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LOST WORLDS Russet Brown Horsehide Leather - questions, images, and experience

Cornelius

Practically Family
Messages
715
Location
Great Lakes
Greetings Loungers-

I've had an idle interest in the Lost WorldsBedford coat for a few years. Being chrome-tanned horsehide at 3/4 length, it seems like this would be a good coat in my climate for early spring and late fall, where unexpected precipitation is likely, and perhaps even on warmer winter days if layered beneath.

This is a coat I would prefer in brown over black. The photographs on LW's own site make the Russet hh appear to be almost orange:

BedfordRusset-9.jpg


Yet photographs of LW jackets I've come across elsewhere show this "Russet Horsehide" to appear almost chocolate in color - which I would prefer (e.g., in this thread or this one).


D8C4A5C4-DB49-4009-99EA-744EF1C68022.jpeg

Having never handled any Lost Worlds clothing in person, I'm not sure how much of this apparent variance in color can be attributed to differences from batch to batch of horsehide from the tannery, and how much is simply the result of individual issues of photography/screen-settings.

So...

(A) can anyone here with a LW coat in Russet Horsehide speak as to its actual color tone, and whether it changes substantially over time?

(B) Anyone have thoughts on the Bedford pattern in particular, based on personal experience? (@Robbie79, I recall you sold one of these in Buffalo hide; @Carlos840 you just bought one secondhand in Blue horse, and someone else here recently bought one in Olive horse) I'm curious about freedom of movement in the shoulder, and whether there's any drop from shoulder to hip or if it's just a straight box silhouette (I understand this is a belted jacket, but I wear a 40L suitcoat and have a 33"/84cm wait, might like a bit less around the belly even when unbelted).

(C) Is the famous Stuart amenable to slightly "custom" requests? I would likely need longer sleeves (26" from shoulder seam to cuff) than the usual pattern for a 40R. Might also like a second interior pocket (with zipped closure), and underarm vents if those are not already standard.


Thank you!
 

Carlos840

I'll Lock Up
Messages
4,920
Location
London
Here is russet HH, white balanced pics, so the colour is as close to real life as can be. I don't think there is much variation batch to batch, i would attribute differences to photography.

q7jV1Nx.jpg

ZShLEqp.jpg


Few more outside pics on there:

https://www.thefedoralounge.com/threads/lost-worlds-b-2-flight-jacket.102638/

And Monitor took a bunch of great pics of his russet vest here:

https://www.thefedoralounge.com/threads/trade-lost-worlds-ryder-leather-vest-40-l.102759/

Imo it is not orange, there is also very little red in there.

B: I did get the Bedford, in my usual 42 size.
Shoulders chest and arms are perfect, waist and bottom hem are a bit large, but it doens't look bad. It doesn't fall straight down, it actually flares out as it goes down a little. SHoudler and arm mobility is very good.
On the other hand if you look at car coats they are really not supposed to be tight, these things are designed to layer and lounge in an open top car...

C: Stuart will do most things, you just have to pay. Any major pattern change is 25% upcharge from the base price.
So long size would be +25%, i am pretty sure the interior pocket is standard (mine has one), if you want a second one you might have to pay more. My Bedford already cam with underarm vents, so that should be free too.
 
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Cornelius

Practically Family
Messages
715
Location
Great Lakes
Excellent! Thank you both for these precision replies.

Anyone out there happen to have a LW Russet jacket with some years/miles under its belt?
 

Carlos840

I'll Lock Up
Messages
4,920
Location
London
Excellent! Thank you both for these precision replies.

Anyone out there happen to have a LW Russet jacket with some years/miles under its belt?

@red devil has one...
It doesn't change much, LW leather gets creased up, but it doesn't patina like CXL does.
Just expect the same but with more creases and slight edge wear like you would on any chrome tanned leather.
(Which you can see on @JMax 's belt loops)
 
Messages
10,200
JMax, what LW model is that?

It’s one of their PJ-27 variants. They also make one with the big pocket down low. I actually prefer that one. This is my winter riding jacket. I can layer thick sweaters, IH denim vests, etc., with this jacket. I don’t wear it much but will once I get out of S Florida.
 

abone

A-List Customer
Messages
429
Location
British Columbia
It’s one of their PJ-27 variants. They also make one with the big pocket down low. I actually prefer that one. This is my winter riding jacket. I can layer thick sweaters, IH denim vests, etc., with this jacket. I don’t wear it much but will once I get out of S Florida.
Thanks, thought it was a P-27 but different. That leather!!
 

