Denim Jackets - New or Vintage

[Sonero]

NOPE.

Big Guys lose again. The Helston in a 3XL is a 44/46 inch USA. Basically an XL. I guess I will keep wearing garbage bags. They seem to fit me well.

 

[Monitor]

I want this jacket !

Can you please tell me if you purchased it from the Helston website ? I went on it but it did not have a cart option. I sent them an email in english so I hope they respond.

Can you describe sizing to us ? From my limited research it seems french sizing is yet different than the UK ? A XXXL french apparently is a USA XXL ?

What an amazing jacket.

lol I'm sorry man, but that jacket ain't mine. I don't have one, I've just found out about it when Edward mentioned it, too. But the cart option works normally for me, I've just tried placing the jacket into a cart and it appeared at the checkout as it should.
Have you tried buying it from this link?
http://www.helstons.net/blousons/cannonball-jean-raw-20150041.html

What I can tell you is that the French sizing is the standard EU sizing and the S-M-L sizing in Europe correspond the US/UK equivalent in the same size. Like, French/EU XXL will - or should - be the same as the XXL in the USA. It's the size numbers that are different - or rather 10 apart, to be precise. 10 plus for the Europe. So, a French 52 is a US/UK 42.

EDIT: No, wait... I was buying the wrong jacket. You have to find a dealer for that one. There's hundreds of 'em in that list.

 

[CNYC]

lol I'm sorry man, but that jacket ain't mine. I don't have one, I've just found out about it when Edward mentioned it, too. But the cart option works normally for me, I've just tried placing the jacket into a cart and it appeared at the checkout as it should.
Have you tried buying it from this link?
http://www.helstons.net/blousons/cannonball-jean-raw-20150041.html

What I can tell you is that the French sizing is the standard EU sizing and the S-M-L sizing in Europe correspond the US/UK equivalent in the same size. Like, French/EU XXL will - or should - be the same as the XXL in the USA. It's the size numbers that are different - or rather 10 apart, to be precise. 10 plus for the Europe. So, a French 52 is a US/UK 42.

EDIT: No, wait... I was buying the wrong jacket. You have to find a dealer for that one. There's hundreds of 'em in that list.

Thanks but your jacket sizing is confusing. From my experience Uk and USA sizing are different with USA sizing running larger. I found a Helston size chart and thier 3XL fits up to a 117 cm chest which is around a USA large or on the very tight side of an XL. Find me a true XXL in Helston and I will buy it immediately.

Meantime I ordered a wrangler rjk30 in black. Looks like a very nice jacket with decorative stitching.

 

[Monitor]

Thanks but your jacket sizing is confusing. From my experience Uk and USA sizing are different with USA sizing running larger. I found a Helston size chart and thier 3XL fits up to a 117 cm chest which is around a USA large or on the very tight side of an XL. Find me a true XXL in Helston and I will buy it immediately.

Meantime I ordered a wrangler rjk30 in black. Looks like a very nice jacket with decorative stitching.

XL in Europe is XL in USA. XL is XL anywhere in the world. XXL is XXL anywhere you buy from. Or at least it should be. . .

In General, XXL should be a US 46 or EU 56. But it most probably isn't because in the US, many makers are now tagging larger clothes with a smaller size alpha tag so many people believe that you should add an X when converting European sizes. Which isn't true.

It depends on the maker and what you're used to. Same as with size numbers, some companies make a smaller XL, some make a larger XL.

 

[CRAZYBUBBA]

Perhaps it should be, but as of now it is not. Sizing varies by country too. Ex: Japanese vs US sizes

XL in Europe is XL in USA. XL is XL anywhere in the world. XXL is XXL anywhere you buy from. Or at least it should be. . ..

 

[CNYC]

A USA 46 is the small end of a USA XL.

 

[Trenchfriend]

International XXL is french 62/64, german 60/62 and italian 66/68.

Hooray to numbers!

 

[Edward]

NOPE.

Big Guys lose again. The Helston in a 3XL is a 44/46 inch USA. Basically an XL. I guess I will keep wearing garbage bags. They seem to fit me well.

That's just on where I'm at these days... I'm surprised they don';t go bigger than that by a size or so.... 48 seems to be the upper limit for most men's jackets these days, before you're into repatterning and such.

In terms of buying if you did find one the right size, I don't think Helstons sell through their website at all. They're well known in France, but not so much here. They do, however, have a bunch of UK stockists, including motolegends.com, which is how I first saw them.

FWIW, something labelled as a UK 44/46 will probably be around 48-50" p2p; I am an average right in the middle between 44 and 46 depending on cut, and I tend to find I want a 48" actual chest for over a shirt / thin sweater, and 50" to layer.

It depends on the maker and what you're used to. Same as with size numbers, some companies make a smaller XL, some make a larger XL.

This is the thing.... ther'es no certainty with it. TBH, I've never even found much commonality with numbered sizing - e.g. in an Aero prewar halfbelt, I wear a 44, an Aero HWM a 42, a Schott 618 a 46.... I have suit jackets and blazers in my wardrobe labelled anywhere from 42 to 48, and they all fit.... all UK sizes.... Lettered sizing can be even more imprecise. As a general rule, I find US sizes are typically at least one-bigger than UK; if I'm an XXL/XL here, I'll be an L or sometimes M in the US. In China, on the other hand, I'm between an XXXL and an XXXXL!

