Maxwell v Teamster

[Sir Jacket]

Sirs, I'm about to pull the trigger (although we are talking about a very slow bullet here in the -- ahem! -- UK) on what will be my winter Aero. What I want is a trim-fitting (I just can't do baggy Aero any more) button-up medium-length jacket in FQHH, ie coming to about two inches below the belt. I have narrowed down my choices to a lengthened Maxwell or a trim-fitting teamster. I have already had some erudite discussions here with owners of both jackets (or fellas who have tried one on) so I'm just doing a little further crowd-sourcing. Would a lengthened Maxwell work or should this really be a quite short jacket? Would there, in fact, be any difference between the two choices?

When it comes to Aero, after owning, selling and exchanging a lot of them, I've really decided I'm a fan of the fantastic 30s cuts: trim, good silhouette, no excess heavy horse! But i am wondering whether that style would work in the jacket length I have in mind. If only I could try the things.

(The colour is another torture, of course. I really want the brown FQHH but I'll end up with too many brown jackets so am thinking of going black... or cordovan?)

Sir J

 

[coloradorider]

Go with cordovan. It really changes shades of purple, brown, and black depending on the light. Oh - and you'll have a great excuse to buy some Color 8 boots. I prefer the Maxwell and I read "two inches below the belt" as hitting the top of your pockets on a pair of jeans. I feel the jacket could handle a little bit of extra length as long as you let Aero know it's extra length. This way the bottom button and half belt won't be out of place. That would be the biggest concern to me. I don't think the jacket could handle too much more length than this but am interested in everyone's opinion.

 

[Fanch]

+1 Cordovan over black. I have a pair of Alden plain toe dress shoes in Color 8 Shell Cordovan that are the bee's knees.

 

[ProteinNerd]

This is something I'm considering as well. Personally I prefer the teamster look with the front yoke and not the pocket but I guess thats purely personal aesthetics. Other than that, do they fit the same?

Looking forward to the thoughts from people that have tried on both.

 

[coloradorider]

ProteinNerd - might be a challenge to find too many people who have tried on both. The Maxwell appears to be the creation of Insurrection in Seattle and the only place to get one. Check out this thread, "Insurrection / Thurston Bros. - Official Affiliate Thread". I'd give them a call.

 

[Jeff M]

I have a cordovan Maxwell (no yolk on the back) on order, so you can tell what my vote is.
The Teamster is nice, but I wanted a simple "clean" uncluttered look without front/back yolks. Something sharp.
Not sure if they are cut a bit differently, but the Teamster has a more "boxy" look to my eye.

 

[Sir Jacket]

Thanks so far, guys. Aero will do the Maxwell for UK customers.

 

[Fanch]

SJ, have you run through a Maxwell with 28" back with Ken? The concern that I have with a slim fitting jacket that is too long might make you look and feel like a stuffed sausage. :eeek: No question that the Teamster is a fuller cut but might be better designed as a 28 " to 29" back than the Maxwell. My "sweet spot" for slim fitting jacket such as the Maxwell would be about two inches less in the back than than my Teamster. Just my thoughts.

 

[Sir Jacket]

Fanch, I did but Ken's answer was a little ambiguous. I don't see why the pockets on a Maxwell would be a problem long given that they seem to be the same design as the Teamster. I agree the Maxwell would be fantastic at its standard length but I already have "enough" short jackets.

 

[Fanch]

Fanch, I did but Ken's answer was a little ambiguous. I don't see why the pockets on a Maxwell would be a problem long given that they seem to be the same design as the Teamster. I agree the Maxwell would be fantastic at its standard length but I already have "enough" short jackets.

I would attempt to pin down Ken if you can. The template of the Maxwell might have the hand warmer pockets placed higher than on the Teamster. If Ken's answer is ambiguous, I would proceed with caution before ordering a long Maxwell.

 

[wdw]

My inclination would be to go for the Teamster if it's length you want. I'd be wary of adding 2" or more to a short jacket when there's a very similar longer one already out there. You have a 38 Stockman, so a 38 Teamster should be trimmer than that.

IMHO, the less you mess with any basic pattern the better.

 

[Fanch]

My inclination would be to go for the Teamster if it's length you want. I'd be wary of adding 2" or more to a short jacket when there's a very similar longer one already out there. You have a 38 Stockman, so a 38 Teamster should be trimmer than that.

IMHO, the less you mess with any basic pattern the better.

+1 wdw, I was trying to say exactly the same thing, although you expressed what I was trying to say better than I.

 

[Sir Jacket]

I am leaning the same way but it's great to have others' thoughts. That Maxwell is a damn nice jacket. SJ

 

[Fanch]

It would be interesting to look at the actual templates of the Maxwell, Teamster, and 30's Half Belt. I think that the Teamster is slightly longer in the back than the front, whereas the 30's Half Belt is longer in the front than the back. It is my understanding that the Maxwell is based on the 30's HB and suspect also longer in the front than the back. So, if too much is added to the body length of the Maxwell, I would be concerned about the jacket being out of balance, primarily in the front. I can tell you that I have no problem sitting with my 28.5" Teamster buttoned without leather bunching up in the front but am uncertain whether the same would be true if the jacket were a Maxwell with the same 28.5" back. SJ, in the best of worlds, I think maybe see a trip from London to Galashiels on your horizon.

 

[Sir Jacket]

I cannae gae tae Galla nae more! (To put it in the local vernacular.) SJ

 

[schitzo]

get tae ***k yer cannae!

You could if you wanted to enough. And this is the perfect time of year for that drive

 

[Sir Jacket]

Och, it's tae far, mon!

SJ

 

[schitzo]

aye, it is a real ball ache. I was thinking after I got back from my drive there, that maybe the next time there should be some sort of TFL organised roadtrip, where driving duties and fuel costs could be shared. I could go for one of those

 

[Sir Jacket]

Was thinking the same. I don't drive but I am a fair raconteur.

 

[Fanch]

SJ, I need a literal translation of "I cannae gae tae Galla nae more!" All kidding aside, this has been a very interesting thread regarding similarities and contrast between the Teamster and Maxwell. Subjectively, I think that the Maxwell might be designed specifically to fit shorter than the Teamster. I would love to have the opportunity of trying on both in my size so that I could give more objective input. From what limited information that I have, I believe that I would choose the Teamster for a longer but less trim fit; I would choose the Maxwell for a shorter, slim fit. I will say that I have no excessive bagginess below the half belt and buckles with my Teamster and wouldn't want to fine tune the pattern of mine in any way.