Choosing the jacket

[JuliaG]

Sorry, Karsten, found your message about their sizing being weird

 

[JuliaG]

I have never handled a 5* in person so I can not offer any real comparison. I will say that all of the jackets that @MrProper has posted from 5* look awesome and fit superbly. I will also say the MrProper owns jackets from many of the premium makers we see here on the Lounge and the fact that he continually collaborates with 5* tells me that they are doing something right.
But I would not recommend 5* to you at this point in time. That is because The best results we have seen from 5* are when people provide them with many detailed measurements and exact specifications for every single aspect of the jackets construction. Some of the members here have become quite good at this and their jackets are awesome. There is usually a trial and error period where the first jacket or two does not come out that great and measurements(and expectations) are adjusted accordingly.
Unless this process of jacket design is something that appeals to you I think you would be better off buying a sheepskin jacket from someone like Eastman, Aero, Lost Worlds, etc. who already has the construction figured out and can assist you in finding the size you need.

God, thats a trouble....
Karsten, please, provide some insight as to how detailed which measures should be provided?

 

[MrProper]

Usually size L fits him. I figured its about size 40 in eastmans clothes?
Btw, he became interested in five*. Is their sizing standard ?

That is because The best results we have seen from 5* are when people provide them with many detailed measurements and exact specifications for every single aspect of the jackets construction.

Unfortunately, I have to agree.
You have to know very precisely what you want and formulate it accordingly.

@Canuck Panda has ordered an Irvin OTR at 5*, which does not look bad. Maybe he can say more about it. If I'm noticing correctly, the pattern was copied from an original jacket.

Otherwise, I have only heard that OTR at 5* is rather wide.

With the measurements you gave, a size 38 might fit as well.

It's really best to get measurements of a 38 and a 40 from each manufacturer and then decide based on those.

I do not buy OTR only because with unfortunately OTR nothing fits.

 

[MrProper]

Thank you much for your info! He would be glad to try it on, but here in Russia we dont have any of these. How would you compare Eastman and Five* quality?

I think that you can not compare the two manufacturers. They play in two different leagues.
I don't own an Eastman, but I think they are absolutely top.
I'm happy with my 5* because I can let off steam on the design and have things built for me that I can't get otherwise. And the whole thing at a reasonable price.
But probably the shearling of an Eastman is again a completely different quality. It's probably a question of taste.
For example, the fur of the 5* is absolutely brilliant (for me), but the leather is somewhat thinner than that of my Aero Irvin. How the latest Shearling is, I will only find out.

 

[JuliaG]

Unfortunately, I have to agree.
You have to know very precisely what you want and formulate it accordingly.

@Canuck Panda has ordered an Irvin OTR at 5*, which does not look bad. Maybe he can say more about it. If I'm noticing correctly, the pattern was copied from an original jacket.

Otherwise, I have only heard that OTR at 5* is rather wide.

With the measurements you gave, a size 38 might fit as well.

It's really best to get measurements of a 38 and a 40 from each manufacturer and then decide based on those.

I do not buy OTR only because with unfortunately OTR nothing fits.

Will do for sure! And about the meadurements they give on the website? Wont they correspond to reality, does anybody know?
And we'll wait for @Canuck Panda , of course..
Which measurements do you provide them with? They are really slow to answer. So far I received only sorry that i missedyour messages...

 

[JuliaG]

I think that you can not compare the two manufacturers. They play in two different leagues.
I don't own an Eastman, but I think they are absolutely top.
I'm happy with my 5* because I can let off steam on the design and have things built for me that I can't get otherwise. And the whole thing at a reasonable price.
But probably the shearling of an Eastman is again a completely different quality. It's probably a question of taste.
For example, the fur of the 5* is absolutely brilliant (for me), but the leather is somewhat thinner than that of my Aero Irvin. How the latest Shearling is, I will only find out.

Gosh, nobody answers from these companies..

 

[JuliaG]

Maybe take guy's regular jacket and get all dimensions from there?...

 

[AeroFan_07]

Maybe take guy's regular jacket and get all dimensions from there?...

I believe some people here have done just that...

 

[MrProper]

Maybe one more tip.
Maybe you have a jacket, for example, another leather jacket or jeans jacket, which fits as you imagine.
If you then measure it, you have a good basis to evaluate the different size specifications of the manufacturer.

How to measure?
Close the jacket and spread it out flat with the front side facing down. Flatten well and stretch if necessary.
Shoulders: on the back at the topmost point from seam to seam.
P2P/Chest: directly under armhole from outermost point to outermost point on other side.
Hem/Hip: Bottom of waistband from outermost point to outermost point of other side.
Natural Waist at navel/waist level: from the outermost point to the outermost point of the other side.
Jacket length: from the collar seam to the end of the waistband. Collar is not measured.
Front drop: the part by which the front at the waistband is longer or shorter than the back of the jacket. But it always depends on the style of the jacket.
Sleeves: from the shoulder seam down to the longest part of the cuffs.
Circumference of neck hole. I always measure this on the inside.
Depending on how thick then the desired jacket or lining should be, you can add or subtract something.

I hope this is understandable.
I can give you the PDF I use to order from 5*. But at your own risk

 

[JuliaG]

Maybe one more tip.
Maybe you have a jacket, for example, another leather jacket or jeans jacket, which fits as you imagine.
If you then measure it, you have a good basis to evaluate the different size specifications of the manufacturer.

