Here is the size large Alpha - I exchanged it just to see what the smaller size was like. As expected, the fit is a lot better but it's not perfect. Quality of materials is still not good enough to me, so this is going back too.
Strangely, it's much smaller than the XL - particularly on the length. The XL has a 26.25 inch back, this large a 24.5! Other measurements are wildly different too - the XL had 21 inch shoulders, this has just under 19. Eh?! Something is either up with their pattern grading or quality control, because those seem like wildly varying measurements. I do wonder if this is actually an incorrectly tagged size medium...
Anyway, considering it measures so short, I don't think it actually looked too bad. Allegedly the Buzz has a back measurement in my size of around 25/25.5 inches, so that might look okay, particularly with a little extra room in the shoulders and chest.
Just checked SOF, sizes appear to come up small according to their guide.
Well, I ordered my brand new Buzz Ricksons MA-1 today. Hurrah.
Delighted at the fact I will be receiving a high quality jacket, I go out to meet my girlfriend for lunch in a great mood. As I park my car up, a sudden gust of wind catches my door and sends it slamming into the car parked next to mine. Uh-oh. Big dent on their door. I leave a note apologising profusely.
Lady texted me later on to thank me for my honesty, and said it's not too bad - plus it's quite an old car. Said she will decide what to do about it this weekend. If she decides to repair it, then I can imagine certain places will charge Buzz Rickson MA-1 money for a door repair. Here's hoping I won't have to return it, although I only have myself (and the wind) to blame!
Hope you don't have to call your new MA-1 "gone with the wind".
I dunno guys. An XXXL BR MA-1 might not be the way to go. Mine is wider through the chest and body than my XXL, and the result is that because of the thick, stiff(ish) interlining, it kind of hangs off me like I'm wearing a big green nylon bell. The waistband doesn't hold my waist very much.
I think these jackets were supposed to be trim, but because they are bulky, they just don't look trim in photos. Also, most of us are so used to seeing loosely/baggily worn flimsy cheap copies of the style, that our perception of how an MA-1 should fit is maybe distorted too I think.
Really, I can wear a thick sweater under my XXXL, and it was never designed for that (in fact, it's too hot!). I normally wear my XXL with a t-shirt, even when it's snowing.
With respect, the originals were made in only a few sizes, so there was never a possibility of a "proper" fit. I've seen some significant differences in old photos.I think these jackets were supposed to be trim, but because they are bulky, they just don't look trim in photos. Also, most of us are so used to seeing loosely/baggily worn flimsy cheap copies of the style, that our perception of how an MA-1 should fit is maybe distorted too I think.
I wonder how much the sizing and perception is affected by how these jackets were originally worn, i.e. over a fairly bulky flight suit. I suspect that if I had an MA1 that was the correct fit for my size (as labelled) over the top of a flightsuit, then worn with civvies it might well be on the baggy side. I suspect this is just part of the issue you get when you adapt something designed to be worn in a very specific context for an alternative use.
With Buzz, it's a real shame that they aren't more available in the UK. AFAIK, Eastman, as the EU(? Pretty sure I read that somewhere) distributor, seem to get stock in once a year or something. I've looked at a few Buzz jackets over the years, but it seems very rare to see my size in stock. I do have an XL B15C mod that fitted me nicely (I have to lose some weight again for that to be the case once more, and I also need to have the knits redone as the $%^&ing carpet beetles got to them) as a 44, but it seems to be rare enough to find anyone in the UK with those in stock.