Sent back my Highwayman for a denim jacket

[Deleted member 16736]

Okay, so I threw away $500. But at least I have a jacket that will fit and I didn't have to shell out more money for a horsehide jacket.

Here's my question: should I wash my new denim jacket? It's a good, comfortable size for me and I don't want it shrinking more than 1-2%. It's selvedge denim and I've never had selvedge denim before. Anyway, just wondering how to handle it.

It's a replica of a 1936 Lee jacket made by Lee Japan.

Here's a link:

http://www.aeroleatherclothing.com/product-detail.php?id=165

 

[ButteMT61]

???
Sounds like a story I'd like to hear!
Not familiar with that denim...

 

[Radu]

I have the no cinch version , like new, worn only a few time:
http://www.thefedoralounge.com/showthread.php?56437-LEE-1944-RIDERS-101-J-jacket-FOR-SALE&highlight=

The shrinkage was minimal 2-3 % after first soak. Unfortunately is too big for me and I want to sell it, but it seems that nobody is interested.

I also have a pair of Lee dry jeans and two pair of Nudie dry denim. I will never buy another kind of denim. The look after a year of normal worn is outstanding. So, all you have to do is wear it, wear it, wear it. If the fit is OK I would not wash it/ soak it.

Radu

 

[ButteMT61]

Sizes?

I have the no cinch version , like new, worn only a few time:
http://www.thefedoralounge.com/showthread.php?56437-LEE-1944-RIDERS-101-J-jacket-FOR-SALE&highlight=

The shrinkage was minimal 2-3 % after first soak. Unfortunately is too big for me and I want to sell it, but it seems that nobody is interested.

I also have a pair of Lee dry jeans and two pair of Nudie dry denim. I will never buy another kind of denim. The look after a year of normal worn is outstanding. So, all you have to do is wear it, wear it, wear it. If the fit is OK I would not wash it/ soak it.

Radu

 

[Deleted member 16736]

Thanks, Butte. I ordered it in Large. The sizes run big and Large is a perfect fit for me with a little room to spare. The jeans are next, but I grew up on $20 Lee's, so $200 jeans is a tough pill to swallow. Besides, my wardrobe has steadily migrated to chino pants (Dickies).

 

[Radu]

Sizes?

Size 40R

 

[Peacoat]

So, what is the story behind the Highwayman? I looked at some of the prior topics you started, but didn't see anything.

 

[ButteMT61]

So, what is the story behind the Highwayman? I looked at some of the prior topics you started, but didn't see anything.

X2!

 

[Deleted member 16736]

So, what is the story behind the Highwayman? I looked at some of the prior topics you started, but didn't see anything.

I ordered it through Mark Moye over 1.5 years ago and received over one year ago. It's a heavy jacket -- too heavy for my tastes. It's also cumbersome due to its large sizing. And finally, for all the hullabaloo about Aero's FQHH, I found the leather unattractive. I must not be a fan of chrome tanning. But most of all, it just didn't fit. I ordered it a half inch too long. Doesn't sound like much, but it was. So when I got my Dubow 1755 from John, there was no reason anymore to pretend I wanted to keep the jacket. I thought about selling it, but in the end I just sent it back to Scotland for a jacket I want, can use, and most importantly, will fit (or at least I hope so).

 

[ButteMT61]

Interesting as Aero will fix sizing issues. I understand that the extra wait might not seem attractive, but I'd certainly do that over giving up.
But that's me...
Good luck on the new one.

 

[Jaguar66]

I ordered it through Mark Moye over 1.5 years ago and received over one year ago. It's a heavy jacket -- too heavy for my tastes. It's also cumbersome due to its large sizing. And finally, for all the hullabaloo about Aero's FQHH, I found the leather unattractive. I must not be a fan of chrome tanning. But most of all, it just didn't fit. I ordered it a half inch too long. Doesn't sound like much, but it was. So when I got my Dubow 1755 from John, there was no reason anymore to pretend I wanted to keep the jacket. I thought about selling it, but in the end I just sent it back to Scotland for a jacket I want, can use, and most importantly, will fit (or at least I hope so).

