Small Questions:

[Boyo]

A place to ask questions that aren't necessarily worthy of their own thread, or might potentially take a thread off topic.

I'll go ahead and start this off.

Would you keep a jacket or two that didn’t fit 100% right if they were first rate jackets from a top manufacturer ie.. Good Wear? Or should these be released back in the "pool"

 

[handymike]

“Released” if you find the issues are enough that they keep you from wearing the jacket often.
I have gotten extremely picky about how my jackets fit, and I am currently in the process of culling through my “collection”... I might end up back at one or two by Fall.

 

[Monitor]

Depends on how these jackets don't fit me. I'll kind of get bored of what usually qualifies as a correct fit so If I like how a certain jacket looks on me and if I like it enough, sure, I'll keep it regardless of the fit issues.

 

[nick123]

Keep.

 

[Mich486]

I agree with @handymike here. If I don’t wear it because of fit issues I move it, no matter how nice the jacket is.


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[jacketjunkie]

Depends on whether or not you wear them. If too big or too snug and you find yourself wearing it every 2nd day anyway.. don't pass it on, keep wearing it until you find something nicer and better fitting. Sell when you notice you don't wear them (anymore).

 

[Boyo]

To clarify, the jackets both fit, and are wearable.. one is a little short the other a little snug. I cant recall not wearing one or passing it over for something else due to the above issues but I know neither will ever fit perfect (and neither one is currently replaceable).

The snug one.. and also maybe too short

The short one..also maybe a bit snug

 

[Dbrn]

I think it's about happiness. If it brings you happiness to wear it even just once in a while, keep it. If not, find something that does. Or is that oversimplifying?

 

[Carlos840]

Maybe i am weird, but the more jackets i got the less i cared about small fit issues.
When i had less than 5 i wanted all of them to have a "perfect fit" (whatever that means!)
As i passed the 10 jacket mark, i became less picky, now that i am flirting with 20 i don't care anymore.
I have now realized that i enjoy the jackets themselves more than the way they fit me.
As long as the jacket isn't two sizes to big, or so small i can't move i will keep it.

I still haven't sold a single leather jacket i bought, the first one i put up for sale was my San Mateo, and i really can't move my arms whilst wearing it. Still i would rather keep it in the hope it fits me in 30 years when i have lost shoulder size rather than sell it for 50% of what i paid for it....

(i would keep the one in the picture above, nothing wrong with it!)

Edit: Saying that i am a bit of a hoarder, i also have around 20 bass guitars, been playing for 18 years and never sold a single instrument i have owned. I still have the guitar i learnt to play on when i was 12...

 

[breezer]

depends how the jackets make you feel...........if you can wear them and enjoy them, keep 'em! But if they hang around in the wardrobe unused, then pass them on....... I think the perfect fit is a rare bird, especially around here. BTW the A2 looks great......can't see what the issue is. The other one looks fine too.....sleeves maybe a bit too long, but not a big issue.

(I have 2 N1's.....one is a size to big, one is a size too small - love 'em both. )

 

[jonesy86]

depends how the jackets make you feel...........if you can wear them and enjoy them, keep 'em! But if they hang around in the wardrobe unused, then pass them on....... I think the perfect fit is a rare bird, especially around here. BTW the A2 looks great......can't see what the issue is. The other one looks fine too.....sleeves maybe a bit too long, but not a big issue.

(I have 2 N1's.....one is a size to big, one is a size too small - love 'em both. )

Those look like keepers to me.

 

[barongan]

Loving this thread, I think this is a very interesting discussion

 

[AbbaDatDeHat]

@Boyo:
Lots of answers, lots of variables, but...

Picture perfect is perfect in a perfect world.
Most of us don’t live there.
Those two jackets, can’t currently be replaced, i’m wearing the hell out of them as long as i dig them. If they hang awhile for whatever reason, fine, i’ll wear the hell outta them later and pass em on to my kids.
I’ll sell em if i need food or don’t want them anymore. Maybe i’ll hang em up and just admire them for what they are, pleasing to me!
If i get so many (anythings) i can’t move around the place i might think about reducing the footprint. Not so far though.
My nickel.
B

 

[JMax]

Sometimes I try to sell a jacket or two but more often they stay in the closet and end up in the rotation.

