Five Star - sizing & leather

[B-Man2]

I understand … my sincere wishes for your improved health recovery.
From your last post I would suggest you do the following ;
OPTION 1 ……Find a jacket that really fits you nicely, that is close in design to an A2 jacket . Something short waisted or as close to an A2 design as possible . Now take measurements of that jacket . There are tutorials here on how to measure jackets . Once you’ve done that and you know those measurements you’ll have a baseline that you can tweak up or go down an inch here or there. By doing this I think you’ll have a greater chance for success in your new jacket fitting properly .
OPTION 2 …. Go to a qualified tailor and have your measurements taken . Then provide those measurements to Shawn .
Cheers

 

[Thomas Koehle]

I understand … my sincere wishes for your improved health recovery.
From your last post I would suggest you do the following ;
OPTION 1 ……Find a jacket that really fits you nicely, that is close in design to an A2 jacket . Something short waisted or as close to an A2 design as possible . Now take measurements of that jacket . There are tutorials here on how to measure jackets . Once you’ve done that and you know those measurements you’ll have a baseline that you can tweak up or go down an inch here or there. By doing this I think you’ll have a greater chance for success in your new jacket fitting properly .
OPTION 2 …. Go to a qualified tailor and have your measurements taken . Then provide those measurements to Shawn .
Cheers

Exactly Burt - tried to point out that option 1 already before but wasn’t as specific as you

Think that’s the way to go …

 

[Thomas Koehle]

No, I'm male. Just very thin!

I've had ongoing health issues for quite some time and am rather underweight.

Because of this, I've found that most (all?) domestic manufacturers don't make A2's in my size.

That's why I've decided that if I'm going to wear an A2, it's probably going to have to be custom.

So far Five Star seems a good bet. But as I've tried to outline here, it's still tricky dealing with sizing.

Tex,

forget the sizechart of Shawn - go with Burt‘s advice and provide your desired dimensions to Shawn - he will put a jacket together for you whatever dimensions you ask him for

 

[texas_aggie]

And how is Shawn with returns?

For example, how flexible is he if you (I) am not happy with the finished product?

Is return shipping expensive?

 

[mulceber]

I know you're reluctant to go for a used jacket, but if I were you, I'd seriously be looking at Yahoo Auctions Japan. At your size, there will be some KILLER deals on used jackets from top-tier makers. You can find Buzz Rickson for the same price as a Five Star.

 

[B-Man2]

Well it’s going back to Pakistan so be prepared for a hefty postal charge . $60-80 bucks I’d guesstimate

 

[Rory Schultz]

Good morning everyone! Thank you all for your feedback yesterday. I spoke with Shawn and he has informed me that the XXS 1939 Werber in horsehide will with my measurements in the shoulders, arms, and back. However, the chest and waist will be six inches too large. I do know that I want four to six inches of room in the chest, especially for when I wear a sweater underneath, but a six inch gap in the waist simply won't do.

So, what do I tell him about adjusting the waist? For example, the elastic will stretch to accommodate movement (and potential weight gain... one day) but for you experienced jacket owners, what's a good rule of thumb for these types of adjustments?

Do I tell him that I want a 34 inch chest and 30 waist? Or am I missing a few steps here? '

Finally, I'm concerned about the cost of potential returns. For those of you in the US, do you know approximately what the return shipping cost would be to send a jacket back to Shawn, if necessary?

Thanks again! You guys rock!

I own a few very rare 1930's to 45's German, Czech jackets of that size. But jackets during that period were worn short at the waist. The WICO and Roho are some of the rarest (what I have been told) If you are interested in vintage also? Not trying to take any thunder away from Shawn he does have awesome things and can not go wrong with him. Vintage require lots of TLC.

 

[mulceber]

I do know that I want four to six inches of room in the chest, especially for when I wear a sweater underneath, but a six inch gap in the waist simply won't do.

Keep in mind that the waist measurement is measured across the leather. The knits are designed to make the jacket gather around your waist.

 

[texas_aggie]

I think I'll be paying a visit to a tailor next week and double-checking my measurements before making a purchase.

Thank you everyone for providing such detailed feedback (and patience) to a newbie!

 

[B-Man2]

I think I'll be paying a visit to a tailor next week and double-checking my measurements before making a purchase.

Thank you everyone for providing such detailed feedback (and patience) to a newbie!

Most welcome and again welcome to VLJ!

 

[Rory Schultz]

Greetings Texas Aggie, I hail in Texas also. I am in the Keller area north of Ft. Worth. Welcome to the Crazy Ward.....gotta go Nurse Ratchet is making her rounds.

 

[texas_aggie]

@Rory Schultz Gig 'em!

 

[Thomas Koehle]

I‘m not sure if he accepts Taylor made garment to be returned

 

[WingAndaPrayer]

Howdy!

Long time reader here, first post as a member. I'm here because I've been having a tough time finding an A2 that fits me properly (5'8, 135lbs). I've bought and returned jackets from US Wings, US Authentic, & Cockpit USA.

I understand that those are considered 'mid-range' jackets and that Eastman, etc... make a more quality garment but they are out of my price range. After doing more hours of research than I care to admit I've come to understand that Five Star is a decent option.

