Denim Jackets - New or Vintage

[Americanaaa Mark]

I've been wearing my Mister Freedom Cowboy jacket a lot while riding. I got it from here too second hand, basically new.

 

[Trenchfriend]

Anything better, than showered hours ago, still beeing FRESH, feeling very well, sporty and going to smalltowns centre, doing purchases and got your rough Denim-jacket thrown over??

 

[CRAZYBUBBA]

Wow! I'd love to see pics of that being worn over the years

My niece has it now, but before I outgrew it, I inherited a Levi jacket my Dad got in 1945 when the first trainload of civilian Levis were made available.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Sonero]

I hope this is the right thread for my question :

I have been wanting an Iron Heart 21oz selvage denim jacket for a while but the sizing instructions send me for a loop. It is a $400 jacket and I want to get it right the first time.

I am almost 5'11" tall and close to 230 lbs. What size do I get or can I forget about fitting into one of these jackets ?

I wear a 48R Blazer and a 17 1/2 36/37 dress shirt.

Unfortunately Ironheart doesn't answer my emails back. They think everyone is good with a tape measure. Not Me.

Thanks for the help.

 

[Bushman]

I'd say get a good measurement with your shoulders and chest. I'm 5'8", 210, and am a size 44R on my jackets, but usually get one size up simply because I have wide shoulders from swimming. It's awkward buying shirts and jackets simply because I feel like I'm gonna "Hulk out" of them because of my wide shoulders if I try on shirts that are my size. I must confess, I am sometimes embarrassed because I have clothes that fit my shoulders, but are very roomy everywhere else. Sometimes being broad shouldered a curse. I can never wear peacoats or wool coats of any kind simple because the material doesn't stretch and I can't move my arms correctly. And suit coats? Forget it. Unless it's a 46 long (which just looks like I'm wearing an oversized suit coat), I feel like I'm going to pop a stitch.

 

[Trenchfriend]

@Sonero

Hm, you seem to be between the international L and XXL-size, around the XL.

But, what's your real shoulder-width?

I'm 1,80 metre/5"11, too. My shoulder-width is 45 cm, the regular international M. I'm lean-sized (german S94), but never had any problems on choosing international M/german N(ormal) 48.

 

[Sonero]

@Sonero

Hm, you seem to be between the international L and XXL-size, around the XL.

But, what's your real shoulder-width?

I'm 1,80 metre/5"11, too. My shoulder-width is 45 cm, the regular international M. I'm lean-sized (german S94), but never had any problems on choosing international M/german N(ormal) 48.

I am a XXL in a Levis Trucker Jacket under normal circumstances but lately their sizes run small so I moved up to a XXXL which is a new size for Levis. It fits loose but I'd rather it than a current XXL.

It really depends on the company. For some reason I think IronHeart runs small. Does anyone here own one ? I can't get a word out of IronHeart. I sent them an email saying " I am a XXL in Levis,what size do I need in IronHeart ? " Surely anyone who sells denim is familiar with Levis and their products. I am not in the business but I could give you a good idea about sizing if I owned both jackets.

I've done the tape measure thing before. It doesn't work for me. People take measurements differently. You really need to do it with the person actually making or selling you the jacket.

What I would like is one of you UK guys who are familiar with the brand to set me straight.

Thank You for the replies.

 

[l0fielectronic]

I am a XXL in a Levis Trucker Jacket under normal circumstances but lately their sizes run small so I moved up to a XXXL which is a new size for Levis. It fits loose but I'd rather it than a current XXL.

It really depends on the company. For some reason I think IronHeart runs small. Does anyone here own one ? I can't get a word out of IronHeart. I sent them an email saying " I am a XXL in Levis,what size do I need in IronHeart ? " Surely anyone who sells denim is familiar with Levis and their products. I am not in the business but I could give you a good idea about sizing if I owned both jackets.

I've done the tape measure thing before. It doesn't work for me. People take measurements differently. You really need to do it with the person actually making or selling you the jacket.

What I would like is one of you UK guys who are familiar with the brand to set me straight.

Thank You for the replies.

Iron Heart does tend to run 'small' as far as US/UK sizing goes in their shirts and jackets (as do a lot of Japanese brands).

Looking at the measurements you might just fit a XXXL but it all depends on your own measurments.

I'm surprised you've not been able to contact them though. I know they do measure their clothing, post exact sizing on each model and even have videos on how they measure to help people with sizing issues, and they do seem to have a bug bear with being asked to compare sizing to different brands.
Though as you yourself say, Levis sizing changes from year to year and model to model so I can understand why they feel that way.

You could always try their own forums, they have threads dedicated to each product and maybe someone there who owns the model you are interested could help.

 

[Trenchfriend]

I am a XXL in a Levis Trucker Jacket under normal circumstances but lately their sizes run small so I moved up to a XXXL which is a new size for Levis. It fits loose but I'd rather it than a current XXL.

Sounds to me, that you are bascially an XXL, but like the most man, more a regular-fit cut instead a slim-fit cut. So, yours would be the international XXL in "regular fit", in general.

The pictures at IronHeart look to me, that their type III jackets are the classic slim-fit cut of type III, not Levi's actual extra-slim fit. Sure, IronHeart got the genuine type III, without waist-pockets!

And you are right. My actual Levi's type III Canvas-jacket got a tighter slim-fit cut than the classic slim-fit cut of type III, like on my storebrand type III Denim-jacket. I had to set the waist-straps of my Levi's Canvas jacket on the outer position.

 

[Sonero]

^ Both helpful replies. Thanks.

I will try to locate the forum.

Great Idea.

