FIVE STAR

[MrProper]

Hey, forgive me if this isn't the place for this, but I wanted to thank yall for posting such in depth reviews and details of the jackets Shawn has made. I just joined this forum (first post WOO!) and was hoping yall might have some advice for ordering a custom jacket from Five Star.

I've had a Pakistani made cowhide A2 for about 5 years that's held up wonderfully, but its about a size and a half too big. And after seeing what Shawn and his team have accomplished for yall on this forum, I've decided to pull the trigger and ask him to help me build my dream jacket. I've talked with Shawn already, and he says he can accomplish my ideas, but i wanted to check and see if there's anything im asking for that might not be great in the long run.

Basically I want to take his G8 pattern and add A2 style snap button pockets (w/ handwarmers) to make a (imo) more functional Indy kind of jacket. Main reason I dont get an Indy pattern is the back flaps that make you look like a flying squirrel, but i do like the available adjustment straps on his G8 pattern.

Currently planning on going with his semi-veg tan seal brown steerhide, black thread, and a silver talon zipper.

Anyone have any thoughts, recommendations, or tips? This will be my first custom garment ever, so I'm a little out of my element. I followed the measurement guide on Five Star's site and double checked everything 10 times, but im still a little worried about the fit.

**Edited cause I can't spell**

All of my Shawn jackets are made2measure.
My tip: you can't provide enough details. You are the designer of the jacket. What you don't state won't be done or chance decides how it's done.
In terms of size, I would recommend that you take a well-fitting jacket and use it as a guide for your measurements. Take lots of photos of it and draw in the dimensions. Mention explicitly which details shouldn't be. The more accurate the photo of your dream jacket, the greater the likelihood of success.

 

[Smithy]

Poughkeepsie, Star Sportswear or Rough Wear

These are the ones I'm really wanting to see.

 

[Thomas Koehle]

That's the G1 i ordered some weeks ago in Goat

She develops pretty nice "live" exactly the way i like it

 

[jack31916]

Nice jacket and a nice patch too !

 

[Thomas Koehle]

Nice jacket and a nice patch too !

"NOX MEA AUXILIATRIX EST" Night Is My Ally

 

[ties70]

I could highly recommend the FS Dubow:

 

[Thomas Koehle]

I could highly recommend the FS Dubow:

View attachment 58489

Like that graining

 

[B-Man2]

Ties
That’s a killer looking Dubow .
Is that the unmatched goat ?

 

[ties70]

Ties
That’s a killer looking Dubow .
Is that the unmatched goat ?

Burt,

It's the leather especially made for this contract...yes, goatskin...I had asked Shawn for mismatched, jerky, grainy hides, and he probably had an inner conflict to make a "second grade" jacket...

 

[B-Man2]

Burt,

It's the leather especially made for this contract...yes, goatskin...I had asked Shawn for mismatched, jerky, grainy hides, and he probably had an inner conflict to make a "second grade" jacket...

View attachment 58492

Well the next time you correspond with him , please tell him to add that “mismatched” grain component to his offerings because yours is outstanding .

 

[ties70]

Thanks a lot!

Goat is totally underrated!

Ties

 

[Thomas Koehle]

Ties,

your jacket really pops out with that grain.

Actually i think it is hard to understand for people that - in some occassions - what looks like imperfection for someone is exactly the desired thing for other folks

 

[ties70]

Exactly Thomas!

I can imagine long discussions between Shawn and his team, before they finally agreed to make a jacket from "leftovers" and hide scraps...

 

[Smithy]

It's because Shawn has reached the levels that he has with Ties' Dubow that I am so interested in seeing his upcoming contracts. I'm especially interested in the Star as if Shawn has copied the contract's pattern properly it's one contract which should suit my body shape better than some others.

I'm supposedly sworn off more jackets with even the better half dangling the carrot of buying something I've wanted for awhile if I don't buy anymore jackets. But if Shawn's Star hits all the boxes for me, screw it, I'm buying one and bugger the consequences (either that or I'll have to do the old hide the jacket routine and it's not like I haven't done that before now is it )

 

[B-Man2]

It's because Shawn has reached the levels that he has with Ties' Dubow that I am so interested in seeing his upcoming contracts. I'm especially interested in the Star as if Shawn has copied the contract's pattern properly it's one contract which should suit my body shape better than some others.

I'm supposedly sworn off more jackets with even the better half dangling the carrot of buying something I've wanted for awhile if I don't buy anymore jackets. But if Shawn's Star hits all the boxes for me, screw it, I'm buying one and bugger the consequences (either that or I'll have to do the old hide the jacket routine and it's not like I haven't done that before now is it )

Tim
One of my biggest fears in life is, that one day I’ll pass away and my wife will sell all of my jackets for what I told her that I paid for them.

 

[Smithy]

Tim
One of my biggest fears in life is, that one day I’ll pass away and my wife will sell all of my jackets for what I told her that I paid for them.

I've done the old switcheroo and pretended that a new jacket isn't new at all but one of my old ones ;-)

That's the funny thing about women, women's shoes and they can spot a miniscule difference between supposedly identical pairs at 250 yards, but can they tell one flight jacket from another, let alone one A-2 from another? Not a bloody hope!

That's where the old "if she doesn't see the shipping box you're good to go" routine has been used by jacket guys successfully for many years!

Is it morally acceptable? Possibly dubious but content your conscience with the fact that she's got 50 pairs of shoes stuffed in that wardrobe and there's no way they cost what she said they did

 

[ausreenactor]

These are the ones I'm really wanting to see.

Poughkeepsie.... just for the label.... Not many reproductions around..

 

[Dimitry M]

@Shawn Ali You know Five star has great stuff right and great entry prices. they should make affordable shearling trousers. not just for re-enactors but for bikers and people who wana look really weird when its cold out. I have 2 pars id be willing to send out to lend to them to take a look at. Mine have no tears only a few bad seems but I did sew those up. the zippers are bad but still there and the worst one is the trousers that go with the D-1 jacket. its got only 10-15% of the leather worn off but the other is practically new.

 

[Kennyz]

That FS dubow is a stunner, Ties!

Ken

Burt,

It's the leather especially made for this contract...yes, goatskin...I had asked Shawn for mismatched, jerky, grainy hides, and he probably had an inner conflict to make a "second grade" jacket...

View attachment 58492

 

[bach37strad]

WOW Thanks yall! So much to respond to!

Those jackets look amazing! Thomas, that G1 fits you perfectly. I Would definitely appreciate some tips on how you measured. Unfortunately i dont have a good fitting jacket to go off of, so im kinda winging it, and going back and forth over email about this is...less than ideal. I'm a pretty average build. When i measured myself I was:

42" chest
40" waist
42" hips
21" shoulder (I think? i followed the curve of my neck, or are you supposed to go straight across?)
26" overall length
26" sleeve

I know it says on the site to go 4-6" larger in the chest, but I'm not sure how much room i really need. I want a trim but not "fashionista tight" kind of fit when zipped.

The reason I guess I'm shying away from the A2 patterns is cause I'd like the jacket without the wool knit, and i wasn't sure if the cut of the A2 would look kinda funky without it. I figured the G8 was the safer bet. Don't get me wrong, I will definitely be coming back for a real pattern A2 at some point; but for the time being my slightly oversized one scratches that itch.

I am so torn on material choice. As much as I'd love Horsehide, Shawn told me the only have the veg tanned in goatskin and steerhide, and I LOVE the way veg tan leather wears. The goatskin drapes amazing, but im leaning towards the steer on account of my A2 is in cowhide and I'm fairly used to the weight of it. Idk, thoughts?