic distressed look. It just looks like someone basically wore the hell out of it. This is especially visible on the underside of the sleeves, you can notice it when he opens the car trunk, but also when he's hanging off that thing in the meat packing plant. I think it would take much more than 3-4 years for it to reach this level of "distress".

 

[Monitor]

And he, too, thinks that 1.6 mm would not be ideal, and strongly suggests that I stick with 1.3 mm steerhide leather.

I'm glad he agrees; 1.6 mm hide would make a wearer look genuinely ridiculous, even if completely soft. 1.3 mm is to me a bit too heavy but if Shawn thinks it will work fine, it is something I can only agree with. It will make it for one sturdy jacket, that much is guaranteed.

Also looking at the photos, it appears to me that this could be a really old jacket. Like... maybe even from the early 80s.

Very late 80's at the earliest or early to mid 90's, most assuredly. This kind of distressed leather wasn't used excessively during the nineteen eighties & the brass looking YKK with an appropriate pull tab would, to me, place the origin of the jacket closer to the date the episode was filmed.
The jacket appears relatively new during the filming, at least to my eyes.

Somewhat unrelated, re-watching the series just now found me astonished at how incredibly modern all of Scully's outfits are in 2021. Fashion really did a full circle this time around.
Wish I could say the same about Mulder. . .

That, and the fact that Scully is immortal. One tiny little detail that I somehow missed the first time around.
Again, wish I could say the same about Mulder but auto-erotic asphyxiation really is a very undignified way to go. . .

 

[Formeruser012524]

I'm glad he agrees; 1.6 mm hide would make a wearer look genuinely ridiculous, even if completely soft. 1.3 mm is to me a bit too heavy but if Shawn thinks it will work fine, it is something I can only agree with. It will make it for one sturdy jacket, that much is guaranteed.

Cool.

Very late 80's at the earliest or early to mid 90's, most assuredly. This kind of distressed leather wasn't used excessively during the nineteen eighties & the brass looking YKK with an appropriate pull tab would, to me, place the origin of the jacket closer to the date the episode was filmed. The jacket appears relatively new during the filming, at least to my eyes.

I was thinking more that the distressed look of this particular jacket, in some areas pretty extreme, was really due to its age and wear, and not because it was intentionally made to look that way. That's why I thought it was maybe around 10 years old at the time the episode was made. But I hadn't considered the YKK thing at all. If that's a clear indicator that it can't be early 80s or so, then I've learned something new.

Somewhat unrelated, re-watching the series just now found me astonished at how incredibly modern all of Scully's outfits are in 2021. Fashion really did a full circle this time around.
Wish I could say the same about Mulder. . .

Lol.

That, and the fact that Scully is immortal. One tiny little detail that I somehow missed the first time around.
Again, wish I could say the same about Mulder but auto-erotic asphyxiation really is a very undignified way to go. . .

I try not to spoil the series for people who intend to watch the series at some point, but I'm seriously impressed at your knowledge! You seem to be a fan... or better said a "phile". Maybe you already said that and I missed it. To those who wish to avoid some X-Files spoilers, please do not read the next paragraph!

OK, so I'm totally aware about your references regarding "Tithonus" (S6) and "Clyde Bruckman's Final Repose" (S3). When it comes to the former though, it is entirely speculation, and highly unlikely to be true, because most would argue (as would I) that she would have the gained the same ability that the photographer had in that episode. And Darin Morgan, the writer of "Clyde Bruckman's..." is known for making fun of Mulder in most if not all of his episodes, so that one comment shouldn't be taken seriously.

Be as it may, even though I absolutely love both the standalone/MOTW ("mystery/monster of the week") episodes as well as the "mytharc/mythology" (overarching storyline) episodes, it is the mythology that drew me into the series and made me a fan. So while I do love all types of episodes (and genres) in the series - and even though I reject the revival as canon - my focus has always been the mythology. But that's a subject that really shouldn't be part of this thread. If you have any questions you can PM me about it.

 

[Formeruser012524]

It would appear Monitor was spot on when he said not to rely on the sleeve circumference of the Ski-Jacket posted earlier. I just measured some circumferences of my own leather jackets at their largest points and even though the dimensions were much larger than the Ski-Jacket, visually it was nowhere close to what I'm aiming for in regards to the original. It was significantly smaller looking even compared to the Ski-Jacket, simply due to the different material.

