Lost Worlds jackets.

[Bern1]

It's a matter of taste ...(from a LW admirer)
I wonder why ppl are so anxiously want their brand new jacket artificially looks worn out/vintage
No method is spared such as soaking in water. If you are looking for such a jacket maybe it is better to buy one at a vintage shop or flea market.
I am now talking about LW jackets and coats. In the beginning they are very stiff and make those typical cracking sound and... they are heavy. These specific characteristics of LW leathers are caused by the quality of the material (processing etc..)
A leather jacket is like your second skin and the new jacket will become flexible after sometime (just be patient...!!). Treat the leather with wax or shoeshine every 6 months.
I have 2 downtown HH coats, a size 40 en 44 while my size is 42R..
The 40 (alpaca lining) , I wear it over a wool shirt...and for freezing temperature the 44 (satin lining) over a wool pullover and shirt.
The suburban (40) I gave it to my brother with the agreement never to sell it without my approval...!!

For the rest..I have no comment on other brands....!

Flame, my size is also 42R and my first Downtown I bought in 44 thinking I'd wear it with big sweaters etc. Which works ok but it is really big with just a shirt. I then bought another one in 42R and it's better, but still quite roomy and the sleeves are still a little long.

Wondering how your 40 Downtown fits...not that I am up for buying yet another one. I also bought the second one in 3.0 oz leather, it's a little lighter!

 

[nick123]

I really like the Roadhouse. "Roadhouse Blues" plays in my head whenever I think about that jacket.

 

[ButteMT61]

Wore my A-1 LW last night. It's heavy enough and fits me tight enough to be a good moto jacket for riding around town. If I had a bike...looking at the new Triumphs. Would be a good match I think. If anyone wants to donate one, I'm ready

 

[Arnold]

Received my J23 last week and sadly can confirm that Stuart oversizes a lot more than he thinks, or claims. The jacket's quality is amazing in every aspect, and I'll definitely buy more of his stuff (already bought two 2nd hand LW jkts previously). But this one I'll need to resell because it's too long, and hence also too wide at the waist. Stuart was against my request for a "38 Short" torso size even though we had already agreed on custom sleeve length and I had tried to determine torso length by using possible every angle in our communication - asking for his standard lengths (response: no bid...), I sent him photos of me wearing LW and other jackets asking him to comment on the fit of those (to get a notion of his notion of a "good fit"), etc etc.

So, a) I have a size 38 J23 for sale and b) I support those posts saying you *should* size down when ordering LW (*), no matter how much Stuart prides himself in giving correct sizing advice.

(*) Unless you have, uh, less than a slim shape, that is.

 

[Capesofwrath]

In my experience of makers they very often oversize them given half a chance. They don’t trust the customer to know his own size and are afraid of getting returns because it’s too small. Probably with good reason a lot of the time because they have been stung by people who lie to themselves about what their true measurements are. After all it’s said that you can’t deceive your tailor, but you can if you just tell him your measurements. But it’s particularly problematical if you are a slightly odd or between size. My chest is almost a full a size up from the size I buy in an off the peg jacket, and if I bought my chest size it would be hanging off me everywhere else. But when I’ve tried to tell some makers what actual measurements I want they usually don’t listen and insist on sizing by the chest size I gave them. That’s happened in the past with Aero and AL as was, and I’ve ended up with garments that were too big on two occasions, and once with too big a base size with larger than ideal armholes etc.

I had a long email conversation with one maker - not one of the above - and the gist of it was most people don’t know what size fits them, so we use our decades of experience to do it for the poor ignoramuses. When I pointed out that I’ve been buying leather jackets online, and long before that from adverts just on measurements for getting on for fifty years, and that if the jackets are measured properly I know exactly what will fit me. He wrote loftily that I may be one of those who does know their own size…. But giving the distinct impression that he didn’t believe a word of it.

