My brand new Eastman Roughwear A-2 1401p jacket fit question

[Big7]

Hi guys! I have been lurking on this forum for a while and finally have something to post about.
I recently got a brand new jacket as a present . It's Eastman Roughwear 1401p contract.
I love this jacket, the leather, stitching , all the details are really amazing.
The problem is I'm not sure it's the right fit for me. The shoulders feel good and I like overall length, the sleeves are a bit long and it is not as snug fitting as I like it to be.
As I said, it is brand new, and feels a bit stiff , but I don't want to start breaking it in if I will have to sell it . Please see pictures below. I appreciate any feedback on this matter .
Thank you

http://m.imgur.com/Q7i0g89,tNaSlGP,XsTYwi1,Ik77XMQ,a5MH4nO

 

[Big7]

http://m.imgur.com/a5MH4nO
http://m.imgur.com/Ik77XMQ
http://m.imgur.com/XsTYwi1
http://m.imgur.com/tNaSlGP
http://m.imgur.com/Q7i0g89

 

[xmr]

Apart from the sleeve length it looks spot on.

 

[Sloan1874]

A bit bigger than I like my A-2s, but it's a good look. A bit of hot water on the collar to get shaped down and you're good to go. The Roughwear collar is very distinctive, isn't it?

 

[Lean'n'mean]

Looks OK from the front but for me, there's too much slack at the back & the sleeve head seams don't sit quite right. Prehaps with some under layers it'll fill out more.

 

[Peter Mackin]

Looks great ,get some creases in it & enjoy.

 

[bn1966]

Give it some love, wear will give overall character to the jacket, crease the sleeves & shorten them a bit. If you still feel the sleeves are too long (like I did on one of my ELC jackets) you could contact ELC with a view to having them shortened

 

[Jaime]

Hello Big7, congrats! It is a fantastic jacket (got myself an Eastman a couple of weeks ago and Im still amazed!)

It is true that the jacket shows a relaxed fit, but I believe is in the range of your own size (size up or down). I think your body could accept a smaller size without being too small for you though, but this particular doesn't look bad at all except perhaps, as you say, the sleeves.

My personal opinion here: The point is being honest with yourself. If you were looking for something more snug but you honestly don't mind something a bit more loose, enjoy this jacket because looks good, but if you were looking for a different fit it doesn't matter what we could say, because you won't let it go, that idea will be in your head until you decide to sell and purchase another one (I say that for personal experience), and as you well say, if that is the case this is the best moment to sell when it is still brand new.

Hope that helps!

 

[scotrace]

All the 1401P I've seen fit kind of bulky like that when unzipped, except an early production one our member Paddy had at one time. It will break in and get softer and drapier in time: all that bulk business in the back should mitigate somewhat and the collar will get less... prominent. The fit is pretty much right where it should be. Good length, snug when zipped, and I don't find the sleeves at all too long. Better t start with a little length because the sleeves will likely come up a little as it wears and wrinkles.
A nice jacket.

 

[Peacoat]

I like my jackets a bit loose, so it looks good to me. The sleeves are a little long, as evidenced by the tunneling. It is a nice jacket, and I wouldn't move it along. But that is your decision as you will be wearing it.

Welcome to the Lounge. PC

 

[Big7]

Thanks everyone for your reply. I love this jacket. The leather, every stich, it is just amazing amount of detail and quality. As lean'n'mean pointed correctly there's too much slack at the back & the sleeve head seems to be kind of bulky, which was my main concern. So I wasn't sure if it is just not my size and I should go smaller. The problem with these jackets is that I can't go to the store next door and try bunch of these on, so I could find correct fit. I would hate to sell it and find out that smaller size doesn't fit correctly either.
I love the collar, I like the look of roughwear and if it is like scotrace says and the back bulk will mitigate over time and the jacket will get drapier, I think I have a keeper

 

[Big7]

just for the record. This jacket is size 42. I have about 42 " chest, I'm 5'10 175 weight, with 32 waist .
I actually have another roughwear Bill Kelso jacket, that I got recently from one of the members. It is quite nice, but I'm not sure about the fit either. I will probably be listing it in classifieds.
Maybe it is just the fit of roughwear, that is not for my body type
I'm thinking maybe I would be better off with Monarch or Dubow contract ?
Does anyone own both contracts, and can you compare how does it fit you ?
Thank you

 

[nick123]

It's fine. Give it some time to settle in. Very nice.

