New Jacket Simmons Bilt Oakland Review

[dudewuttheheck]

Yeah. Alan and co can sew a jacket to the nuts! But tbh that little detail doesn't really have any effect on my overall feel about each one of them. These are my top 3, as it were, and they all have small flaws and incongruent features that honestly make them all the more endearing and unique. Like a birth mark or something. I couldn't pick a favorite. Believe me...I've tried!

They all looked great in the fit pics you posted earlier. It must be nice to have 3 D pockets to choose from
I'm still looking for my first one!

 

[A-1]

Hi everyone,
I just wanted to say "WOW!“ and "WOW!“

First "WOW!“ is for the incredibly beautiful and great fitting jacket Allan is wearing! I think it looks perfect on you, zipped AND unzipped! I wished I had a jacket that fit me that well...
Plus, the un-alignment on the bottom is a design detail, I’m sure about it. My DD has it too and I love it. I think it looks way better than when it’s completely aligned. It’s an asymetrical jacket after all and I love this look on the bottom. I personally don’t like the aligned look at all. But then, I’m a rebel, haha. The first "WOW!“ also goes out to the leather, just beautiful! I love the colour and how it changes in different light settings.

Second "WOW!“ is to us loungers for talking a superb fitting and extraordinarily beautiful jacket down for the proud owner. Come on, the jacket is completely new and Allan is wearing just a t-shirt. It’s a leather jacket and if Allan wears it hard from now on, we will all be happy to see the evolvement and fit pics (uploaded directly from his phone) of this wonderful jacket! I know I’ll be so happy to see it evolve, crease, mold and rub off!
Please, please enjoy your jacket!

P.S.: Please don’t be offended by my comment. I love the way everyone can be open with his/her opinion on here. And I love honesty above almost everything. I just had the feeling it was a bit too much and excessive in this thread. Well, waaaaaay exaggerated and not of the known sensitive nature on the lounge. I have never seen such a nice jacket and fit being talked down so hard and that actually made me sad.

Allan, please note: My positive comments on the fit, jacket and leather are not originated in this feeling though, but they’re completely honest and meant just the way I said them! I love your jacket and you in it!

 

[nick123]

The jacket looks great...everything blends together perfectly. Keep it.

 

[zebedee]

Jacket is outstanding. Keep it. Wear it. Live in it.

 

[Fonzie]

Amazing jacket and perfect fit, congrats on such a great score!

 

[Insomnia]

Very nice jacket and perfect fit!
Most of us can only hope for such a good fit.
A-1 said everything that should be said about your jacket.
I only can confirm his opinion.

 

[Sloan1874]

I would not go overboard - the pulling around the arm holes would concern me, particularly the two diagonal lines going up to the to collar, that suggest the jacket is to small and those sleeve heads are going to start sawing at the OP's pits shortly - I've suffered this and it ain't fun. I'm also a bit leary of the stitching on the centre of the D-pocket, looks a bit off to me. However, if OP is happy, fine, but I would asking SB questions about the QC and the overall fit. YMMV, naturally, but even then I'd say you were drunk and it's time you went to bed.

 

[A-1]

I would not go overboard - the pulling around the arm holes would concern me, particularly the two diagonal lines going up to the to collar, that suggest the jacket is to small and those sleeve heads are going to start sawing at the OP's pits shortly - I've suffered this and it ain't fun. I'm also a bit leary of the stitching on the centre of the D-pocket, looks a bit off to me. However, if OP is happy, fine, but I would asking SB questions about the QC and the overall fit. YMMV, naturally, but even then I'd say you were drunk and it's time you went to bed.

Well, I must say that if it feels good wearing the jacket, it's great. I always think it's hard to judge fit only by photos. Videos are better to judge fit and to see if the wearer feels comfy in it.
From the looks I definitely love those lines. I always love a bit of character. Have I mentioned that I like imperfections??

And it's a leather jacket after all. I firmly believe all the makers, including Mr. Himel and Mr. Chapman, are laughing about the stuff we are writing here.
If I were Allan and the fit was comfy, I'd wear the hell out of that jacket. All the imperfections will blend in greatly when it's well-worn.

(A good quote that I read yesterday by the way: "In an ever-changing world, don't look for perfection.")

One more thing. I think it's sad that we waste so much time talking about the perfect fit and finish, when we could be wearing our jackets. All these leather jackets are meant to be worn and achieve character and therefore imperfections. Personally, I would love to see some of your jackets evolve, (especially Ton's!))



When everything's collapsing, trust the kids!
- www.zekimin.com -

 

[zebedee]

I wasn't aware of the glaring faults in my Aero cafe racer's arm holes and diagonal lines till I read the earlier comment. Now that I am aware of them, I'm going to wear it even more

 

[AllanP]

I know what Sloan means. I do think the shoulder could be wider because it's tight when you zip it fully. The thing is the armpits are actually not tight, I am actually skinnier than you think, i just have wider shoulder proportional to the rest of my body. I could put like 4-5 fingers between the pit of the jacket to my armpit because my chest size is probably a 38.

So it's a give or take when I chose the size, I could have sized up to a 42 for wider shoulders, but I think it would be too loose around the chest, and way way too loose around the waist because of how skinny I am.

Thanks for the kind words A-1. I like that people are honest about what they see, it's good to be critical if that's how they feel.

Now that I know my measurements better and how leather jackets actually fit, the next one will definitely be easier to buy.

I've been actually wearing this jacket every day for the past week because they blast the air conditioning on the subway in the morning. I think it's breaking in nicely and I don't feel any real discomfort other than the stiffness of the leather itself.

 

[Blackadder]

Nice design. Better if comes with vintage hardware.

 

[Monitor]

In my experience, it is the posture that causes those two diagonal lines that go toward the collar. I have them appearing on every single jacket I own and they're all in different sizes. If the jacket doesn't feel tight, it's okay. I still say you won't easily improve on this one. If at all.

 

[ton312]

I think it's sad that we waste so much time talking about the perfect fit and finish, when we could be wearing our jackets.

This is so true @A-1!! In my history of collecting, buying/selling I've always found that the things most espoused here have little to do with how I actually feel about the jacket. Some of my favs were under $200 and sewn together in the most mediocre way but that was trumped by the fit and more importantly the way I felt wearing them!