Breaking in a Schott 618: real-life experience wanted

[Rick Dalton]

Hi everyone,

I’m looking for some advice regarding the fit and break-in of an almost new Schott 618.

I’ve started to warm up to my 618 more and more. The quality is really impressive — in some areas (hardware and the thickness and substance of the leather) it’s actually better than many high-end repros of Buco, etc., which I know may be a controversial take here. Because of that, I’ve also come to feel that the cut isn’t as bad as I originally thought. It’s iconic in its own way, even though it’s completely different from, for example, Brando’s Durable jacket from The Wild One.

Now to the point: my 618 fits me well in the waist, but it’s tight in the shoulders. The jacket still seems to have a lot of breaking-in left to do — it looks almost new, with only a few creases on the sleeves.

Based on real-life experience only: is it realistic to expect the shoulders to loosen up with wear? And if so, by how much — are we talking maybe around 1 cm, or less?

I’d really appreciate hearing from those who’ve owned and broken in a 618 themselves.

 

[CanuckPeter]

The shoulders will loosen to fit the body size that is moving inside them, so go split a cord of wood by hand and shovel the driveway or the barn with it all zipped up
That method works well for me every time

 

[Mandarin]

Mine fits the same as yours: OK in the waist, narrow in the shoulders. I think it's a matter of pattern. The current one has been designed to accomodate the current fashion. I've been moving a lot trying to loosen the shoulders, but nothing has changed. I'm keeping it because the underarm footballs and shoulder gussets allow sufficient freedom of movement despite the tightness.

 

[Tom71]

It will "loosen up" in the sense that the restrictive feeling from working against thick and stiff leather will go away.

It will however not "grow" in the sense that there is suddenly extra room where the shoulder seam now is. If its too narrow in the shoulders now, it will continue to be in the future, I am afraid.

The 613/618 have pretty genorous hem measurements relative to the shoulders. Your comparison to the "Brando jacket" which needs to be sized according to hem is spot on.

 

[Monitor]

Now to the point: my 618 fits me well in the waist, but it’s tight in the shoulders.

Could you please elaborate on how tight in the shoulders exactly does it feel? Is it pushing your shoulders from the sides? Are the top of the sleeves pulling on your arms when you lift them? Is the jacket simply hugging your shoulders too tightly?

People often use the phrase tight in the shoulders but this doesn't really mean much as only significantly narrow sleeve holes will actually produce effect such as you describe. What I believe you mean is that the jacket is restricting you from moving your arms (as) freely. Most new leather jackets suffer from this - Nature of leather and all that - and it is an "issue" that usually meets your body's ability to tune down prolonged discomfort half way, in loosing its grip on you.

Leather will soften at & around the area that's giving it most tension and it will shape to your body (or more correctly, to how your body moves) but as @Tom71 stated, it will not change dimensions. Especially not where the seams are.

Not without some drastic interventions on your behalf.

 

[Bfd70]

Perfectos are A shaped

 

[Rick Dalton]

Could you please elaborate on how tight in the shoulders exactly does it feel? Is it pushing your shoulders from the sides? Are the top of the sleeves pulling on your arms when you lift them? Is the jacket simply hugging your shoulders too tightly?

People often use the phrase tight in the shoulders but this doesn't really mean much as only significantly narrow sleeve holes will actually produce effect such as you describe. What I believe you mean is that the jacket is restricting you from moving your arms (as) freely. Most new leather jackets suffer from this - Nature of leather and all that - and it is an "issue" that usually meets your body's ability to tune down prolonged discomfort half way, in loosing its grip on you.

Leather will soften at & around the area that's giving it most tension and it will shape to your body (or more correctly, to how your body moves) but as @Tom71 stated, it will not change dimensions. Especially not where the seams are.

Not without some drastic interventions on your behalf.

Sorry, I didn’t see your message earlier.
The jacket presses on my shoulders a bit from the sides, but it’s manageable now.
Here are my fit pics.


As a side note, I think Perfectos look much better unzipped, probably because of that A-shaped silhouette you guys mentioned.


I also think that Schott, even if it’s not the most flattering pattern, still has its own iconic look. That said, I can’t help but wonder if there were actually any famous people in the past who really wore Schott Perfectos. At this point it almost feels like a joke — Schott seems to claim that every iconic leather jacket was theirs: Brando’s The Wild One Durable jacket, James Dean’s jacket, Bruce Springsteen’s jacket, etc., which none of it is true. Maybe the Ramones actually wore them, but whether the actually cool dudes wore Perfectos?

