Anything and Everything A-1

[asiamiles]

I think having the pockets way down on the waist knit (plus the way the light leather drapes)tricks the eye a little too, makes it look longer than it really is.

The cape "drapes" longer than the horsehide which bunches up. My A-1 is also maybe half an inch shorter than my A-2 but when worn it falls a couple of inches longer.

 

[deeb7]

The cape "drapes" longer than the horsehide which bunches up. My A-1 is also maybe half an inch shorter than my A-2 but when worn it falls a couple of inches longer.

Exactly what mine does, but mine is horsehide, at least as heavy as the A-2's.

I still think that it's in the pattern, the A-1 has a narrow back, and the waistband is not gathered, so it doesn't blouse out, or pull up.

Look ...... FLAT.

 

[fishmeok]

What's the measurement along the knits on the back panel? Does it taper or go straight down from the pit? Interesting that your jacket does not have the felled arm seam meet the yoke seam- is it lined up with the shoulder seam?
Which way do you guys think looks best?
I have my reasons for asking these questions
Cheers
Mark

 

[deeb7]

Mark, yes it tapers ... with the jacket buttoned, and lying flat, it's 22" at the armpits, 19" at the top of the band, 17" along the bottom.

And yes, the arm seam meets the shoulder seam. The yoke seam looks right to me, and matches the original example pictured in Suit Up. I think it looks odd the other way.

If you are thinking of trying this at home .....

... note that the sleeves also taper a lot, and they have that semi leg o' mutton thing going. You might find that this pattern is trickier than it looks ... an A-1 is definately NOT an A-2 with buttons.

Also the back is narrow, my size 42 measures 17.5" at the shoulder, and 17" across the yoke seam.

 

[jack aranda]

Hello, Gents:
I WASN'T, I WASN'T, I WASN'T going to buy any more leather jackets this year. :lol: Then, I innocently commented in this thread that someday I'd like to have an A-1. Next thing I knew, bseal was tempting me with the jacket you will see in the following pics. BTW, someone commented, a bit dismissively I thought, about my wearing jeans in the pics of Mark's civil A-2, referring to it as 'San Francisco style.' Well, these pics have a different tone! Yessir, by golly, today I'm wearing my going-to-teach-school clothes, not my it's-the-week-end-I-can-wear-what-want duds.

I'll let bseal describe this A-1 for us: "This custom capeskin Aero A-1 was originally marked a size 44 before I had Aero make the modifications; spunk silk lining, horn buttons and backings, and spec. tag. The more accurate nomenclature and size tags were provided by J. Chapman; the 46 is what he had available at the time."

My other Aeros are all size 42, but, Amanda at Aero assured me that because of the fit of the A-1 I should step up a size. She was right. This 44 fits manifique, non?

http://good-times.webshots.com/photo/2203685040104585873qJrWIl

http://good-times.webshots.com/photo/2039591850104585873eFsdyz

http://good-times.webshots.com/photo/2523820530104585873xfwLhS

http://good-times.webshots.com/photo/2394296470104585873uiUrnW

http://good-times.webshots.com/photo/2032782050104585873bOORDC

http://good-times.webshots.com/photo/2240115030104585873TfffqT

http://good-times.webshots.com/photo/2140242490104585873cshYdZ

Capeskin is amazing. It's like a comfy old sweater, instantly. I couldn't resist. I didn't want to resist.

 

[jacketimp]

Capeskin is amazing. It's like a comfy old sweater, instantly. I couldn't resist. I didn't want to resist.[/quote]


resistance is futile.........just wear it and enjoy...

 

[Vcruiser]

Jack
Very nice A1.
Almost as importantly...were did you get the NewsBoy cap. Great combo!
Van

 

[jack aranda]

You like that? Me, too, vc. I bought it 'locally'. Local to northern California, at any rate. Small business near Ashland, Oregon, about 350 miles north of the City. Here's a link:

http://www.hatpeople.com/cuts/tourcut.html

 

[greyhound52]

Jack,
Very nice. I really like the capeskin on my ELC A-1 also from bseal. Hmmm... do you see a pattern developing here on the sale of A-1s???

 

[Anonymous]

Jack if you were talking about me re the comment SF style yes that was me Jeff Dubow A-2 .I am an English guy living in the USA and my comment was not meant to dimean you it was merley made as an observation of how American you looked .The SF style comes because you live where the company was born ,any such thoughts that may had come into your head were of your own making . I make no apologies for the statement !!!.

Jeff

 

[jack aranda]

Hi, Jeff:
No worries. My comments were purely in a fooling-around-with-the-guys vein. I confess, though, that the jacket is dressed up a bit with a tie and some slacks...

