Leather jacket question

[pipvh]

There ia couple of black biker jackets in 36 & 38 (I'm assuming that as you're 18, you're on the smaller side) around the £250 mark. But if I was you, I'd scrape the extra £50 together and go for either the seal brown Bootlegger copy: http://www.alexanderleathers.com/sale/detroit-seal-jerky.html or this Cafe Racer type: http://www.alexanderleathers.com/sale/alexander-cafe-racer-seal-goat.html
I think both are a more flexible in terms of how and where you can wear them, and classically cool as the biker jacket is, I think this pair have a bit more cache - I doubt many of your friends will have either.

That Detroit is a steal. What a nice jacket!

 

[Sloan1874]

As a side note, I have no idea how AL can sustain jacket prices like that. After VAT, you're talking around £250 just to make a jacket, so I can't imagine they're making very much off these sale prices.

 

[Capesofwrath]

Are you thinking of going over to the dark side to get one? They have plenty in your size.

In fact the sizes seem to be very small compared to the Roadster I bought from the other sale. That's a 44 and measures 24.5" across the chest. Or size plus five inches. My 42 HWM measures exactly the same which is size plus seven inches and that's a lot. But these AL sale jackets are all about size plus two inches and one is marked 42 and measures 21"! Since I imagine they are using up old end of line leather it probably makes more sense to make up small trim jackets to get as many as possible from it.

It's a pity that they don't have my size in a brown. I've got enough black jackets and most of these sale ones are black. But the process of clearing stuff out is bit like Aero rounding up all the bits of jackets that were lying about and making them up into Blue Label ones for the sale page; and that £250 per jacket will include overheads and wages, most of which are fixed costs. So it doesn't really translate into every jacket costs £250 to make if a seamstress is idle and the leather is available. But clearly AL will need plenty of full price sales to completely establish themselves.

The OP has been given plenty of good advice here so I wonder what he'll do? He's gone a bit quiet so maybe he'll come back and tell us...

 

[Sloan1874]

Yes, I thought he'd gone a bit quiet too. To your other question: nah, I don't think so - I have definite plans for my next one, but that's well into next year, and we're into proper Irvin weather up here so there's no real 'and which jacket will I wear today?' choice at the mo' .

 

[NosfeRomas]

http://www.cuiropolis.fr/4220-blouson-en-cuir-noir-homme-schott.html#/couleur-noir/#


I found this at a local store. I am going to try it tomorrow. I think its a good price for a new jacket.

Sorry i left but i am leaving at a student estate and the internet is a bit problematic.
And no, i am actually on the big size. I am 6 feet 2. 100 Kgs and i have broad shoulders with a chest. Not athletic more on the puffy side.

I love brown and dark brown but i cannot afford a million different cloths to match the colours so i go with black till i get a job and start building my wardrobe properly. I like neutral colours. I checked thos Alexander leather jackets and they are gorgeous but they are still pricey for me because i have to consider shipping and i am alone, i can't get my measures accurately. I will visit the store tomorrow and check out this Schott i found. It is not a perfect like i wanted but i still like it a lot and i feel the price is right.

 

[tropicalbob]

Piece of advice: don't buy it if it doesn't fit you, particularly if you're an impoverished student. A leather jacket that doesn't fit always makes you feel like you're wearing somebody else's.

 

[winterland1]

http://www.cuiropolis.fr/4220-blouson-en-cuir-noir-homme-schott.html#/couleur-noir/#


I found this at a local store. I am going to try it tomorrow. I think its a good price for a new jacket.

Sorry i left but i am leaving at a student estate and the internet is a bit problematic.
And no, i am actually on the big size. I am 6 feet 2. 100 Kgs and i have broad shoulders with a chest. Not athletic more on the puffy side.

I love brown and dark brown but i cannot afford a million different cloths to match the colours so i go with black till i get a job and start building my wardrobe properly. I like neutral colours. I checked thos Alexander leather jackets and they are gorgeous but they are still pricey for me because i have to consider shipping and i am alone, i can't get my measures accurately. I will visit the store tomorrow and check out this Schott i found. It is not a perfect like i wanted but i still like it a lot and i feel the price is right.

When measureing the best way is to measure a jacket that fits you, not your body. Then find a jacket that matches those measurements or adjust them to get a fit you want.

 

[Jeff M]

See earlier pictorial on how to measure a leather jacket.

 

[Sloan1874]

Piece of advice: don't buy it if it doesn't fit you, particularly if you're an impoverished student. A leather jacket that doesn't fit always makes you feel like you're wearing somebody else's.

+1 Just because you can afford it, don't feel you have to buy the jacket. If it doesn't fit, hang fire, check eBay etc and save up a little.

 

[Damon B]

Totally agree with Sloan, make sure it fits perfectly or itll just annoy you constantly. My advice is get a credit card, push the boat out and get an Aero, cut up the card and enjoy yr jacket while u pay it off! Basically do wot u have to to get it right first time, its cheap!!er in the long run!!

 

[Jeff M]

Also agree with TropicalBob and Sloan re; jacket fit.
No matter how high quality a leather jacket is, if it isn't comfortable, it will just end up hanging in your closet.

I've seen folks rave about leather jackets from makers that I've seen do unimpressive work and complain about jackets from top end makers they purchased used because the former jackets fit them while the later didn't.

 

[Monitor]

I apologize for resurrecting an old thread, but could someone please explain to me what bloody sense does measuring the sleeve like on the photo below makes...

...and why exactly is this wrong?

I mean, if you put a 25" inch pole inside the sleeve of the jacket above, 1" of it would still stick out, any way you go about it, wouldn't it? So how is that sleeve 25" long, exactly?

 

[nick123]

My hunch is most people measure the "incorrect" way. Sleeve measurements are usually ballpark things when buying. Since seeing the proper way, I try to do it accordingly, but it's a lot harder, and I wouldn't have known about it had it not been illustrated here. An even bigger issue is the back length when the front of the jacket is exposed below the back when measuring the back. Many people include "the dip" so the actual back length is shorter than specified.

 

[ButteMT61]

I can understand the sleeve mistake, but not that last part. I don't ever see how someone would consider the front part of the back. Color me amazed.

 

[HoosierDaddy]

I can understand the sleeve mistake, but not that last part. I don't ever see how someone would consider the front part of the back. Color me amazed.

Took the words right out of my mouth.
Never heard of that one...:eusa_doh:

 

[navetsea]

probably what he meant, then the person would over stretch the back when pulling it straight to make it the same like the front when measuring , without realizing that the front is supposed to be longer.

 

[nick123]

Looking for an example on ebay where the guy takes a pic of the measuring tape. I'll report back.

 

[nick123]

But I should be studying. Why am I worrying about this?? lol

"So what did you do tonight?"

"You know, searched for pics trying to illustrate my leather jacket lip measurement theory to the guys. You know..."

lol lol

 

[navetsea]

time well spent in my book. lol

 

[handymike]

The worst is when they give you a FRONT measurement (from top of collar back to the bottom of the zipperbox) for the length.