 

[Monitor]

The jacket presses on my shoulders a bit from the sides, but it’s manageable now.
Here are my fit pics.

Aye, I can see what you mean. They've certainly altered the patter of this jacket, it would appear. But what a great looking jacket this is! Looks very good on you.

Discomfort around the shoulders should ease up with wear in this case.

I also think that Schott, even if it’s not the most flattering pattern, still has its own iconic look. That said, I can’t help but wonder if there were actually any famous people in the past who really wore Schott Perfectos.

Lots of celebs wore the Perfecto, actually. I mean...

Seriously, though, Schott should really just move on from the whole Brando deal. It's been nearly a century. They might as well claim that Shakespeare wore the Perfecto too, how old The Wild One reference is.

They're livin' in the past, man! They're hung up on some actor from the sixties, man!​

 

[Bfd70]

The Ramones were cool guys.

 

[Rick Dalton]

Aye, I can see what you mean. They've certainly altered the patter of this jacket, it would appear. But what a great looking jacket this is! Looks very good on you.

Discomfort around the shoulders should ease up with wear in this case.



Lots of celebs wore the Perfecto, actually. I mean...

Seriously, though, Schott should really just move on from the whole Brando deal. It's been nearly a century. They might as well claim that Shakespeare wore the Perfecto too, how old The Wild One reference is.

They're livin' in the past, man! They're hung up on some actor from the sixties, man!​

Thank you! I always hold your opinion in the highest regard. I just wish the jacket had more of a V-shape, because the quality really is something special. I’ve seen some high-end makers’ jackets, and in terms of leather quality I’m honestly not sure they’re any better than the Schott Perfecto 600 series. Better stitching, sure — but when it comes to the overall quality feel, I’m not so convinced.

Haha, Shakespeare wearing a Perfecto too — that actually made me laugh
And man, Kanye wearing Schott like that hurts my eyes. It almost makes me want to take mine off and never wear it again

 

[Rick Dalton]

The Ramones were cool guys.

I knew someone would write that)) —yes they were, just not in a way that inspired me.

 

[Edward]

Perfectos are A shaped

I've always found that. Back when I took a 42/44 in everything else, I had to go up to a 46 for a 618 that was still tighter than all my other jackets. I eventually accepted it's just a bit to small for me. I can do it up and everything, but it's that "t-shirt fit" which looks great on Joey Ramone and isn't remotely practical in the real world. I'd probably be ok in a 48, but I fell in with a goo deal on a size 50 that fits me like a size 46/48 in just about any other brand....

It's kinda weird how most brands when I fall between sizes I need to go up one to accommodate a desk-job physique. With Schott, I have to size up for the shoulders. I've always been a little broad over the shoulders (eight years in the school swimming club), but across my forties they definitely spread significantly. Even after I lost a lot of weight, my pre-putting it on clothes fit me in the gut again, but not over the shoulders. Schott are funny that way. I guess maybe their core buyers now are middle aged guys like me who often need that bit more room in the belly, hence the shape.

Aye, I can see what you mean. They've certainly altered the patter of this jacket, it would appear. But what a great looking jacket this is! Looks very good on you.

Discomfort around the shoulders should ease up with wear in this case.



Lots of celebs wore the Perfecto, actually. I mean...

Seriously, though, Schott should really just move on from the whole Brando deal. It's been nearly a century. They might as well claim that Shakespeare wore the Perfecto too, how old The Wild One reference is.

They're livin' in the past, man! They're hung up on some actor from the sixties, man!​

Sixties?? The Wild One was released in 1953. Predates even rock and roll (despite the mythology that it's a "rock and roll film"). Unless you're thinking of the UK, where the dear BBFC clutched their pearls and laughably banned it entirely until 1967....

It's a classic, of course, but that image of Johnny Strabler is iconic way beyond those of us who love, have seen, or even know the name of the film...

It's just laughable (and I'd suggest more than a little dishonest) that Schott still claim it as their own. Weird they've never actually made a screen-accurate copy, for all that??

I knew someone would write that)) —yes they were, just not in a way that inspired me.

It's funny how it changes. My first cross-zip was inspired by Alice Cooper; the Ramones came along later, and Brando later again... Same jacket, three quite different wearers...