Robbie79

Call Me a Cab
Messages
2,122
Actually I don't think that the brown is too reddish brown but also not dark brown. I would call it chocolate brown - here are daylight pics of my two brown HH LW jackets. The Buco Rider is well broken-in 3-3.5oz HH. The Roadhouse is not broken-in yet 4oz+ HH.

upload_2021-3-16_21-24-8.png


upload_2021-3-16_21-25-58.png


upload_2021-3-16_21-26-13.png


The Bedford Olive green HH Carcoat was my first one and I wasn't aware that it needs too much of layering as I prefer a rather tight fit over loose fit. My LW size ususally is 38 (rather tight fit) and I also ordered the Bedford in size 38. That's the main reason why I sold the olive one. The Bison one (approx. 5oz) had a lighter brown colour and size was 36 which was perfect for my personal taste. However I didn't like the colour which was the reason why I sold it. Probably at some time in the future I will order an olive one in size 36. The lining Stu used for the Bedford coats is bullet proof stuff. If you prefer to layer, then take your normal LW size, otherwise one size smaller. Chest, shoulder, waist was perfect - nothing special to pay much attention on in my experience but you know your body dimensions best and if you're uncertain, I'm sure Stu will assist you in ordering the right size for you.
Good luck!!
Cheers,
Robbie

upload_2021-3-16_21-29-40.png


upload_2021-3-16_21-29-51.png
 

Jin431

Call Me a Cab
Messages
2,912
Location
Bay Area CA
Actually I don't think that the brown is too reddish brown but also not dark brown. I would call it chocolate brown - here are daylight pics of my two brown HH LW jackets. The Buco Rider is well broken-in 3-3.5oz HH. The Roadhouse is not broken-in yet 4oz+ HH.

View attachment 318587

View attachment 318588

View attachment 318589

The Bedford Olive green HH Carcoat was my first one and I wasn't aware that it needs too much of layering as I prefer a rather tight fit over loose fit. My LW size ususally is 38 (rather tight fit) and I also ordered the Bedford in size 38. That's the main reason why I sold the olive one. The Bison one (approx. 5oz) had a lighter brown colour and size was 36 which was perfect for my personal taste. However I didn't like the colour which was the reason why I sold it. Probably at some time in the future I will order an olive one in size 36. The lining Stu used for the Bedford coats is bullet proof stuff. If you prefer to layer, then take your normal LW size, otherwise one size smaller. Chest, shoulder, waist was perfect - nothing special to pay much attention on in my experience but you know your body dimensions best and if you're uncertain, I'm sure Stu will assist you in ordering the right size for you.
Good luck!!
Cheers,
Robbie

View attachment 318594

View attachment 318595

The D pocket on the chest looks so functional here, vertical pocket plus a regular pocket. And you have the hand warmers too.
 

mihai

A-List Customer
Messages
331
Location
Europe
Thanks for that link. Really liking this color now. Did you notice any appreciable shortening in sleeve length due to creasing over the years?
Hello Cornelius
Sorry for the late reply.
I have 3 russet LW (J23 early 2000s, A2 goat around 2010, B-2 of 2015). None of them has that red shade. The color is brown on each of them. There are slight variations - the later ones are more matte and a bit darker(afair). The B-2 looks like the one of Carlos (darker matte brown). The J23 looks more glossy, possible a lighter shade of brown. As texture, it feels also more "coated". I think around 2015 LW changed the processing of their leather - it is less coated, creases/grains easier than the old one- which personally I don't like.
I'll try this wend to try a proper pic(digital RAW then adjust the white balance) with them 3 to show the differences.
 

Logician

One of the Regulars
Messages
176
Location
Canada (Montreal)
Hi Cornelius. Here a two pictures of an old (15-20 year or more?) 4.0 oz + HH LW Russet Brown 42R Suburban with a shearling lining. It is quite heavy and after all these years it is still not fully break in. Actually the break in of a 4.0 oz LW HH is an unended quest. If you add the shearling lining into the equation, it becomes almost an impossible task. LW's HH leather used to be more plastic-like then (perhaps because the finishing coat was ticker, but I am no expert on that question). As far as the color is concerned, I'd say it is definitely a lighter Russet. Indeed, I purchase new a Russet brown Test and a Messenger bag about 5 years ago or so, both in HH, and I can say that they are a tad darker, and that the leather is less rigid and show more character "out of the box". The Test is still quite rigid though mostly because of the 15 oz. Black Cotton Duck Lining. Thus it is an understatement to say that the 4.5 oz HH Test is rigid. It's an armour! Hope this help.
4964hc7_20.jpg
0018d2m_20.jpg
 
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