Help with first leather jacket purchase, sizing.

[AlmostEngineer]

Hello, I am a new user and would greatly appreciate some advice. I apologize if these threads are commonplace and tiresome but as a 'boot guy' I know it can take years before you develop a sense for these things. I went from mall brands to custom White's over the course of 8 years and wish I knew quite a few things before I began. It would have saved me time and money.

Here are my measurements. I am 6'1" and 185 lbs for reference

Chest: 39"
Shoulders: 19"
Sleeve: 26" - 26.5"
Waist: 34"

I was looking to spend 300 to 500 dollars max ideally. A lot of advice for newbies on a budget involves going used but I havent had any luck finding anything that would fit me how I am looking for. I am looking for something like a half belt or cossack, maybe an A1 but am unsure about the knit portions in the summer. Ideally it would be button front. I wear higher rise pants and tuck my shirts so a shorter length, slimmer fit would also be preferable. Anyways, these many preferences and lower budget led me to look at 5 Star, which then led me to this forum. 300+ pages of reading the 5 Star thread later and I have lost hope and am looking for advice. My most pressing questions are:

1. Can I feasibly get an acceptable jacket from 5 Star if I give them my 'favorite jacket' measurements and choose a known good pattern? (Like a copied original pattern)
2. Are there any brands I can find used that tend to run long/slim? An A2 or zipped half belt would be acceptable given limited options.
3. I just happen to be visiting Japan (Tokyo mostly) on a family member's dime next month. Is it worth 'massaging' my budget and looking for something there? Any brand, model or sizing advice on that end? Is used a good option there?
4. Any other brands/options I am missing?

Thank you for any info or even links to threads that might be enlightening.

 

[raf]

I can't help directly with your request, but I can offer some general advice:

Each Mfr measures the human body a little differently, so use the specific Mfr's measuring suggestions when communicating with them. With a different Mfr, you may well need to use their measuring techniques.

Suggest measuring chest with lungs fully inflated. It will make a difference.

A lot of these jackets may use patterns for young men in their prime. Most Mfrs will say this, and a lot of them will suggest going Up one size at least. If you wish to wear additional garment(s) under the jacket for cool/cold weather, then measure inflated chest over such inner garments and adjust size (chest/body/sleeve) of the jacket accordingly.

Some leather jackets, over time and use, will develop creases in their sleeves, which may shorten sleeve length about 1/2" or so.

Sleeve length and body length often change with chest size. Know what you want/need for both.

Some Mfrs will alter some dimensions on their jacket for free, some may charge a little extra. Such "alterations" may affect your ability to return the jacket for exchange /refund.

Strongly suggest doing some searching on eBay using desired chest size and preferred length (short/reg/tall) in search terms. Pay attention to how vendor measures the jacket (not all are competent) and pay attention to return rights.

You already know what an A-2 jacket is. Navy G-1 is a little different, but similar. Both common and from various Mfrs. AN-J-3 jacket is a blend of both, having Navy G-1 Bi-swing back but omitting Navy G-1 mouton collar. My personal fave, but harder to find than A-2s and G-1s.

All other things being equal, it is my experience that a jacket that is a little too big is far more comfortable than a jacket that is a little too small.

 

[AeroFan_07]

So, I'm not a button-up jacket person overall, and I walked away from half-belts many years back too. That said we are similar in size, and I overall like how you termed your search - it's a lot to research here!

On edit - I also have transitioned to PNW boots overall, sitting here with multiple pairs of Nicks, Whites and Wesco's which I am very fortunate to have found & own. My feet really appreciate it, though many folks in the area I live still have no idea of these companies or their very well US-crafted boots. (Red Wing country)

I would advise Not to buy something new. Also, I would advise Not to expect to find your grail or forever favorite jacket the first time around. Rather, I would encourage you to look at the classifieds or eBay, get to know your size & fit preferences, see what types of leathers, linings and patterns you like, and then go from there.

Being in the Midwest with a lot of wind and driving rain and snow, I vastly prefer a good zip-up jacket to anything snap or button-up. I do have a few button up denim jackets, not commonly used, or of course one button up long "formal" jacket for formal occasions, which are exceedingly rare in my life.

Realizing I prefer zippers, I also found that my longer arms need longer sleeves, which led me into the world of motorcycle jackets, and eventually owning a motorcycle myself. That led me (a long way) down the path of owning a lot of different motorcycle intent jackets, along that path of which I found FL and lost all good sense of reason.

It's a journey, and it's a lot better one that many other "journeys" you could embark on. I would recommend finding a pattern that works for you, then concentrate on details such as fit, form and function. Buying & selling these off pre-owned is pretty simple, just be careful or you too could become a collector!

 

[codex]

For that money you should look into buying from JiaShi or Simons, they are Chinese leather jacket brands. They are the best value for the money spent in that bracket. That is, if you want to buy new.