Wested... go Doctor Who/Das Boot or go custom?

[Rob]

Here's my situation, forum members. I've wanted a nice double-breasted leather coat, basically, forever. My main inspiration for this has been my love of WWI pilots, especially pictures of the Red Baron and his cronies. Man, those guys knew how to dress for the occasion! Anyway, growing up I enjoyed films like Das Boot and have been a Doctor Who fan for a long, long time, so you can see that all of these influences are coming together and steering me firmly in the direction of some kind of double breasted leather reefer jacket. But here's the kicker... do I want to go with the Doctor Who/Das Boot pattern (if I get it, I will select dark brown horsehide), or do I want to try something a bit custom. Like, say, http://www.wearwolf.co.uk/acatalog/mens_reefer_leather.html

Peter at Wested's already quoted me on making something like the Wearwolf jacket... basically a 50 pound premium on top of the Doctor Who/Das Boot jacket for the extra leather, changed pattern, etc. So now I've got to choose between the two. I guess the primary difference is the overall length of the two jackets when placed side by side. See, sometimes the Doctor Who/Das Boot jacket looks reasonably long in some pictures, and rather short in others. For the people who have them, what are your thoughts? Do you wish they were a touch longer? Or is the shorter length good when sitting in cars, etc? Love to hear people's thoughts on this as I enter the final week before I make my choice

 

[Edward]

Would it make me a bad person if i confused matters further by throwing the Aero Barnstormer into the mix? (See www.aeroleatherclothing.com). They're similar to that, and a lot of folks round these parts rate theirs highly. Of course, they're also into a nother price band, if that's an issue.

 

[Jovan]

Not bad replica by our own Indy Magnoli.

 

[carter]

Not to further confuse the matter and it's not double breasted but...have you looked at the coat Nathan Filson wore in Firefly?

Museum Replicas makes a licensed repro of the coat. Not cheap BTW.

There is also an Army/Navy Store in Billings, MT that has these for sale. None of the Xl uo sizes as far as I know. PM me if you want their info.

 

[Jovan]

carter, thanks for the heads up. I'm considering dressing as Mal for Hallowe'en and the only other company that made a repro was AbbyShot.

 

[Kt Templar]

I was looking through that site a little while ago and noticed they already did their own version of the Doctor Who/German jacket.... they may not even know it!

http://www.wearwolf.co.uk/acatalog/mens_dblebrstd_leather.htm

 

[Rob]

Thanks for the replies so far... but they sort of go a bit all over the place

I'll break out the bit of text that hides my actual question:

So now I've got to choose between the two. I guess the primary difference is the overall length of the two jackets when placed side by side. See, sometimes the Doctor Who/Das Boot jacket looks reasonably long in some pictures, and rather short in others. For the people who have them, what are your thoughts? Do you wish they were a touch longer? Or is the shorter length good when sitting in cars, etc?

 

[Kt Templar]

This is mine, it was one of he first batch they made, plain vanilla off the rack cowhide, size medium which translates to about 38-40" chest. The back length is 31".

If you can persuade them to make one out of their current Indy jacket brown horsehide I think you will have a beautiful jacket.

 

[carter]

Originally posted by Jovan re:Mal's Browncoat on Firefly:
carter, thanks for the heads up. I'm considering dressing as Mal for Hallowe'en and the only other company that made a repro was AbbyShot.

AbbyShot makes a nice coat but it's pricey. There are others to be had but these two are probably the best.

Has anyone ever seen Browncoats for sale at a SciFi Convention?

 

[Jovan]

I won't buy from Abbyshot. They seem very shady and not all that great for what you pay. Being a year on their forum (now deceased) coloured my opinion a great deal in the way they dodged questions and misled.

 

[Rob]

If you can persuade them to make one out of their current Indy jacket brown horsehide I think you will have a beautiful jacket.

Thanks for that, mate. Good to get that length measurement. And, incidentally, I don't need to convince; I already have the quote from them to do it in horsehide :eusa_clap Right now I just have to work out what I want. I put on a favourite coat last night, for example, and although it doesn't reach my knees either, it's still certainly longer than, say, 31 inches. Currently, I'm leaning towards getting it made longer.

PS: And, just for fun, did you know my Wested Indy jacket was one of the first couple they turned out in horsehide? Yep... must have been 2004, or thereabouts, IIRC. Maybe 2005...

 

[carter]

Originally posted by Rob
I put on a favourite coat last night, for example, and although it doesn't reach my knees, it's still certainly longer than, say, 31 inches. Currently, I'm leaning towards getting it made longer.

Don't know if this helps but, I like a topcoat/trench/overcoat that falls to about mid-calf. So, instead of buying a regular, I buy a long. That works out very well.

 

[Rob]

It really depends on the cut of the jacket in question. Ordering an 'L' fitting will only add two inches, or so, to most jackets. So if the jacket's cut to mid thigh, ordering an 'L' will make it a little longer, but certainly not take it down near one's mid-calf!

 

[carter]

Good point.

I was actually thinking of trench coats. A regular usually hits me about mid-knee. A long at the top of the calf or mid-calf.

It depends on your physique as well. I'm 5'10" with a long torso and a 30" inseam. What works well for me wouldn't necessarily work for someone a lot taller or shorter.

 

[Rob]

I get you now

Meanwhile, c'mon guys, I know more people that just Kt Templar have a Wested Dr Who/Das Boot.

What are your thoughts?!!? [huh]

 

[Edward]

Not bad replica by our own Indy Magnoli.

Those are sharp. I'm tempted, as the leather trench I have at present is great with casual wear, but a tiny bit tighter than ideal with a suit jacket. It'll be a long while, though, before I can justify a second black leather trench in my wardrobe! I do think this would look amazing in a brown along the lines of the look of Aero's oil pull horse...

 

[Edward]

Don't know if this helps but, I like a topcoat/trench/overcoat that falls to about mid-calf. So, instead of buying a regular, I buy a long. That works out very well.

Does that not give you additional unwanted length in the sleeve?

 

[Rob]

I was thinking that, myself. If I wore an L, I think I'd find the arms were way too long.