Styling your B3 or RAF. Do you wear mostly open, closed, baggy or slim?

[MattieXMoto]

I realize style & taste is very subjective. We had our 1st cold day in nyc and i saw a few fashionistas wear their b3. It was only 35 degrees people

I noticed even last yr many, even men, wear a very baggy b3. I know for the military applications they needed to layer and wear uniforms etc. But in cities and temps above zero, i can honestly wear a very light layer under my b3. basically a t shirt.

My question is how does the community feel about how civilian B3 fitments look best?

i dont have a good photo of mine on, but I prefer to:
1. Wear 99% of time open. If I zipped it up, I would catch fire
2. I prefer more of a fitted cropped look. Just barely enough room to zip up. So it looks good open. and if i have thick layer i prob couldnt zip with a ton of room to spare.

Even Tom Hardy's esquire photo looks too baggy to me. But i am sure it still sold a ton of coats for cockpit usa! Because if it is this baggy open, then closed it will look like Kanye wearing his Schott B3.

The fit in the movie Dunkirk looks better to me.

I believe the servicemen below look the best. Shoulders are where they are supposed to be.

Would love the community's thoughts, opinions and photos...

my preference in fit...

Too baggy for me

 

[ABCD]

fit...

Fjorde... such a clown.

He looks like Ali G with a beard.

 

[MattieXMoto]

Fjorde... such a clown.

He looks like Ali G with a beard.

View attachment 560431

Lol. Cmon...it's the holidays. Even I am trying to be kind

 

[MrProper]

I don't have a B3, but like my others, I wanted it to fit well rather than oversized. For shearling on women, I think oversized is nice.

Even if it doesn't look like it in the example pictures, I usually wear my jackets open.

 

[VansonRider]

I prefer items to fit as they would have “in period”. So I look to historical photos as a fit guide. In most cases this just means it’s your size. Not slim fit or baggy, but fitted. Shoulder seams end at shoulders, or a little wider for layering, but those seams shouldn’t be hanging down past where your actual shoulder ends. I do my best to avoid trendy clothing and trendy sizing.

 

[MattieXMoto]

I don't have a B3, but like my others, I wanted it to fit well rather than oversized. For shearling on women, I think oversized is nice.

Even if it doesn't look like it in the example pictures, I usually wear my jackets open.

Damn. All 4 of those look custom tailored. Kudos. Who makes the seal brown lower right?

 

[MrProper]

Damn. All 4 of those look custom tailored. Kudos. Who makes the seal brown lower right?

Thanks. They are not tailor-made, but they are adapted to my measurements. The bottom one is a D-1 from Aeroleathers.

 

[mumpy]

I don't have a B3, but like my others, I wanted it to fit well rather than oversized. For shearling on women, I think oversized is nice.

Even if it doesn't look like it in the example pictures, I usually wear my jackets open.

Insane fits. What kind of jacket is the second one from the left (light brown)?

 

[MrProper]

Insane fits. What kind of jacket is the second one from the left (light brown)?

This is a fivestar. I took an M-444 as the basis and then "redesigned" it.
It's actually a very cool jacket, but it didn't fit me 100% at the neck. I then sold it to a friend.

 

[Bfd70]

Form follows function. Fit it so that you can scratch your nose and talk on the phone. Also, and this is probably the midwesterner in me, but a jacket that can’t be comfortably zipped is **** on a bull.

 

[MrProper]

Form follows function. Fit it so that you can scratch your nose and talk on the phone. Also, and this is probably the midwesterner in me, but a jacket that can’t be comfortably zipped is **** on a bull.

You're right about that. Fortunately, my jackets are all designed so that I can make phone calls or blow my nose without any problems. The Coastal Command in particular is perfect with the underarm footballs. You usually have problems when the jacket is tight and the armholes are large.

 

[Dbtk44]

I wear my jackets zipped/buttoned at least part way about 75% of the time, so I agree with you bfd70. Rather have a little more breathing room, than less.

 

[Tom71]

Well, "style preference" is so subjective, that nobody can tell you if your preferences are "correct".

That said, I prefer my B3 fitted as well, as there is already a lot of material going on. So no "fashionably baggy" look for me. It needs to fit though. To compromise function for looks is going nowehere for me, as others have said as well.

 

[sgt pepper]

This is my Eastman B3 in a 46. I had a 44 but couldn’t scratch my nose on that thing. A 45 in an ideal world would be perfect but a little big over snug any day of the week for me.

 

[MrProper]

I don't have a B3, but like my others, I wanted it to fit well rather than oversized. For shearling on women, I think oversized is nice.

Even if it doesn't look like it in the example pictures, I usually wear my jackets open.

I had completely forgotten that this thread existed
I'll add my latest shearling purchase.
I like them both open and closed, although I prefer them closed just a tad more.

 

[s4rmark]

Lovely B-3. I bought your merino SFAD last year.

View attachment 737990
This is my Eastman B3 in a 46. I had a 44 but couldn’t scratch my nose on that thing. A 45 in an ideal world would be perfect but a little big over snug any day of the week for me.

 

[sgt pepper]

Lovely B-3. I bought your merino SFAD last year.

Hahaha! Hope your enjoying it!

 

[Bfd70]

Start the walk closed. Overheat. Open.

 

[Zoro]

I prefer it fitted too, oversized I fear the wind will creep up through the space in between the jacket and my body. Here I'm wearing it open, here closed.

No real preference on closed or open, just a function. Similar to what Bfd70 said above, as recent as yesterday I went out to do some errands in the evening and wore it closed until my body temp regulated and wore it open. Then went for dinner and wore it closed (and one buckle closed too) cause the temp had dropped and it was windy.

 

[sgt pepper]