 

[Sloan1874]

Seeing it on a large screen, the back and side views suggest too much slack. I think Dubow, Bronco or Monarch - all are slim. I'm considering the Dubow or Monarch for my GW when the slot comes up in 18 months time...

 

[HPA Rep]

Give it some love, wear will give overall character to the jacket, crease the sleeves & shorten them a bit. If you still feel the sleeves are too long (like I did on one of my ELC jackets) you could contact ELC with a view to having them shortened

ELC no longer offers that type of service, I'm sorry to say.

 

[Big7]

sloan1874 that was what I'm afraid off. I guess, I can put it in classifieds . If it sells, I will get one of the slimmer ones, if not I will just enjoy it ! Unless, someone has a jacket that it is to small, so we can trade

 

[HPA Rep]

Looks will always change for the better with use, but the actual fit isn't going to change, it's just how it appears that will change once it conforms to you and the leather is broken in. This will look far better in 6 months!

You seem to have gotten your correct size within the confines of the ELC 42R. This is what their 42R looks like on you, and it's just not at all likely you could have worn the 40R and been comfy or happy; I wear 40R and you've got me by just over 25 lbs. and 1" of height. Wear it and enjoy it from here on, I'd say. Congrats.

Separately, the jacket's leather looks totally unlike any ELC 1401's in our stock or that we've handled in many, many years. It's true that the amount of grain will vary with each jacket and consignment of hide, but your A-2 appears amazingly smooth. Perhaps it's the photos and the fact you posted no closeup pics, but what stands out to me is an absence of grain, which is very, very perplexing in light of the fact this is made from ELC's Vintage WarHorse - the most grainy leather they have and the same leather used on the ELMC jackets.

Please do not take this the wrong way, but I hope the new supply of hides aren't all like this or we'll have some unhappy customers as the hides will not match their descriptions or stock images.

 

[Brettafett]

You have a winner there my friend.
You got the right size and the sleeves are perfect! Keep it.

I have a 40 long at 5'10 38 chest and 70kgs - the extra length was to get exactly what you got with the sleeves cause they tend to shorten with creasing... and short sleeves are not comfortable.

Those sleeves will shorten after not much time, with creasing - from my experience, by an inch +-.
Try this. Keep your arms straight and lift them up to you chin to crease the armpits.
Bend your arms to crease the elbows. Slightly wet these areas before and keep at it as often as you please.
Dont worry about the back, it will also crease up and be glad for the room, I have had 2 Monarchs, an ELC and a GW and even though its a lovely jacket, it is not the most comfortable, esp with arm movement and sitting down. AND I AM A TRIM BLOKE.
Much prefer the fit of my RW1401.
Hot water the collar

The RW pattern is slightly more boxy than some others, but yours looks good. The jacket will conform and mold to you - wear it in the rain - give it time. RWs are RWs.
Trust me, after quite a number of high end repro A-2s... you don't want it too snug. May 'look' like some WW2 pics (this is VERY relative, there are as many fits as there were pilots), but it won't be comfortable as a daily wearer.

Enjoy.

Heres mine after a couple of weeks. I love it.

Check these pics of Hum Zemke and his RW1401...

 

[Big7]

HRA rep. Well I don't have anything compare it to, but it feels and looks very luxurious to me.
I can't imagine anyone complaining about this

here are some close up pictures of the jacket
http://imgur.com/a/JPRZe

 

[Big7]

Well, I'm not sure what to do now. Most of the people advising me to keep it, but some of you share my concerns about the fit in the back.
This jacket really feels great, the leather is like butter but .....
Well, I asked my daughter to take some more pictures of what I think problem areas are.
Brettafett thank you for your input, but I'm not to worried about the sleeves , I mostly care about what's going on in the back. Your sleeves look trim and awesome, now compare it to my triceps area. Will it really get adjusted with time ? I really not sure what is going on in the shoulder blades area. Is it made for wider shoulders and I'm not filling it in completely ? Also in these pictures my jacket is unzipped, there might of been a bit less slack in the back have it been zipped
http://m.imgur.com/6IH9gHq,IFGcZUW,Jlkf4mM,M6Rcziu,z8IW9GX