Taylor Stitch x Golden Bear Moto Jacket

BassandB3 said:

My espresso jacket is really a medium brown, and the whiskey color is really almost a bright orange. Hope this helps.

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I have a Cuyama jacket expected at the end of this month. It's made in Turkey, but the leather looks similar to the Golden Bear Jackets. I hope it's not ORANGE!

Different color, I know, but in case it's of any use to you, I saw that there is a "whiskey" one (I prefer the one you linked to, personally) on Grailed at the moment: https://www.grailed.com/listings/17275531-taylor-stitch-taylor-stitch-moto-jacket-whiskey-steerhide. I also saw one on Poshmark a little while ago, which you can probably haggle over.

I think the ones with the quilted lining are the original offering, which were also sized small. The current offering is more true to size with a plain lining.

The listing for the large appears to be an original offering with the size chart for the current offering... Buyer beware!

If you're buying a second hand one, as always, make sure to check the measurements!

@El Marro thanks for pointing that out. Boxy might not be a deal-breaker. Two years of weightlifting have me pretty broad up top.

@BassandB3 Thank you! Your post is most helpful! I'm glad to hear that the TS holds up compared directly to the Aero. I had suspected that the color wasn't going to be exactly the same as pictured. The Whiskey is a little on the loud side for my taste which is why I was looking at the brown.

@gbg Thank you for the links, unfortunately both would be too small for me most likely. My measurements hit between a L and XL. TS customer support advised sizing up due to the trim fit of the jacket.

I think I'm going to pull the trigger on the Moto. If I don't like it, its an easy return. When I find my way back across the pond I'll see about tracking down an Aero.

Well gents... to give the short of it first, I'm getting ready to pull the trigger on an Aero.

The long of it is this...
I ordered the Taylor Stitch jacket. I waited over 2 months for production and shipping. When it arrived I tried it on and found it too tight for my liking, particularly across the chest. I could not move my shoulders back at all. The construction was solid though, the leather seemed of good quality, though more pliable than I'd expected and had more of a tumbled feel to it. The color was a bit disappointing... rather than the rich deep brown with burgundy shades that appears in the photos on the TS website, the leather was more of a medium brown without any real depth (exactly as @BassandB3 said). Oh well, off I went to request a free exchange to the next size up. To my dismay, I came to discover that they did not actually produce extras in case of exchanges, so thus commenced another 2 month wait for the next batch to be completed. I received the new jacket last weekend. I tried it on and found the torso to fit pretty well. I could move! But alas the sleeves were too long, and the cuffs barely tight enough to keep them from eating my hands. I shrugged, figured it wasn't that bad and wouldn't bother me. I wore the jacket out that evening, and discovered pretty quickly that the overly long sleeves and loose cuff drove me nuts. Back in the box and out the door on Monday for a return.

Honestly aside from fit, (which I blame on my particular build rather than the jacket) my only complaint was the color not being as it appeared online. The jacket itself was - to my novice eye at least - of good quality materials and well constructed. It just didn't fit me well.

But I still want a leather jacket, darn it! So I'm waiting for my refund and setting aside some additional coin for a custom Aero. I'm looking at the 1930s Half Belt, and debating between brown FQHH or cordovan FQHH. I think brown might be safer but I have a long enduring crush on that cordovan color...

I suppose the moral of this story is... you fine gentlemen were right.

+1 for cordo steer or FQHH. What sort of fit are you going for? I know you said boxy above, but maybe a strong taper would be better if you are a weight lifter.

JustinW said:

+1 for cordo steer or FQHH. What sort of fit are you going for? I know you said boxy above, but maybe a strong taper would be better if you are a weight lifter.

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I'm in communication with Carrie at Thurston Bros. I said in my initial email I liked the Highwayman and 30s Half Belt and described my build a little. She suggested of those two the 30s would be more suited to my build. I haven't pulled the trigger yet, but talks are moving forward.

I'm hoping for "fitted" but I also want to be able to move. I am a weightlifter, so have the typical broad shoulders and large upper arms, but my lower half isn't small either and I think too much taper could make my rear look even bigger.

Good luck—if you liked the length of the TS Moto, I think you will find the highwayman too short. I’d go for the 30s HB. You have to size down the HWM to make it ‘fitted’ and it’s still sort of boxy.

If I were you, I’d consider both the Aero Sheene with the waist let out a bit and the 30s HB. In terms of color depth, the cordovan is beautiful but in my opinion less versatile than the CXL brown, which to me is one of the best browns you can get anywhere, and has the depth and pop that you wished the TS Moto had. Just remember that neither the steerhide nor the FQHH is soft or pliable at first. Takes a while to get that way. The steerhide is thicker but less rigid IMO, the FQHH slightly thinner but a bit more rigid in feel. Of the two I probably prefer the steerhide but it’s close. The TS jacket is steerhide for what it’s worth but a very different kind of hand/drape. Then you can get FQHH cordovan for your next one haha (cafe racer perhaps?)...

good luck!

If you're going with Aero, definitely go with Thurston Bros! I didn't and I regretted it because my jacket ended up fitting terribly. People who go with Thurston Bros tend to get good fits on their Aeros.