Leather jacket length short torso

[SimonMW]

Currently waiting for my Lewis Leathers 402 to arrive (ordered at the beginning of Sept and still waiting!) Getting nervous about the length, even though I went through the measurements extensively with them, speaking on the phone, along with sending photos to them of a jacket I already have, along with a tape measure to show them its length.

The problem I have with all off the shelf leather jackets is that they are too long. I'm 5'8, but I seem to have a shorter torso than others. I have a biker style jacket I had made ages back at 23.5" length, and it still covers my front pockets. So I've had the Lewis Leathers 402 made with 22.5" at the front.

I did see another thread here where someone had a similar length made and a comment was made was that it was usually way too short for a leather jacket. So now I'm nervous it might look like a cropped women's jacket. Although I've measured myself multiple times since as well as measuring my other jackets, and 22.5" does put the length bang on the bottom of my belt line (and no, I haven't pulled up the waist really high).

Has anyone else got a similar problem with leather jacket length, and does anyone have any photos of how their 'shorter than normal' jackets fit?

 

[Marc mndt]

Imo the LL Lightning is not a design that's particularly suitable to be shortened.

The LL Lightning doesn't have a front drop, the back is actually longer than the front. So when specifying the back length at 22.5 the front will be shorter than 22.5.

While the size of the lapels and the chest pockets remains unchanged the main zipper becomes quite short because of the short front length, blowing the front design somewhat out of proportion.

I'm sure you've seen the post in this thread?

https://www.thefedoralounge.com/threads/vegecow-lewis-leathers-quality.103183/post-2939368

 

[handymike]

I think a vintage 50s cross-zip jacket would be perfect for you! The old HD ones were 22.5in or so. Some of the 30s and 40s styles were even shorter.
Real McCoys makes the Cycle Champ with 22.25in length.

 

[willyto]

Short jackets look fine. Depending on the pattern they might look weird if they have too much going on in the front though.

Examples with a short vintage German leather jacket and a Lewis Leathers Universal which is way too long for me. As a result I don’t wear the LL at all although is one of the most comfortable leather jackets I’ve owned the lenght and tapper makes it bunch up at the butt and waist and looks and feels terrible. When I sell this one(36) I would get a 38 with shorter lenght.

I am 179cm and my favorite back lenght is around the same you asked. 55cm aprox including vintage and repros. What I dislike is a very pronounced drop personally.

 

[Blackadder]

I agree with Marc. The Lightning was designed in late 70s to go with low rise pants/jeans which was the trend then. It is therefore rather long and attempt to shorten it may result in problem with proportion and pocket placement. A LL Bronx or the newly revived Memphis may suit your frame and requirement better.

 

[SimonMW]

The LL Lightning doesn't have a front drop, the back is actually longer than the front. So when specifying the back length at 22.5 the front will be shorter than 22.5.

Thanks for the replies guys. One thing I should have clarified was that LL took into account the back drop, so the front will be 22.5" while the back will be longer. Problem I have at the moment is that the jacket is already ordered (back in Sept) so too late to change it.

I'm sure you've seen the post in this thread?

Yeah, that was a thread I read. Although the guy there requested a 57cm back length, making his front length 55cm (mine will be a back of 59cm with a 57cm front). One other aspect is that he is stockier built than I am (he said his was a 42). I'm quite slim (37), so maybe the proportions will work slightly better?

This is a bit (well, a lot!) unscientific. But I took his image, and lengthened it (using the width of the bottom straps as an estimate of around 2cm, which would be the difference between his front length and mine) and brought in the width by an estimate of 12cm, which is the difference between mine and his. I know this is a bit pie in the sky and very, very, rough guessing, but the proportions seem to work slightly better. I think...