Getting the measurements will be a big challenge. Some parts are fairly easy (overall length, pocket size, distance between certain design features etc.), but others (largest sleeve circumference, shoulder width, total width, sleeve length) are terribly difficult.

Example: I have a normal fitting jacket where the shoulder seams sit where they should sit. Let's say this jacket has the perfect sleeve length I want, meaning ending close to my knuckles. I measure it starting at the shoulder seam down to the end, and it comes out as 67 cm (just as an example). So based on this, I determine that I want this custom jacket to end close to my knuckles as well. The problem is, the shoulder seams on this one are significantly lower. I'd say they are around 12 cm lower than in the regular fitting jacket. So if I were to make measurements in the custom made jacket starting at the shoulder seam, I would arrive at 55 cm instead of 67 cm, because the shoulder seam is sitting 12 cm lower. Then the question remains how to best label and measure these remaining 12 cm.

Another example, there are some things that are very easy to figure out, like the smallest sleeve circumference and middle sleeve circumference... but when you get closer to the top, you don't know what to do because not only do you have a huge circumference in the original, but you also have the lowered shoulder seam and the huge "bag" effect which makes it difficult to make an educated guess as to how large the very beginning of the sleeve should be. This all connects to the shoulder width and total jacket width causing more confusion (for me). Confusion because it's totally not my thing.

Even though I'm fairly frustrated right now, I'm definitely not giving up on this one. But it will take a long time. A very long time.

Much longer than I wanted and expected, unfortunately.

 

[Guppy]

Here are my views to some of your questions:

1) Choose the lining you want. You're creating your own jacket, pick something nice. I'm partial to tartans myself.

2) I have a 1.5'ish mm Vanson and it's very stiff. A thicker jacket may not drape the way the TV one does.

3) I would go with the distressed brown steerhide. The TV jacket has some pronounced grain, which goatskin is never going to match.

6) Go with the pockets you normally use on a jacket. I personally like 2 inner pockets, one on each side, maybe with a button or snap to close them.

Again, my opinions only, you get to design your jacket like you want it.

Agreed, I would go no heavier than 1.4-1.5mm. And I bet the jacket has a quilted nylon or nylon/polyester lining. You could go with quilted rayon, perhaps, in a non-satin fabric.

 

[Monitor]

@Zangy003 , I'll have some quality measurements for you later on today. Good friend of mine owns a strikingly similar fitting jacket - One that is, coincidentally, his favorite, despite my attempts to find him an alternative - which can, I believe, be used as a general guideline for your jacket with good success.

Also, have faith in my judgement re. leather thickness. 1 mm is the key. Note that this still qualifies as a thick hide (considered "heavy" within the fashion industry), while providing the jacket with a lovely drape & shape.

All TV shows and movie jackets are made from very thin leather, distressed in a manner that emulates heavy, tough, or perhaps to use the word I passionately hate; rugged look, precisely for that reason and people who go as far to remade one that they love, often wonder how is it that the fit of their jacket could not be more divorced from what they saw on-screen.

 

[MrProper]

Agreed, I would go no heavier than 1.4-1.5mm. And I bet the jacket has a quilted nylon or nylon/polyester lining. You could go with quilted rayon, perhaps, in a non-satin fabric.

If you don't want to organize fabric for lining yourself and ship it to Pakistan, you have to limit yourself to the selection that 5* offers. And that really only leaves (heavy) cotton drill.

 

[Monitor]

If you don't want to organize fabric for lining yourself and ship it to Pakistan, you have to limit yourself to the selection that 5* offers. And that really only leaves (heavy) cotton drill.

Heavy cotton drill is to me the most optimal lining for this jacket.

 

[Will Zach]

It would appear Monitor was spot on when he said not to rely on the sleeve circumference of the Ski-Jacket posted earlier. I just measured some circumferences of my own leather jackets at their largest points and even though the dimensions were much larger than the Ski-Jacket, visually it was nowhere close to what I'm aiming for in regards to the original. It was significantly smaller looking even compared to the Ski-Jacket, simply due to the different material.

Getting the measurements will be a big challenge. Some parts are fairly easy (overall length, pocket size, distance between certain design features etc.), but others (largest sleeve circumference, shoulder width, total width, sleeve length) are terribly difficult.