 

[Monitor]

@Edward , that's exactly it. The Alpha, or letter sizes are a complete bs and should not be taken into any consideration anymore. There was a system to it but every maker wants their customers to feel thin and so an XL becomes an M. At least with numbers, you know that it's supposed to represent some kind of measurement.

I've heard that in Japan you can find clothes tagged with an F, as in Fat.

 

[Sonero]

Daniel from Helston responded to my size question. A XXXL is equal to a USA 46-48 chest size.

There it is.

 

[Trenchfriend]

@Sonero

That seems to be correct. 117 to 122 centimetre chest-size is an international XXL to 3XL.

 

[Brettafett]

I picked up this black 'vintage' denim jacket from River Island UK recently. Not really vintage, but I love it.
Have not owned a denim jacket for decades, but this jacket fits beautifully. Practical everyday wearer.

 

[Trenchfriend]

@Brettafett

Is it the same, as available on Asos.com?

 

[Brettafett]

@Brettafett
Is it the same, as available on Asos.com?

Yes, its this one... with the print inside.
http://www.asos.com/river-island/ri...lstyles=114&gridsize=3&gridrow=5&gridcolumn=2

 

[Bushman]

Tried out a Canadian tuxedo yesterday when I took my mom out to the Chicago Botanic Gardens for her birthday. It was windy and unseasonably cool for Chicago.

 

[Sonero]

Received my Wrangler RJK30 Black today size XXL. Fit is a roomy 50 inch chest. Sleeves are too long at roughly 37 inches but an easy flip of the cuff does the trick.

Made in Bangladesh 14.oz cotton inside pockets.

IMO the Wrangler Western unlined version is one of the greatest deals to be had on denim these days for under $45. Unfortunately I can't do the western thing too well.


RJK30 Black was $46 shipped to my door. Can't be beat IMO. Good styling.

I'd love a higher end denim jacket but they don't fit.

I will post a pic of my XXXL Levis is rigid denim tomorrow.

 

[Trenchfriend]

@Sonero

I see, it's the same problem like on the usual dark-blue/bright-blue Wrangler Authentic Western-jacket, sold in Germany. The strange "boxy" cut, as everyone can see already at the shoulders. I know no one, who likes this, here.

Second is the change from Turkey-made to Bangladesh-made, anytime in 2014/2015. The old version got too long arms, but the build-quality was astonishing clean A-class! Still shown by Wrangler itself:

And the new version got the corrected sleeve-length, but simplyfied build-quality, I would classify as A to B-quality:

But, I still just don't like Wranglers roomy regular-fit.

And basically, it's still a real massmarket-item with a great price-value, so you have to watch the build-quality, permanently.

 

[Sonero]

@Sonero

I see, it's the same problem like on the usual dark-blue/bright-blue Wrangler Authentic Western-jacket, sold in Germany. The strange "boxy" cut, as everyone can see already at the shoulders. I know no one, who likes this, here.

Second is the change from China-made to Bangladesh-made, anytime in 2014/2015. The old version got too long arms, but the build-quality was astonishing clean A-class! Still shown by Wrangler itself:

And the new version got the corrected sleeve-length, but simplyfied build-quality, I would classify as A to B-quality:

But, I still just don't like Wranglers roomy regular-fit.

And basically, it's still a real massmarket-item with a great price-value, so you have to watch the build-quality, permanently.

Hmmm, I have never seen this version before. Maybe it is for Europe only. The current Western Unlined Version is :

The chest buttons are push-button snaps not button loop type. Denim quality is slightly thicker than my RJK30. Fit is "boxy". There are more variations of sizing however if you look on the Wrangler website.

Denim jackets are in theory a Western Cut which is slim fitting. However not everyone can fit into one so some companies make different fits.

Carharrt used to make amazing denim jackets for the big guys but man have they fallen off the face of the planet as far as quality goes.

Any old carhartt fans here ??????

 

[Sonero]

I would also like to bring the Prison Blues Western Jacket to everyone's attention. 14.75 oz cotton produced by prison inmates in Oregon.

I owned one at one time but gave it away because the sleeves were too long for my chest size that I needed. Fit is wide in the shoulders.

Nice Quality though.

 

[El Marro]

I'd love a higher end denim jacket but they don't fit.

Sonero,
You might want to check out Ciano Farmer. I have one of his type 3 denim jackets that I ordered in 19oz Japanese selvedge with a wool blanket lining.

It is a beautifully made jacket and the fit is just about perfect. Ciano has an option that allows you to customize either individual measurements (shoulders, length, etc) or to go entirely with your own measurements when ordering the jacket. There is a fee for each modification of course. I added 1" to the shoulders and 1" to the length and I am very happy with the jacket.
Having recommended Ciano I have one word of caution that I must add, he is very busy and your order will almost certainly take longer than was promised. I waited 17 weeks for my jacket and during that time I spoke to Ciano 3 or 4 times by phone. He has a great energy and enthusiasm, You can tell that he is very into his work and to making sure that his customers are completely satisfied with their clothing (when it finally arrives). If patience is not your strong suit, then this may not be the guy for you. If you don't mind a wait, however, I can almost guarantee you were going to be happy with a Ciano Farmer jacket made for you