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Freewheelers leather jackets

Carlos840

I'll Lock Up
Messages
4,944
Location
London
I had the opportunity to try a couple of FW jackets. I think they look great on others but on me, not so much imo.

Shoulders and upper sleeves are a bit wide for my taste.

View attachment 327372


The La Brea is too long for me and the bottom hem too wide (I have no hips)

View attachment 327371

On the Speedmaster, the arm holes are too high in combination with too much material on the upper chest between the armholes.

Some people will say I'm nitpicking. Personally I think I have better fitting jackets and therefore, these FW designs/patterns are not for me.

View attachment 327382

IS that a 42 LaBrea?
I was under the impression we where a similar size/shape, but seeing you in that jacket it really doesn't look like we are.
 

Kuro

Practically Family
Messages
716
Has anyone mentioned the design of the jackets in relation to the fit???

*Reading through, others mentioned this, so yes, it was covered! :p*

The jackets based on the Leathertogs designs DO NOT HAVE ACTION BACKS. But they are designed to allow for some freedom of movement, by having an excessive amount of leather around the shoulders, especially in the rear, for that freedom of movement. This is a design feature Leathertogs used and Freewheelers is recreating.

Action backs, or swing backs if my terminology is correct, looks cleaner because the excess leather has a place to tuck away.

In the leathertogs design, the leather in the rear can look kind of baggy or sloppy until the leather starts to crease from wear, from my experience anyway, and finds it's own place to "fold into" when your arms are not reaching forward. But when new and your arms are down at your sides, based on the Leathertogs design, you have a lot of leather back there doing a lot of nothing as it it not worn or creased much yet. Also the design makes for a jacket that may not look as fitted as a more modern design, the shoulders have extra space. At least this is my understanding and perspective on the Centinela and La Brea, as they are both Leathertogs and both have the same back design.

P.S. Part of this Leathertogs design too attributes to the large biceps, because the jackets have large arm holes, again for freedom of movement. The taper to the wrists I assume is due to the design meant to be worn with gauntlets that go over the cuff.
 
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Kuro

Practically Family
Messages
716
Here are the last set of photos I posted to TFL of my Centinela. I get to wear it a lot here in the mountains of Colorado thankfully. It has a different look depending on the profile, but I will truncate the photos to only include straight on shot.

20200424_115003.jpg
20200424_130511.jpg
 
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willyto

One Too Many
Messages
1,616
Location
Barcelona
Here are the last set of photos I posted to TFL of my Centinlea. I get to wear it a lot here in the mountains of Colorado thankfully. It has a different look depending on the profile, but I will truncate the photos to only include straight on shot.

View attachment 327839 View attachment 327840
Holy sh*t.

That's an objectively great fit. it seems to work very well for you!
 

Kuro

Practically Family
Messages
716
Got a pic of the back ?

I just looked through the photos I have taken over time, and I do not have one taken from behind, as it is not easy. But I have observed etc.

I just finished an attempt to take photos of the back of the jacket but I was not successful as I would like, perhaps tomorrow I can do a better shot and demonstrate how the shoulders in the rear are cut and seamed to fold and extend to allow for a good range of movement. I rather like the design once I understood it.
 
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Kuro

Practically Family
Messages
716

Carlos840

I'll Lock Up
Messages
4,944
Location
London
This thread has a great photo of the back of a Centinela and La Brea jacket (Thank you @puiyc1203).

https://www.thefedoralounge.com/threads/freewheelers-centinela-rude-black.104029/#post-2804737

In the photo of the back of the jacket, you can see all the material around the shoulders with his hands in his pockets. As his arms would reach forward, that folded up leather will unfold and move with the arms, providing freedom of movement.

Personally i do not think the excess material in the back and biceps is a problem if a LT design is sized correctly:

8LJifCG.jpg

rl7miUK.jpg


49TDKUk.jpg

tW9YpLV.jpg


No pics of my LT/B yet, but it fits just as well as the one above...