 

[Vcruiser]

You like that? Me, too, vc. I bought it 'locally'. Local to northern California, at any rate. Small business near Ashland, Oregon, about 350 miles north of the City. Here's a link:

http://www.hatpeople.com/cuts/tourcut.html

Hi Jack
I checked that site out. Do you remember what "cut" you purchased? "Medium...Deep...Full...Extra full"?
I'm gonna get me one of those Daddies!...I don't care what they say....
Van

 

[bseal]

Jack that looks better on you than me. Wear it in good health. And in response to greyhound's investigation, well yes, I actually do have another A-1 to sell. PM if interested.

 

[John Lever]

Jack,
Very nice. I really like the capeskin on my ELC A-1 also from bseal. Hmmm... do you see a pattern developing here on the sale of A-1s???

Steve's like me , he has itchy feet, can't keep still, and changes he collection around.
I owe him one.

 

[jack aranda]

Good morning, vc:
This cap is an 'extra full'. If you look back through the 'washing an Aero?' thread on FL, you'll see me wearing a darker blue 'full cut' in pics of that get-a-bat-and-beat-it heavy steerhide Bootlegger. The caps are made of Pendleton Mills wool. The fit is perfect. I enjoy buying from artisans like these who produce individual pieces, and finding them is fun, too. In that vein, Mark of 'fishmeok' is a great example.

Pics when you get your cap, vc, please.

 

[fishmeok]

Jack- great looking A-1! How does the fit compare to jacket #4? how different is my basic "cut" from your A-1? I have tremendous issues figuring out pattern sizes- mainly because I only have jackets in my size and the variation between manufacturers is so great. I have the measurements for 5 original A-2's to go by (42-44 thanks to Tankbuster), but they are so close it's hard to get a good feel for the pattern.

Awesome newsboy- I've been to the hatpeople site and thought hard about it, but I'm a Fedora kind of guy (apologies for the hands on hips thing, I know It cheeses people off )

Seriously though, Does the arm cut on Jacket #2 below look A-1 enough to you guys?
Cheers
Mark

 

[fishmeok]

Mark, yes it tapers ... with the jacket buttoned, and lying flat, it's 22" at the armpits, 19" at the top of the band, 17" along the bottom.

And yes, the arm seam meets the shoulder seam. The yoke seam looks right to me, and matches the original example pictured in Suit Up. I think it looks odd the other way.

If you are thinking of trying this at home .....

... note that the sleeves also taper a lot, and they have that semi leg o' mutton thing going. You might find that this pattern is trickier than it looks ... an A-1 is definately NOT an A-2 with buttons.

Also the back is narrow, my size 42 measures 17.5" at the shoulder, and 17" across the yoke seam.

Interesting- I thought that the felled arm seam met the yoke seam. That's how I have it now, anyway. I know that the shoulder seam is moved forward from the A-2 (Thanks Chapman!) And I'm using some narrower arms (more like the ones on jacket 2 above).

Summing it up (apart from the obvious button thing and the changes that requires) features that make the "fit", and I'm talking in a general sense-
1) Shoulder seam moves forward
2) More tapered back with less gathering at the waist
3) 3 piece arms, 2 piece back
4) felled arm seam at the shoulder or the yoke
5) "Mutton Chop" type arm
6) Proper material (capeskin, light horse, etc)

Cheers
Mark

 

[deeb7]

Seriously though, Does the arm cut on Jacket #2 below look A-1 enough to you guys?

Mark, the A-1 sleeve is full at the top, but tapers a lot from the elbow, so that it's tight fitting at the forearms.

 

[deeb7]

Interesting- I thought that the felled arm seam met the yoke seam. That's how I have it now, anyway.

Strangely, the Suit Up original has it the other way, and I imagine that Real McCoy, and the Japanese makers referred to this.

The Eastman example is as you describe, so at some point the pattern was changed, and the arms rotated.

Both versions show the same label with Order No. 31-800 P. I wonder which came first, and why it was modified.

 

[horsefan]

Jack Aranda has reminded me (by his own crosspost to The Fedora Lounge) that I
owe a post here, now that my long-awaited Goodwear A-1 has arrived. Unlike most
of you guys who post here, I don't have the thin body for the traditional look. Be
curious to hear what you think of the fit. Mind you, it's comfortable. I love this jacket,
not just for the rich, soft leather or the work, but also because it's a great weight for the Bay Area.

Oops! Didn't notice the open pocket!

Gotta love that capeskin: