Evening all
I've been reading these threads for a month or two and have found this place useful. First off I'd like to say hello to all the regulars – especially Peacoat, Hosier daddy, Butte, Sir Jacket, coffee and Andrew – you guys all talk a lot of sense, and doubtless I have missed a few names out here so apologies if yours is one of them. I shall begin
The road was long and hard. And expensive also. But our hero, the proverbial tortoise, always believed that if he kept going he would get there in the end This journey started 6 (SIX) years ago with a highwayman bought from Aero USA off ebay. MM took all of my measurements but my size 40 jacket arrived with a 50 inch chest?! 5 custom made jackets direct from the factory later and still none had satisfied me. My thinking is that if I am to commit to breaking in a FQHH jacket then the thing has to be a pretty good fit to begin with. Well yesterday, in what is frankly bizarre fashion, the journey ended!
I have a jacket on order now that's almost due, which I am very optimistic about (unlike the previous 6 that isn't FQHH) but then I saw a 50s halfbelt on ebay that appeared simply too good to look past. The pictures I received bore out the sellers claim that it was unworn new and the measurements seemed as though the thing might just be bang on the money for me. However, I was a tad concerned about the sleeves. The longest I've ever had were 26.75” yet these were 28” - but I figured an extra inch wouldn't make a lot of difference and that if they were too long I could always try my hardest to develop mega inch depriving creases or alternatively plead with the factory to take them up a bit. The other thing that made me slightly anxious was that the seller fudged the measurements a few times. In the end I decided to go in hard for it regardless, as being a veteran of moving on jackets that don't fit right, I knew that if needs be I could always take a small hit and flog it on myself later. I decided this jacket would be worth that risk.
Well, the news is that this jacket, that was custom made for a dude over 2 inches taller than I am, fits me like a glove! The sleeves are great and I am basically thrilled with this fit + the brown FQHH isn't bad either. Before now I've only ever had black, cordovan and mostly cherry, but never brown.
Apparently the original owner went to Scotland and was measured up by Will. My guess would be that on him he felt it was a bit too short. Which brings me to the only (minuscule) bone of contention with it. As it was custom made for him after a visit in person it has his name on a small leather name tag sewn inside. Ideally of course that wouldn't be there but tbh it doesn't really bother me + this bloke is a thoroughly decent chap with whom I am rather pleased thus the reminder of him doesn't especially upset me. It really doesn't! Though obviously that I would mention it in the first place I will admit is confirmation that it does sit there in direct opposition to my OCD/perfectionist tendencies! So, all I would like to know I suppose is, if anyone else has been in this situation, can one of those be removed without too much trouble? i.e. if I cut those stitches off it will that leave holes in the cotton drill lining that'll basically get bigger and end up causing me a problem later? Or would I have to have another tag sewn through those same holes to avoid such a fate? As may be apparent, stitching stuff is not my forte, as much as I wish it was. In fact, at school as I recall I didn't get very far in textiles and fabrics class because I never could get the thread through the hole in the needle! Thankfully however there are less useless people around me who can sew and so if this is a relatively simple and danger free task I am sure one of them can be persuaded to help me out. I just don't know if it's a task I should be bothering somebody else with or not. Do any of you lot have an opinion?
In conclusion, I wish to extend my sincere thanks to all who make this place the useful resource it is. For me, looking at pictures here is definitely helpful. And with that in mind I will of course now reciprocate.
They had to be taken under my porch cos it was monsooning it down this afternoon. Ignore my rather stylish wheelie bin I only noticed that afterwards. I know some of you like to take belts into consideration, so just for you guys I put one on today and tucked my shirt in – neither of which I would normally bother with. It may also be worth pointing out that as an 80s child I like to wear my jeans and trousers low. I wore a white shirt deliberately to test for 'bleeding' and am pleased to report there is none so far, unlike cherry which in my experience bleeds loads
Apologies for my word count here but let's just say the devil is in the detail!