 

[Sonero]

I called a store in Los Angeles that carries Iron Heart. He had a 14oz denim jacket on hand. He measured it and said the XXXL came out to a 47 inch chest ! A 47 inch chest in case nobody is aware is a standard XL (46-48) in the USA

Too Funny. I guess fat guys don't get to wear $400 Iron Heart jackets. Boo Hoo.

 

[Trenchfriend]

I called a store in Los Angeles that carries Iron Heart. He had a 14oz denim jacket on hand. He measured it and said the XXXL came out to a 47 inch chest ! A 47 inch chest in case nobody is aware is a standard XL (46-48) in the USA

Right, 47 inch-chest/119 centimetre is an correct international 3XL (XXXL), as you can buy in Germany, too. So, it's an international sized jacket.

As far as I know, even today, there still seem to be different measuring-systems in the US around.

 

[Sonero]

Right, 47 inch-chest/119 centimetre is an correct international 3XL (XXXL), as you can buy in Germany, too. So, it's an international sized jacket.

What size jackets do Germans wear that are 6ft. Tall and weigh 230 lbs ? I know there are some big guys in Germany.

 

[Trenchfriend]

What size jackets do Germans wear that are 6ft. Tall and weigh 230 lbs ? I know there are some big guys in Germany.

Germany goes Doug Heffernan and 60 to 70% are overweighted, here.

Basically, height 6.0" is 1,83/1,84 metre, so it would normally be an international XXL, here, or german N(ormal) 56.

Or german B(elly)-size 63, with 49,2 centimetre chest.

Or german U (short)-size 31.

Or the newer, parallel big (+)-size market.

 

[Lean'n'mean]

I find the pit to pit measurements of a jacket the most helpful in getting a comfortable fit. Measure your trunk high up just under the armpits, divide the figure by two & then shop around for a seller/outlet which either gives such measurements in their blurb or who are willing to measure the actual jacket you want for you. There are so many variants when using chest measurements alone that unless one is of 'normal dimensions' something is bound to be too short, too long, too tight, too baggy etc.

 

[Trenchfriend]

I find the pit to pit measurements of a jacket the most helpful in getting a comfortable fit. Measure your trunk high up just under the armpits, divide the figure by two & then shop around for a seller/outlet which either gives such measurements in their blurb or who are willing to measure the actual jacket you want for you. There are so many variants when using chest measurements alone that unless one is of 'normal dimensions' something is bound to be too short, too long, too tight, too baggy etc.

That's, why Germany got N(ormal)-sizes, B(elly)-sizes, S(lender)-sizes, U (short)-sizes and the new big-size market. Next to the international S/M/L-sizes.

And then decide for convenient-fit (M65), regular-fit (Wrangler), slim-fit (type III jacket) and ultra slim-fit (3% elasthane).

 

[Sonero]

Germany goes Doug Heffernan and 60 to 70% are overweighted, here.

I also watch

I find the pit to pit measurements of a jacket the most helpful in getting a comfortable fit. Measure your trunk high up just under the armpits, divide the figure by two & then shop around for a seller/outlet which either gives such measurements in their blurb or who are willing to measure the actual jacket you want for you. There are so many variants when using chest measurements alone that unless one is of 'normal dimensions' something is bound to be too short, too long, too tight, too baggy etc.

As much as I appreciate exact measurements the whole process is extreme and might scare people away from your product. I guarantee you if I had both a Levis Trucker and an Iron Heart in front of me I could describe in words how they fit. Enough so that a potential buyer would be comfortable in knowing just by reading to purchase the jacket or not.

Most consumers have no idea how to properly measure clothing with a tape measure. The video Iron heart uses to measure jackets uses a swing back type. What if you don't have one of those and what if the jacket you measure is a different syle all together ? Too may variables that make room for incorrect measurements. At least by online shopping standards,

Alex from Iron Heart responded to my email and mentioned with all the information I gave him......height weight blazer and dress shirt sizing that he was still unable to judge what size jacket would fit me or if Iron Heart jackets would fit someone my size at all. I find this to be extremely odd and to say the least FRUSTRATING. Especially since I saw two jackets I liked and a pair of jeans. A mere $1000 purchase.

 

[ButteMT61]

I called a store in Los Angeles that carries Iron Heart. He had a 14oz denim jacket on hand. He measured it and said the XXXL came out to a 47 inch chest ! A 47 inch chest in case nobody is aware is a standard XL (46-48) in the USA

Too Funny. I guess fat guys don't get to wear $400 Iron Heart jackets. Boo Hoo.

I went thru this eons ago. Don't even bother with brands like IH (for many reasons) but sizing was what p*ssed me off.
I'm content to own things less "exotic" and stick to the standards, while saving money too.
Often, you can find vintage stuff in the denim world that's big - we used to make stuff for guys that worked on farms, built bridges, etc. and they all had some fairly big frames. I've had luck the last year going that route on eBay and Etsy, as well as second hand shops while traveling (the most fun of all).
RRL makes nicer stuff too, so if you can get in on sale, that's another brand I buy now and then...

 

[Trenchfriend]

Often, you can find vintage stuff in the denim world that's big - we used to make stuff for guys that worked on farms, built bridges, etc. and they all had some fairly big frames.

I think, that must be the reason, why (Levi's) type I-jacket is just regular-fit/convenient-fit. Convenient working-jackets.

The classic Wrangler 13,75 oz-Denim-jackets are of course still a very roomy regular-fit and too roomy for a german slender(long)-sized person like me. But slim-fit type III is perfect for me.

But I like the classy look of type I with one pocket, much more than type II!

 

[Monitor]

Supposedly after five years and three washes. Can you really get it to look like this?