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Indy Jacket

Bob Beecher

One of the Regulars
Messages
105
Location
Granada Hills (L.A.), CA
hi, does anyone have experience of USWINGS Indy jackets? what kind of fit are they? according to the charts/specs on some of their signature series jacket, it doesn't make any freaking sense! a M or S, the armhole is 25"????? chest in half is 21 for a XS??? I wear size 40, normal fit, I don't know what size to order!!!

Well, I just got the "Legend" jacket from US Wings, but I don't know if my size will help you. I'm 6' 6" and weigh 240 lbs. Normally, I wear a 50XL suit/sportcoat. So, I ordered a XXL-Long and it fits very well.
 

ron521

One of the Regulars
Messages
207
Location
Lakewood, CO
I own two of the US Wings Signature Series jackets, one in their VIP cowhide, and the other in black goatskin. I usually wear a 40, and both of these jackets fit well in size Medium, i.e. perfect fit in the shoulders (19.5"), and a comfortable fit through the body (23" pit to pit) and sleeve length (25", ends at first knuckle on my thumb).

Their Legend series are generally said to have a trimmer fit, while their Hero series are inconsistent, some running larger depending on which skin the jacket is made from.
 
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Edward

Bartender
Messages
24,804
Location
London, UK
Well the original maker Peter from Wested in Britain says the A 2 was not an influence - he reckons the jacket was based on a zip up leather jacket he made known as a James Dean. The studio asked him to add cargo pockets. Without those pockets no one would ever think A2.

That's one of the versions of the jacket's origins.

I certainly prefer the look of an Indy jacekt to an A2 - no matter how accurate the A2 may be.

Could well have been the case for Wested's take on the jacket - they were one of a few firms give a shot at the contract, if memory serves. They were an official supplier of the jacket for Raiders, though it would be easy to misconstrue their website as suggesting that they had produced all the jackets for all the films. The A2 connection is, I believe, there in the pockets. Interesting that Peter says the studio asked for the pockets: as I recall, some very, very early test shots for costume design purposes featured Ford wearing an A2, which was rejected as "too military". Seems to me that what they ended up with from Wested was a combination of the A2 and a different, civilian design.
 

Doctor Strange

I'll Lock Up
Messages
5,228
Location
Hudson Valley, NY
Far be it from me to discount Peter's input, but looking at my own Wested Raiders jacket, it certainly appears to owe a lot more to the A-2 design than claimed.

Besides the patch pockets with their curved flaps (*), it's got virtually the same collar-with-collar stand and windflap-over-zipper construction as an A-2... minus the collar snaps and throat hook. Also the same two-piece front panel and two-piece sleeve construction. Really, only the action back and lack of sleeve and waist knits are significantly different at a glance.

(* My Wested has exactly the same snazzily curved flaps as a classic A-2. Alternatively, the US Wings Indy jacket that I had briefly had straight V-shaped flaps a la most modern-spec A-2s.)

Anyway, it's always seemed to me that the Indy jacket is a cross between an A-2 and a knit-less vintage utility jacket. But as I'm quick to remind everybody, it's really eighties movie wardrobe!
 

Seb Lucas

I'll Lock Up
Messages
7,562
Location
Australia
Far be it from me to discount Peter's input, but looking at my own Wested Raiders jacket, it certainly appears to owe a lot more to the A-2 design than claimed.

Besides the patch pockets with their curved flaps (*), it's got virtually the same collar-with-collar stand and windflap-over-zipper construction as an A-2... minus the collar snaps and throat hook. Also the same two-piece front panel and two-piece sleeve construction. Really, only the action back and lack of sleeve and waist knits are significantly different at a glance.


Anyway, it's always seemed to me that the Indy jacket is a cross between an A-2 and a knit-less vintage utility jacket. But as I'm quick to remind everybody, it's really eighties movie wardrobe!

The Indy jacket is just like an A2 - apart form the lack of epaulletes, the lack of collar snaps, the lack of knits, the addition of handwarmers, the addition of side straps, vents and a yolk... exactly the same...

Sorry Strange, just having fun. I agree it really is a 1980's costume jacket.
 

Fifty150

One Too Many
Messages
1,864
Location
The Barbary Coast
According to U.S. Wings, "Our goatskin Indy-style jacket lacks any sort of vintage or antique treatment, making it "dressier" and more stylish."

So I guess that means you have to break it in yourself, and earn the patina.
 

ron521

One of the Regulars
Messages
207
Location
Lakewood, CO
I tried to order one of these in size Medium, and they were sold out. I own the similar jacket in their VIP cowhide, and in black goatskin. Both are very nicely made, and I am sorry that these are being discontinued. I normally wear a 40, and their Medium fits me well.
 
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Fifty150

One Too Many
Messages
1,864
Location
The Barbary Coast
122209_sbu_t.jpg


Is Adam Savage wearing an Indiana Jones jacket & hat?
 

Fifty150

One Too Many
Messages
1,864
Location
The Barbary Coast
I tried to order one of these in size Medium, and they were sold out. I own the similar jacket in their VIP cowhide, and in black goatskin. Both are very nicely made, and I am sorry that these are being discontinued. I normally wear a 40, and their Medium fits me well.

It looks like they have a pretty good selection in different types of leather.
 

The Good

Call Me a Cab
Messages
2,361
Location
California, USA
Adam Savage's jacket looks characteristically Indiana Jones, but his hat actually looks similar to the Clint Eastwood "Man With No Name" hat. Maybe it's the leather band...
 

Panacheman

Familiar Face
Messages
75
Location
London UK/Montana US
Savage does have an impressive vintage and lived in leather. On the show He does seem to wear several hats that are similar in color and general conformation but with some key (admittedly at times subtle) tweaks between them. well we each suffer the felt addiction a little differently;):D
 

Seb Lucas

I'll Lock Up
Messages
7,562
Location
Australia
Savage does have an impressive vintage and lived in leather. On the show He does seem to wear several hats that are similar in color and general conformation but with some key (admittedly at times subtle) tweaks between them. well we each suffer the felt addiction a little differently;):D

For most of the series his hats have been Akubras - a drover and a campdraft - in the same colour, with the ribbon removed.
 

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