There are guys just like me just waiting for good used Aero FQHH in size 40 to come up for sale, I would have bought it, if the measurements were close. When a horsehide jacket is too large for me, I am not worried because horsehide is easy to draw up using hot/water/drying techniques. I bought an AERO FQHH, one size too large (42), and was able to draw it up to fit me perfectly.

Next time, before you sell, give me a PM.

_

 

[Lando]

There are guys just like me just waiting for good used Aero FQHH in size 40 to come up for sale, I would have bought it, if the measurements were close. When a horsehide jacket is too large for me, I am not worried because horsehide is easy to draw up using hot/water/drying techniques. I bought an AERO FQHH, one size too large (42), and was able to draw it up to fit me perfectly.

_

Jag66 - Did the jacket you shrunk have a wool liner? I'm contemplating that myself but dont know how the wool tartan will hold up to it. Any suggestions?

Joel - I have a few selvage jeans from ironheart and a Roy and I treat them all the same, to which I have gotten very little shrinkage. I wear the hell out of them, then I wash in cold water on a short cycle with a basic detergent. I usually do a few pairs at once and use the bare minimum amount of detergent necessary. I hang them dry then. They get stiff on me, but they dont shrink much, and the stiff gets work out in a few wears. I know there are a lot of selvage forums that will give you a bunch of tips on cleaning as well. Ironheart has a great forum attached to their shop and washing their selvage jackets might not be that different from yours. Just a thought.

 

[GriffDeLaGriff]

I agree cold water works.

I washed my selvedge in 60 degrees celsius and they shrunk alot in the legs. Now I have to stretch them like hell everytime I wash them.
Next pair I washed in 30 wich is a woolprogram that is also shorter, and I can´t notice any shrinkage in the legs.

A jacket is harder to stretch, but always go with as cold water as the machine can do and you get least amount of shrinkage.

 

[Deleted member 16736]

Thanks for your replies. If/when I need to wash my selvedge denim, I'll just wash in cold water inside out with some other jeans and air-dry it. That's good advice.

 

[Deleted member 16736]

There are guys just like me just waiting for good used Aero FQHH in size 40 to come up for sale, I would have bought it, if the measurements were close. When a horsehide jacket is too large for me, I am not worried because horsehide is easy to draw up using hot/water/drying techniques. I bought an AERO FQHH, one size too large (42), and was able to draw it up to fit me perfectly.

Next time, before you sell, give me a PM.

_

Mine was size 42.

 

[JakeHolman]

Completely agree with COLD water. I have the same jacket and soaked it in fairly warm water wanting to get a bit of shrinkage and the indigo bled into the corduroy collar

 

[Edward]

I agree cold water works.

I washed my selvedge in 60 degrees celsius and they shrunk alot in the legs. Now I have to stretch them like hell everytime I wash them.
Next pair I washed in 30 wich is a woolprogram that is also shorter, and I can´t notice any shrinkage in the legs.

A jacket is harder to stretch, but always go with as cold water as the machine can do and you get least amount of shrinkage.

Griff.... when I hear the denim guys talk about a 'cold water wash with woolite', is that what they mean - a 30 degree cycle in the machine? Gah.... with my latest denims I was trying to wash them by hand in cold water, in the bath..... no wonder it didn't do much good! so a 30 deg cycle in the machine won't lose all the colour? :eusa_doh:

 

[GriffDeLaGriff]

Mine didn´t

I did hear that salt "settles the color" so first soaked them in cold salty water. I just put in some salt to make it almost as salty as seawater.
Then I washed them inside out in 30 with normal color detergent, but a very small amount.
I didn´t use any softening as I heard softening destroys the threads.

I have washed them 3 times now and they are still dark. I can put up some photos later in a new thread.

I did "destroy" my other selvedge jeans tho, and posted about it here.
I washed them not insideout, and in 60, and they looked like the 80´s stonewash lol

 

[Equality 7-2521]

Is the cold cycle in the washing machine actually 30 or are you guys referring to another cycle labeled 30?

 

[GriffDeLaGriff]

Where I live the cycles are labeled after the degrees celsius the water is. 30, 40, 60 and 95
I actually don't know how exact this is, but I always assumed it worked pretty well.
30 is usually the "wool" program, its shorter and in some fancy machines it doesn't roll it just rocks it.