With that in mind, I'd like to pose some questions to you experts!

1) What's the slimmest fitting A2 repro that Shawn Ali at Five Star offers? Other jackets I've purchased made me look like I was drowning in them.

2) How do the shoulders and arm holes usually run with Five Star A2's? My Cockpit USA reissue was awful and would ride up significantly when I would drive or even raise my arms to 90 degrees. I'm hoping to avoid that with a closer cut jacket.

3) I'm a big fan of goatskin as I've had bad experiences with cowhide in the past. But Five Star's 1939 Werber in seal brown horsehide looks really nice. Given the choice between horse and goat with Five Star, which is recommended? I'm looking for a hide that is of fairly consistent width.

4) Any advice on communication with Shawn? Realistically, I'm just fed up with ill-fitting jackets and just want to find one that fits me well and that I can layer a sweater underneath.

Thanks in advance for everyone's patience with a newbie here! I've read through pages and pages of posts here but wanted to start fresh as it were.

Perhaps I can be of some assistance. I’ve owned about 12 FiveStar jackets in every hide they offer. If you want bullet proof, 3 feet thick horse hide get the mid brown or any of the visky line. The steer hide is slightly less thick but butter soft compared to the cardboard stiffness of the HH. The problem I had with the steer is that the seal is black and the russet was waxy. The goat is excellent and on par with some of the top marker stuff. But the quality is hit or miss. I like FiveStar but it seems there’s always just something not quite right. For example the fit will be spot on but the hide is poor and the top coat peels off, or the hide is excellent but the fit is way off. If you get lucky you will hit the best fit/quality combo but will most likely take you 2-3 jackets, if at all.
Have you heard of SM Wholesale? Steve will make you a custom jacket that’s much better quality then FiveStar. And he’s based out of California. I’ve had 3 from SMW and they are my absolute favorite mid tier jacket. However it’s not based on any specific contract, just a generic pattern.
For what my 2 cents are worth I personally would ask for leather samples from SMW and FiveStar and make your decision between SMW and a FiveStar A2. Shawn does however make a killer B-10/15.
I can provide you with a ton of FiveStar and SMW jacket pictures if you are interested.
And being in Texas, you won’t have to worry about needing a jacket until January

 

[texas_aggie]

@WingAndaPrayer Direct message coming right up!

 

[coolhandluke]

Size XXS ??
May I ask …. Are you a female ?
The reason I’m asking is because of the sizing and because we have a woman on the forum, Natalie , who has ordered jackets about this size and can probably give you some ordering tips .
Cheers

To be fair Burt, an XXS is a very generously sized 38 according to Five Star's sizing chart for the Werber. I'm in-between a 40 and 42 and the measurements for the XXS are pretty close to my measurements and actually a little large in the chest, length, and sleeve length.

 

[coolhandluke]

No, I'm male. Just very thin!

I've had ongoing health issues for quite some time and am rather underweight.

Because of this, I've found that most (all?) domestic manufacturers don't make A2's in my size.

That's why I've decided that if I'm going to wear an A2, it's probably going to have to be custom.

So far Five Star seems a good bet. But as I've tried to outline here, it's still tricky dealing with sizing.

As someone who has battled digestive issues for nearly half their life, I can empathize with what you're going through. Especially when it comes to the frustration of sizing (and for me, not liking the fit and appearance of most clothing on my body). Thankfully, I've finally been able to gain a little weight the last few years. I wish you all the best and hope that your health will continue to improve.

On a separate note, I completely agree with Jan's recommendation regarding finding a higher end used repro out of Japan. There's a plethora of nice jackets available for smaller sized guys and some of the prices can be very affordable.

There's absolutely nothing wrong with getting started with a Five Star though. That way you can figure out what fits right and what doesn't, before purchasing something higher end.

 

[mulceber]

There's absolutely nothing wrong with getting started with a Five Star though. That way you can figure out what fits right and what doesn't, before purchasing something higher end.

Definitely a sound strategy - go for a Five Star with custom measurements to get the fit down, and then once you've got the fit locked down you can explore some of those discount Japanese options.

 

[B-Man2]

To be fair Burt, an XXS is a very generously sized 38 according to Five Stars sizing chart for the Werber. I'm in-between a 40 and 42 and the measurements for the XXS are pretty close to my measurements and actually a little large in the chest, length, and sleeve length.

View attachment 108363

Hi CHL
I just wanted to respond to your post that I was not judging or commenting on his size or condition in any way. I was simply trying to suggest an alternative option for helping the person with their sizing problem, by suggesting that if the person was a female it might be more helpful to have Jan’s wife work with that person as they seemed to have similar sizes .

 

[coolhandluke]

Hi CHL
I just wanted to respond to your post that I was not judging or commenting on his size or condition in any way. I was simply trying to suggest an alternative option for helping the person with their sizing problem, by suggesting that if the person was a female it might be more helpful to have Jan’s wife work with that person as they seemed to have similar sizes .

No worries Burt. I didn't take it that way. I was just pointing out that their sizing is a little skewed IMO. To me, an XXS should equate to a 34 (or 32 if such a thing exists), not a 38 that fits like a 40 or 42.