 

[kronos77]

If we were all perfectly round cylinders, sizing would be easy. Instead we are each a unique shape of complex curves and angles. I have a good rapport with an expert tailor nearby, so when it comes to shirts and sport coats I am well taken care off. Communication and trust going both ways is important, especially for a $1000 jacket.

 

[sweetfights]

Received my J23 last week and sadly can confirm that Stuart oversizes a lot more than he thinks, or claims. The jacket's quality is amazing in every aspect, and I'll definitely buy more of his stuff (already bought two 2nd hand LW jkts previously). But this one I'll need to resell because it's too long, and hence also too wide at the waist. Stuart was against my request for a "38 Short" torso size even though we had already agreed on custom sleeve length and I had tried to determine torso length by using possible every angle in our communication - asking for his standard lengths (response: no bid...), I sent him photos of me wearing LW and other jackets asking him to comment on the fit of those (to get a notion of his notion of a "good fit"), etc etc.

So, a) I have a size 38 J23 for sale and b) I support those posts saying you *should* size down when ordering LW (*), no matter how much Stuart prides himself in giving correct sizing advice.

(*) Unless you have, uh, less than a slim shape, that is.

My chest is 43 and I received a J23 LW in size 44R Fit perfectly. But I like what Capesofwrath says- The tendency is to go bigger by vendors especially by chest size- I am like you Capesofwrath- Most jackets may fit my chest based on measurement but would end up being loose and baggy most other places.

 

[sweetfights]

PS based on this conversation, and I do value this forum, I believe I made the right decision in ordering a LW Ryder in 42R for a slimmer fit

 

[ButteMT61]

Problem is, people try to out-smart the makers by fudging their numbers. That I'd wager is where most issues happen.
I know because I did it to at first. Thinking you're going to know better and all. Tough one. That's why for so many of us, the chase continues after years of playing the game.

 

[Arnold]

Well, the point I've been trying to make is that communication is (at least for me) the main problem when dealing with LW, not lack of expertise, nor was I feeling simply a lack of faith in my personal sizing knowledge on LW's side.
In the end it turned out that my initial request would have been exactly the right one - 38 with both shorter sleeves and shorter torso. (Like you guys @sweetfights and @Capesofwrath I need a bigger chest size than waist size, torso length, sleeve length, and I think I communicated that clearly from the start on.)
Now, the reason I don't think the eventual mismatch was just due to a "sense of mission" as you guys described, is that there was decisive lack of information in other respects too. The J23 I ordered was estimated to be (and did turn out) the last LW jacket ever in its respective material, but long after I had paid and after the jacket had already been cut, I found out that a similar looking and only slightly lesser performing fabric was still regularly available. Had Stuart told me that before, which would have been extremely natural in the context of our emails, it would have taken a lot of the stress to get the perfect size off of my chest (pun fitting but not intended), and the whole process would have taken half a year less. There are even more implications to this than I'd like to unfurl here, as I don't like to speculate in public and end up sounding as if accusing someone. Let's just say the whole thing still feels a bit weird, and whatever the background of it was (either what you guys speculated above, or other motives, or all of them) whatever the case, it didn't help build trust.

Anyway, I'd like to end this on an up note and say that LW's J23 is a beautiful and badass jacket and very well made, and that's why I'll buy more now that the sizing ordeal is over and I know better what to order. Hope I can regain a decent part of the purchase price when reselling.

 

[Arnold]

Um, silly spelling error correction: "...THAN I'd like to unfurl here..."

 

[ButteMT61]

@Arnold - sorry, hope you didn't take my post as a "it was your fault" thing. Not the intent. I'm speaking only for me and some of what I've seen here over the years. I have no idea what happened with you and LW/Stu and I won't comment on it as I only hear 1/2 of the story. Trust me - I've made mistakes and vendors have made mistakes, hence only one jacket from my original batch remains. I've currently got four leather, and 3 for sure are keepers. The other was second hand and not made for me - is a bit short and remains in the "I'm flipping it today, keeping it tomorrow" jacket.