How to measure?
Close the jacket and spread it out flat with the front side facing down. Flatten well and stretch if necessary.
Shoulders: on the back at the topmost point from seam to seam.
P2P/Chest: directly under armhole from outermost point to outermost point on other side.
Hem/Hip: Bottom of waistband from outermost point to outermost point of other side.
Natural Waist at navel/waist level: from the outermost point to the outermost point of the other side.
Jacket length: from the collar seam to the end of the waistband. Collar is not measured.
Front drop: the part by which the front at the waistband is longer or shorter than the back of the jacket. But it always depends on the style of the jacket.
Sleeves: from the shoulder seam down to the longest part of the cuffs.
Circumference of neck hole. I always measure this on the inside.
Depending on how thick then the desired jacket or lining should be, you can add or subtract something.

I hope this is understandable.
I can give you the PDF I use to order from 5*. But at your own risk

Thank you much. The five star keeps disappointing me. I already told about them to the guy, he got very interested, and now I say they dont answer and if he would look at eastman meanwhile..i feel he is confused now(

 

[MrProper]

Thank you much. The five star keeps disappointing me. I already told about them to the guy, he got very interested, and now I say they dont answer and if he would look at eastman meanwhile..i feel he is confused now(

I'm afraid you're too impatient.
These are all small companies where people often multi-task and don't have time to respond in the same minute.
Give them a day or two and then try another channel. It is possible that the mails ended up in the spam filter. Good experience I have with contact via FB or Instagram Messenger or WhatsApp.

 

[moktabe]

If it's a flying jacket type you're looking for it might be worth looking at British Sheepskin.

I'm a 43' chest so ordered a 44" and it buried me. Went down and they exchanged it for a size 40" which fits perfectly.

They also make bespoke sizes.

https://www.british-sheepskin.co.uk/product-category/flying-jackets/mens-sheepskin-flying-jackets/

 

[JuliaG]

Guys, I now have to draw the design changes for five*. Please, help. Which of these colors do they call rustic?

 

[JuliaG]

Also which of these would you recom to take as a basis for design changes? Im looking into their description but I dont find any big difference. Also I noticed, that the fit is not like yours, @MrProper , have you made your back specially designed too? You seem to gave different template. This is important, because these jackets seem to have some "not right" back template. It should be wide in shoulders and a bit narrower in waist, like yours. Also I doubt that the pit template is right. It looks like if you lift your arm, the jacket will move together with it ..

 

[MrProper]

Also which of these would you recom to take as a basis for design changes? Im looking into their description but I dont find any big difference. Also I noticed, that the fit is not like yours, @MrProper , have you made your back specially designed too? You seem to gave different template. This is important, because these jackets seem to have some "not right" back template. It should be wide in shoulders and a bit narrower in waist, like yours. Also I doubt that the pit template is right. It looks like if you lift your arm, the jacket will move together with it ..

All my jackets from 5* are my variations and combinations of different designs. The fewest of them you will find on the website of 5*. And of course all of them are made according to my individual measurements.
If you want something like I have, you will have no choice but to design and measure it yourself.
Or you can take a standard jacket and ask for small changes in length or waistband.
I'll post the instructions for how it looks on me in a moment. -> https://www.icloud.com/iclouddrive/0EAk_fRaoLf1UcJypzDa6PnCg#Project_modified_M-444_V2

 

[JuliaG]

All my jackets from 5* are my variations and combinations of different designs. The fewest of them you will find on the website of 5*. And of course all of them are made according to my individual measurements.
If you want something like I have, you will have no choice but to design and measure it yourself.
Or you can take a standard jacket and ask for small changes in length or waistband.
I'll post the instructions for how it looks on me in a moment. -> https://www.icloud.com/iclouddrive/0EAk_fRaoLf1UcJypzDa6PnCg#Project_modified_M-444_V2

But your jacket looks like its different template. If you only change measures, you dont change the template. On your photos it looks like you changed the full template

 

[MrProper]

But your jacket looks like its different template. If you only change measures, you dont change the template. On your photos it looks like you changed the full template

Yes, a new template is always made for me. The changes are too big for the standard pattern to work.

 

[JuliaG]

Yes, a new template is always made for me. The changes are too big for the standard pattern to work.

Yes, I see it now(((

 

[Carlos840]

It looks like if you lift your arm, the jacket will move together with it ..

I own almost 60 leather jackets, all of them move when i lift my arms.
From reading this thread it looks to me that you are very impatient and have extremely high expectations, whilst at the same time not knowing what you want or what is involved into getting a well fitting jacket.
IMO that's a recipe for disaster and disappointment.
If i where you i would buy some used jackets to start with, to help your friend figure out what he wants/needs and how things fit.
You can't just count on other peoples experiences to teach you everything there is to know about leather jackets, it doesn't work like that. Good luck whatever you decide to do.

 

[AeroFan_07]

It has also been a "trial and error" learning curve for me as well. Sometimes even a very well fitting jacket just does not work out to my preferance. I had owned at least 30 leather jackets prior to finding the Fedora Lounge, and have likely owned at least 20 more since being on here of many different makers, styles, leather weights, etc.

I have not contributed of late to this thread as it has moved toward a leather jacket type that I do not have intrest in owning - that of the shearling/sheepskin/very thickly lined jacket intended for great warmth with a leather covering. To those who enjoy these - great! I am happy for you all. I prefer an un-lined, or very thin lining within my leather jackets. I am more of a fan of the leather itself. That said there are plenty of things you can pick up here by looking through prior threads of these shearling lined jackets. However I have no experance with fit & form of these as I have not owned one at all.