Example: I have a normal fitting jacket where the shoulder seams sit where they should sit. Let's say this jacket has the perfect sleeve length I want, meaning ending close to my knuckles. I measure it starting at the shoulder seam down to the end, and it comes out as 67 cm (just as an example). So based on this, I determine that I want this custom jacket to end close to my knuckles as well. The problem is, the shoulder seams on this one are significantly lower. I'd say they are around 12 cm lower than in the regular fitting jacket. So if I were to make measurements in the custom made jacket starting at the shoulder seam, I would arrive at 55 cm instead of 67 cm, because the shoulder seam is sitting 12 cm lower. Then the question remains how to best label and measure these remaining 12 cm.

Another example, there are some things that are very easy to figure out, like the smallest sleeve circumference and middle sleeve circumference... but when you get closer to the top, you don't know what to do because not only do you have a huge circumference in the original, but you also have the lowered shoulder seam and the huge "bag" effect which makes it difficult to make an educated guess as to how large the very beginning of the sleeve should be. This all connects to the shoulder width and total jacket width causing more confusion (for me). Confusion because it's totally not my thing.

Even though I'm fairly frustrated right now, I'm definitely not giving up on this one. But it will take a long time. A very long time.

Much longer than I wanted and expected, unfortunately.

Yeah, the reason for the difficulty is that your target jacket is oversized, with a specific look to boot. It is much easier IMO to come up with measurements for a form-fitting jacket. Stay with it, a fabric mock-up jacket is a good solution, but it may require a couple of them shipped back and forth. Time-consuming for sure.

 

[born113]

All jackets similar to yours and mine are variations of the M65 field jacket. I just realized this today once again looking at different designs. Now maybe I'll also make a reproduction of what I was looking for.

 

[Formeruser012524]

Thanks everyone for your replies. It's pretty motivating to read posts like that. The good thing is that I will receive a prototype version from Five*, or even more than one if I want (for a certain price of course), with non-leather material, so that adjustments can be made before the final leather product is created. But regarding the measurements... this will take some time. I intend on taking a small break, meaning the project will still be in my head, but I won't intensely focus on it during the next two-three days, although I might update the thread if there's some significant progress. I also have to wait until the measurements from Monitor.

And @born113, I just googled the M65 field jacket... it really doesn't appear that way to me. It might be similar to the jacket you're looking for, but not mine. Mine really seems like a combination of an A2 Pilot Jacket and an Indiana Jones jacket, with unique features from other random jackets that makes it "stand out", so that it can't be simply labeled as A2 or Indy.

 

[Guppy]

Thanks everyone for your replies. It's pretty motivating to read posts like that. The good thing is that I will receive a prototype version from Five*, or even more than one if I want (for a certain price of course), with non-leather material, so that adjustments can be made before the final leather product is created. But regarding the measurements... this will take some time. I intend on taking a small break, meaning the project will still be in my head, but I won't intensely focus on it during the next two-three days, although I might update the thread if there's some significant progress. I also have to wait until the measurements from Monitor.

And @born113, I just googled the M65 field jacket... it really doesn't appear that way to me. It might be similar to the jacket you're looking for, but not mine. Mine really seems like a combination of an A2 Pilot Jacket and an Indiana Jones jacket, with unique features from other random jackets that makes it "stand out", so that it can't be simply labeled as A2 or Indy.

I thought that it had a bit of a M65 vibe if you omit the breast pockets and epaulets, and give it a dress collar.

 

[Formeruser012524]

And speaking of which, I forgot to add, since this project will obviously take much longer than I expected, so that the final jacket probably won't arrive to me prior to mid February or so (my expectations), here's a question:

Can anyone suggest any similar jacket I could buy "in the meantime" to please me, just so I have something new that perhaps resembles around 60% the original? I don't need the zig-zag design or that strap-cuff or similar seams. I would forgive a lot of the missing features. What would be essential are the "A2 / Indy Style" pockets, the collar, the "distressed brown" look, and totally round shoulders. Because with round shoulders I could order it slightly oversized to have the shoulder seams drop a bit. Lol... just something that came to me today. Having a "similar in some ways" but also "different in other ways" jacket that gives me at least a little "feeling" of the original, that I can have something while continuing to work on this project.

(BTW: Jackets that have text / logos / brand names on the exterior are a deal-breaker for me.)