Assuming the sleeves are not totally wack and the jacket is in good condition:

If I can zip the jacket up I keep it. Two are more snug like your two photos. I usually wear them unzipped but find comfort in the fact that if required I can zip them up. If I can't zip them up then I do not keep them.

If a jacket is roomier, I try it on with a thick hoodie. If it works then I keep the jacket. While I now live in South Florida, I have lived in cold weather climates and plan to return. I ride year round, no matter the location (DC, Saint Louis, Denver, Virginia, New Haven, etc.).

 

[ProteinNerd]

I'm the complete opposite to @Carlos840 the more I have the more ruthless and picky I get. You can only wear so many jackets in active rotation. If I've got 12, I'm not going to miss the 1 that doesn't really fit. On the other hand, if I'm down to 2 or 3...losing half or a third is really going to impact my options even if its not "perfect".

The only issue that trumps this is if it's too short in body length....I'll just never wear it if I think its too short.

 

[Carlos840]

I'm the complete opposite to @Carlos840 the more I have the more ruthless and picky I get. You can only wear so many jackets in active rotation. If I've got 12, I'm not going to miss the 1 that doesn't really fit. On the other hand, if I'm down to 2 or 3...losing half or a third is really going to impact my options even if its not "perfect".

The only issue that trumps this is if it's too short in body length....I'll just never wear it if I think its too short.

I guess the question is also:

Do you buy leather jackets to collect them and consider wearing them a plus or do you buy them to wear and the collection is a consequence?

Personally i started as a wearer and ended up a collecter (although i have always been a collector of things)
Nowadays i see jackets as art i can wear, and i am happy to have the jackets i have even though some dont fit me that well.

This DD for example doesn't fit me well, and i very rarely wear it, but i fell in love with that design the second i saw it on the first page of the Rin Tanaka book. The only way i would sell it would be if i could find another one that fit me better, and even then i might keep it...

Some jackets i would happily put on a wall, just to look at!

 

[Boyo]

Great advice all!.. thank you Brothers...

I do plan ( at the moment) to hold on to both and keep wearing them..

But this quote from Carlos has got me thinking hard....

Do you buy leather jackets to collect them and consider wearing them a plus or do you buy them to wear and the collection is a consequence?

 

[HoosierDaddy]

Both are too short for my tastes. I buy my jackets to wear and found my sweet spot measurements years ago, so mine do fit well. For the price of these top tier custom jackets they should fit even if purchasing second hand (if measured correctly)...or back they go. Not interested in the vintage jacket gamble. They are generally too short in the sleeves or body for my build. I don't care to collect and even recently whittled my leather jackets down to a couple I wear on the MC and just a few for daily colder weather wear. After a few years of trying different brands and styles, I also found a maker that totally satisfies my needs so the search for style, leather and comfort was over last year. Actually, it was a good feeling to finally end that ongoing chase.
HD

 

[ton312]

I’m solely interested in leather jackets as an explorer. I’ve sold many perfect fits and great styles, horrible fits and horrible styles. I just like to explore. For me that’s where the fun lies. New or vintage, I just like to try new things.
I don’t want a closet full of anything. When I have over three leather jackets in my closet, it makes me really uncomfortable. I’m not a collector. I’m a visitor. But if I don’t like the fit, the visit is certainly shorter. I certainly know what I like but I almost wonder if I’m more interested in finding out what I don’t. I have no idea why.
The jackets above you’ve posted @Boyo aren't bad fits by any means. Maybe not optimal and you do have better. But certainly doable. Particularly the HB. Which I think looks good high and tight.

 

[Powerband]

It’s all by degrees. There are imperfect fitting jackets that I wear extensively because they’re gorgeous and high-quality.

But if the degree of fit imperfection is too big, cut the f¥cker loose... like this one:

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