 

[flaminggroovy]

Flame, my size is also 42R and my first Downtown I bought in 44 thinking I'd wear it with big sweaters etc. Which works ok but it is really big with just a shirt. I then bought another one in 42R and it's better, but still quite roomy and the sleeves are still a little long.

Wondering how your 40 Downtown fits...not that I am up for buying yet another one. I also bought the second one in 3.0 oz leather, it's a little lighter!

My actual size is 42R
my 40R downtown fits well with a shirt....the sleeves are roomy enough at the upper arm/elbow and the length reaches between my wrist and first knockle of my thumb.

Driving my car with the coat (40 and 44) on gives my alot of pelasure....because I can move my arms freely
my 44R is a roomier but doesnt bother me ..wearing it with a thicker sweater.

I should stay with the 42R...if it is your actual size...after sometime you will see the benefit of it....
Dont forget these are 1950-1960 models and not those fancy tight fit coats...!!
B.t.w...I am 1.70 so my ideal weight must be around 72-74 kg....time for me to visit the gym...

 

[Sloan1874]

Fit is such a difficult and personal thing. I'm always really impressed with the fit people get despite being thousands of miles away from places. I can't imagine the disappointment when you've spent months/years waiting for a jacket, only to find it doesn't work.
*just to be clear, when I say years, I'm talking about that botched m445a that BK made for Jeff M.

 

[flaminggroovy]

ghghghghghg.....after 20 yrs LW's are going to be collector items..

 

[Sloan1874]

In 20 years time, I reckon the likes of GW, Aero and LW are all going to be collector items. Japanese makers too.

 

[Arnold]

@Butte don't worry, I found all of the replies helpful. Just wanted to add to the concepts about manufacturers' soecond thoughts etc.

Stuart actually offers/ advises to try a stock size before ordering a custom size (semi custom actually as only certain parametery can be changed). This procedure wasn't available in my case due to textile J23s being custom by default, apparently. I should have ordered a stock (leather) version first before ordering the textile one, that was my part of the sum of faults here. I didn't have the money for both versions at once, tho. Well, it's been a learning experience. - Will post photos in the classifieds soon, it *is* an extraordinary jacket that I wish I could keep, but I know I'll wear a shorter replacement more comfortably.

 

[Bunyip]

Why can't you just return it? The custom sleeve length? I would have thought you might have been able to reach a compromise?

 

[Bern1]

One thing bears mentioning regarding LW: the actual specs seem to change in some cases over the years. For example I have traded a couple of newer jackets for the same model used and older and found some differences in sleeve length. Stuart's newer models seem to have longer sleeves.

 

[Bern1]

My actual size is 42R
my 40R downtown fits well with a shirt....the sleeves are roomy enough at the upper arm/elbow and the length reaches between my wrist and first knockle of my thumb.

Driving my car with the coat (40 and 44) on gives my alot of pelasure....because I can move my arms freely
my 44R is a roomier but doesnt bother me ..wearing it with a thicker sweater.

I should stay with the 42R...if it is your actual size...after sometime you will see the benefit of it....
Dont forget these are 1950-1960 models and not those fancy tight fit coats...!!
B.t.w...I am 1.70 so my ideal weight must be around 72-74 kg....time for me to visit the gym...

Thanks. Didn't occur to me to try a size smaller than my actual 42R, especially with Stu always talking about the relatively tight fit. The Downtown 42R is still pretty roomy even with a sweater and the sleeves are just a touch long. I'm 5' 9" and 180 lbs. I kind of really swim in the 44R, unless I have a really big sweater, or a suit jacket but it is still comfortable. Over the last few years I have sold or traded my 44 LW jackets for size 42 examples. Keep debating about the 44 Downtown, some days I think I should let it go and other days I say no.

Would still probably trade it for a 42R if there's anybody out here...