Last thing to add is that I have stuck with aero for this long because they are a first class company with service that is second to none. The problems I have experienced have been of my own making i.e. my inability to measure myself properly and my failure to fully understand how these jackets are intended to fit
I've been reading these threads for a month or two and have found this place useful. First off I'd like to say hello to all the regulars – especially Peacoat, Hosier daddy, Butte, Sir Jacket, coffee and Andrew – you guys all talk a lot of sense, and doubtless I have missed a few names out here so apologies if yours is one of them. I shall begin
The road was long and hard. And expensive also. But our hero, the proverbial tortoise, always believed that if he kept going he would get there in the end This journey started 6 (SIX) years ago with a highwayman bought from Aero USA off ebay. MM took all of my measurements but my size 40 jacket arrived with a 50 inch chest?! 5 custom made jackets direct from the factory later and still none had satisfied me. My thinking is that if I am to commit to breaking in a FQHH jacket then the thing has to be a pretty good fit to begin with. Well yesterday, in what is frankly bizarre fashion, the journey ended!
I have a jacket on order now that's almost due, which I am very optimistic about (unlike the previous 6 that isn't FQHH) but then I saw a 50s halfbelt on ebay that appeared simply too good to look past. The pictures I received bore out the sellers claim that it was unworn new and the measurements seemed as though the thing might just be bang on the money for me. However, I was a tad concerned about the sleeves. The longest I've ever had were 26.75” yet these were 28” - but I figured an extra inch wouldn't make a lot of difference and that if they were too long I could always try my hardest to develop mega inch depriving creases or alternatively plead with the factory to take them up a bit. The other thing that made me slightly anxious was that the seller fudged the measurements a few times. In the end I decided to go in hard for it regardless, as being a veteran of moving on jackets that don't fit right, I knew that if needs be I could always take a small hit and flog it on myself later. I decided this jacket would be worth that risk.
Well, the news is that this jacket, that was custom made for a dude over 2 inches taller than I am, fits me like a glove! The sleeves are great and I am basically thrilled with this fit + the brown FQHH isn't bad either. Before now I've only ever had black, cordovan and mostly cherry, but never brown.
Apparently the original owner went to Scotland and was measured up by Will. My guess would be that on him he felt it was a bit too short. Which brings me to the only (minuscule) bone of contention with it. As it was custom made for him after a visit in person it has his name on a small leather name tag sewn inside. Ideally of course that wouldn't be there but tbh it doesn't really bother me + this bloke is a thoroughly decent chap with whom I am rather pleased thus the reminder of him doesn't especially upset me. It really doesn't! Though obviously that I would mention it in the first place I will admit is confirmation that it does sit there in direct opposition to my OCD/perfectionist tendencies! So, all I would like to know I suppose is, if anyone else has been in this situation, can one of those be removed without too much trouble? i.e. if I cut those stitches off it will that leave holes in the cotton drill lining that'll basically get bigger and end up causing me a problem later? Or would I have to have another tag sewn through those same holes to avoid such a fate? As may be apparent, stitching stuff is not my forte, as much as I wish it was. In fact, at school as I recall I didn't get very far in textiles and fabrics class because I never could get the thread through the hole in the needle! Thankfully however there are less useless people around me who can sew and so if this is a relatively simple and danger free task I am sure one of them can be persuaded to help me out. I just don't know if it's a task I should be bothering somebody else with or not. Do any of you lot have an opinion?
In conclusion, I wish to extend my sincere thanks to all who make this place the useful resource it is. For me, looking at pictures here is definitely helpful. And with that in mind I will of course now reciprocate.
They had to be taken under my porch cos it was monsooning it down this afternoon. Ignore my rather stylish wheelie bin I only noticed that afterwards. I know some of you like to take belts into consideration, so just for you guys I put one on today and tucked my shirt in – neither of which I would normally bother with. It may also be worth pointing out that as an 80s child I like to wear my jeans and trousers low. I wore a white shirt deliberately to test for 'bleeding' and am pleased to report there is none so far, unlike cherry which in my experience bleeds loads
Apologies for my word count here but let's just say the devil is in the detail!
Last thing to add is that I have stuck with aero for this long because they are a first class company with service that is second to none. The problems I have experienced have been of my own making i.e. my inability to measure myself properly and my failure to fully understand how these jackets are intended to fit
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).