hollows
New in Town
- Messages
- 16
- Location
- United States
Here's my newest jacket...
The pocket flaps are designed so that you can tuck them if you like. I've been wearing them tucked so far, but it's nice to have options.
The leather is full-grain Italian horsehide. Compared to Shinki it's a bit thicker, more pliable when new, the finish is more matte and the grain character is outstanding. Shinki is cleaner, has fewer scars and bite marks, but is also a bit less interesting to look at. Both feel very good to wear, and will likely last longer than you, so I consider the choice between the two to be mainly a matter of preference.
I went with a plain back for my jacket. Normally this style comes with two small button adjusters on the back, but I asked to leave them off, as I find the adjusters are mostly aesthetic and tend to get snagged on chairs, backpacks and the like.
One oddity about this jacket is the all-leather buttonholes. Some very early leather garments (such as the British WWI horsehide jerkins) use a similar style. There are also a few modern makers doing this, and I suspect that it is a way to avoid using the dreaded Reece buttonhole machine. Every clothing maker I've spoken to has horror stories of the endless repairs this machine demands. Regardless of why, I find the leather buttonholes to be well executed and they should be exceedingly durable. A sewn buttonhole would be more historically accurate, but that's not a priority for me.
The main lining fabric is a sort of walnut brown corduroy, which adds a nice combination of warmth and versatility.
The jacket isn't perfect (none are), but it's an incredible value, and I think it leads the pack in its price range, especially for car coat styles. Jackets from Himel, Goodwear, and Freewheelers are a bit nicer when you put them under the microscope. My Himel has laser-perfect stitching and very nicely skived flat seams, but also costs over twice as much.
Whitefeather's site is here: http://whitefeathermfg.com/
The pocket flaps are designed so that you can tuck them if you like. I've been wearing them tucked so far, but it's nice to have options.
The leather is full-grain Italian horsehide. Compared to Shinki it's a bit thicker, more pliable when new, the finish is more matte and the grain character is outstanding. Shinki is cleaner, has fewer scars and bite marks, but is also a bit less interesting to look at. Both feel very good to wear, and will likely last longer than you, so I consider the choice between the two to be mainly a matter of preference.
I went with a plain back for my jacket. Normally this style comes with two small button adjusters on the back, but I asked to leave them off, as I find the adjusters are mostly aesthetic and tend to get snagged on chairs, backpacks and the like.
One oddity about this jacket is the all-leather buttonholes. Some very early leather garments (such as the British WWI horsehide jerkins) use a similar style. There are also a few modern makers doing this, and I suspect that it is a way to avoid using the dreaded Reece buttonhole machine. Every clothing maker I've spoken to has horror stories of the endless repairs this machine demands. Regardless of why, I find the leather buttonholes to be well executed and they should be exceedingly durable. A sewn buttonhole would be more historically accurate, but that's not a priority for me.
The main lining fabric is a sort of walnut brown corduroy, which adds a nice combination of warmth and versatility.
The jacket isn't perfect (none are), but it's an incredible value, and I think it leads the pack in its price range, especially for car coat styles. Jackets from Himel, Goodwear, and Freewheelers are a bit nicer when you put them under the microscope. My Himel has laser-perfect stitching and very nicely skived flat seams, but also costs over twice as much.
Whitefeather's site is here: http://whitefeathermfg.com/