Technically the Chevalier is also a LT design and it also doesn't have that problem:

4laPj1s.jpg

9x6kcpE.jpg
 

Marc mndt

I'll Lock Up
Messages
7,300
Personally i do not think the excess material in the back and biceps is a problem if a LT design is sized correctly:

8LJifCG.jpg

rl7miUK.jpg


49TDKUk.jpg

tW9YpLV.jpg


No pics of my LT/B yet, but it fits just as well as the one above...

Technically the Chevalier is also a LT design and it also doesn't have that problem:

4laPj1s.jpg

9x6kcpE.jpg
Looks much better on you than it does on me. I think that's mainly because of the length. I'm 5'11 / 180 and I guess you are 2" or 3" taller than me.
AA139E76-9AA2-4A50-8E39-865FBAA2EF40.jpeg
 

Imuricecreamman

One Too Many
Messages
1,593
Looks much better on you than it does on me. I think that's mainly because of the length. I'm 5'11 / 180 and I guess you are 2" or 3" taller than me.
View attachment 328850
I'd say you could easily take a smaller size. This jacket is all about a snug fit in the body and the tight forearmsleeves. The shoulders and wider biceps accentuates the V-shape of this pattern.
 

TheBigEraser

One of the Regulars
Messages
215
My La Brea 40 has arrived today.

I was lucky to find another "Black Jack" edition of La Brea, and this time with exclusive white eyelets for the belt. The leather puller on the d-pocket has been customized to the style which used on La Brea back in Bootleggers era.

I put my focus only on Black Jack because personally I prefer the red-brown tea core over the grey core of Rude Black.

As some of you know I already have a Black Jack La Brea 42, it fits well in terms of my shoulder and chest, but the body and sleeves are too long for me (173 cm height). So I size down to 40, although not as comfortable as 42, to get a better fit IMO.
FYI, this the link for the Black Jack La Brea 42:
https://www.thefedoralounge.com/threads/fs-freewheelers-la-brea-black-jack-edition-size-42.103932/.
If you are interested, feel free to make an offer.

Ok, pic time:
image1.jpeg


image0.jpeg
 

Jin431

Call Me a Cab
Messages
2,912
Location
Bay Area CA
My La Brea 40 has arrived today.

I was lucky to find another "Black Jack" edition of La Brea, and this time with exclusive white eyelets for the belt. The leather puller on the d-pocket has been customized to the style which used on La Brea back in Bootleggers era.

I put my focus only on Black Jack because personally I prefer the red-brown tea core over the grey core of Rude Black.

As some of you know I already have a Black Jack La Brea 42, it fits well in terms of my shoulder and chest, but the body and sleeves are too long for me (173 cm height). So I size down to 40, although not as comfortable as 42, to get a better fit IMO.
FYI, this the link for the Black Jack La Brea 42:
https://www.thefedoralounge.com/threads/fs-freewheelers-la-brea-black-jack-edition-size-42.103932/.
If you are interested, feel free to make an offer.

Ok, pic time:
View attachment 329234

View attachment 329235

Much trimmer and looks great! Any photos zipper up? This jacket is so cool.
 

Marc mndt

I'll Lock Up
Messages
7,300
My La Brea 40 has arrived today.

I was lucky to find another "Black Jack" edition of La Brea, and this time with exclusive white eyelets for the belt. The leather puller on the d-pocket has been customized to the style which used on La Brea back in Bootleggers era.

I put my focus only on Black Jack because personally I prefer the red-brown tea core over the grey core of Rude Black.

As some of you know I already have a Black Jack La Brea 42, it fits well in terms of my shoulder and chest, but the body and sleeves are too long for me (173 cm height). So I size down to 40, although not as comfortable as 42, to get a better fit IMO.
FYI, this the link for the Black Jack La Brea 42:
https://www.thefedoralounge.com/threads/fs-freewheelers-la-brea-black-jack-edition-size-42.103932/.
If you are interested, feel free to make an offer.

Ok, pic time:
View attachment 329234

View attachment 329235
Looks great, congrats!
 

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