French cyclist jacket (Hartmann jacket) by Pilot

[Smithy]

You are right.
I love the jacket, but I have to tame it.
On Saturday, I'm going to go see if I can find pants that match my jacket.
I'm going to try to find jeans with a vintage cut and see what it looks like.

Anyway I appreciate your help and sincerity.

Here's some reasonably priced high waist 1930s period selvage jeans...

https://www.sofmilitary.co.uk/usn-red-selvage-denim-jeans-1930-s-us-navy-deck-jeans.html

Aero have some fantastic high waisted 30s/40s trousers - I have a pair of their Harris tweed ones for winter and they're bloody marvellous.

https://www.aeroleatherclothing.com/products.php?cat=aerocloth&sub=atrous

These are just a couple of ideas to get you started, I'm sure the other chaps around here will have even more.

 

[mulceber]

Also don’t forget Bronson and Buzz Rickson.

 

[flyincowboy]

just one thing if your in love affair with jeans try the wrangler brand pro rodeo series the cowboy cut 936 they are with a high waist used them for riding they are quite comfortable. used them years ago.https://www.ebay.fr/itm/Wrangler-Jeans-Mens-Cowboy-Cut-Original-Fit-Rodeo-Prewashed-Indigo-Stonewashe

 

[flyincowboy]

Au fait bon anniversaire.

 

[Saint-ex]

Honestly, I can understand that he doesn't feel like wearing 40's jeans or pants above the belly button.

Here few members are wearing A-2 with 2 or 3 cm added on sleeves and body, nobody was shocked.

@Kermit3D , I felt free to add few cm to your jacket:

 

[Saint-ex]

By doing this photoshop, I wanted to demonstrate than 3 cm will not denature the jacket apparence but I have to admit, I change my mind.

Like this the jacket look like an highwayman with additional pocket...

 

[Kermit3D]

By doing this photoshop, I wanted to demonstrate than 3 cm will not denature the jacket apparence but I have to admit, I change my mind.

Like this the jacket look like an highwayman with additional pocket...

Ahah! Thank you the retouched image, the process is interesting and it's finally very instructive!

And personally it shocks me ! I think it really distorts the initial style.

...step by step I become aware that the pants are the key to the enigma. As they say in French : "Je comprends vite mais il faut m'expliquer longtemps"

 

[mulceber]

...step by step I become aware that the pants are the key to the enigma.

Yep. I will say, as someone who only started wearing high-waisted pants when I got into flight jackets, they’re absolutely worth it. And they just look good in their own right.

 

[Kermit3D]

Here's some reasonably priced high waist 1930s period selvage jeans...

https://www.sofmilitary.co.uk/usn-red-selvage-denim-jeans-1930-s-us-navy-deck-jeans.html

Aero have some fantastic high waisted 30s/40s trousers - I have a pair of their Harris tweed ones for winter and they're bloody marvellous.

https://www.aeroleatherclothing.com/products.php?cat=aerocloth&sub=atrous

These are just a couple of ideas to get you started, I'm sure the other chaps around here will have even more.

Lots of cool pants...

I also found these that might fit
https://www.levi.com/FR/fr_FR/colle...s-vintage-clothing-1947-501-jeans/p/475010201

 

[B-Man2]

K3D
You’ve received a lot of help and replies from a number of pretty reliable and knowledgeable people concerning the fit of your jacket. For better or worse I’ve added my 2 cents worth as well . So I imagine at this point, it’s all been a little confusing . Your concept of how you feel the jacket should fit vs. the information you’re receiving from people who are reliable and knowledgeable on the subject . Take a day or two and put the jacket away and think about what you want to do . These are not cheaply made repros and cost a significant amount of coin . First impressions are important wether we’re talking about people, or material things like jackets . Most of the time , not all of it, if you didn’t like a jacket when you first put it on and it didn’t WOW you, you’re probably not going to like it better down the road . Once again, I say most of the time , there are exceptions to this. So , give it a couple of days and then try it on again with different pants , if you still don’t like the fit then send it back for a custom made jacket, as you’re probably going to leave this one in the closet and not wear it much , and its far too nice of a jacket to have it sit that way, and too costly as well.
Good Luck with whatever you decide to do.
Cheers

 

[jeremiah]

Pretty much the perfect fit to my eyes. I wish I could own a jacket that fit me so well. Keep it.

 

[stanier]

Thank you very much for your feedback.
I take the time to give you my impressions.

First of all a big thank you to Pilot. the quality of the jacket is absolutely irreproachable. Both in the choice of materials and in the fidelity to the original jacket.
You can be proud of your work (I include of course the craftsman who works with you).

The leather is fantastic. Both flexible and solid (... and how good it smells!), the zip, the buttons, the lining, everything is at the top.

It's hard for me to compare it to other equivalent products on the market because I haven't had them in my hands, but no doubt this jacket is exactly what I was looking for.


However, I think the size is not exactly right for me. I will send this jacket back to Pilot to make a custom one.
Indeed even if we do not realize it in the photos, overall the bottom of the jacket arrives at 3/4 cm above the belt (even on high waist pants). I think the sleeves could be slightly longer as well.

I know that this kind of jacket is worn short, but I am very tall and thin (I have a long bust), and I feel a bit like wearing a bolero, especially when the jacket is open.

So I prefer to wait a little longer and have a beautiful jacket that fits me perfectly.

View attachment 43707

That pic marked as a good fit, I'm afraid it isn't. Well not for a Hartmann cyclist jacket. It just becomes another 2020's leather jacket with features based on a 1930's / 1940's cyclist jacket.

 

[Flightengineer]

I'm not a fan of WW2 Luftwaffe jackets for a number of reasons. BUT!
This jacket fits you the way it should fit. Perfectly.
Don't make the mistake, don't let it go, and don't order the jacket longer. The proportions will change and this will "kill" this entire historical look and it will look worse

Although ... in the end, the main thing is that the owner is happy.

 

[stanier]

I'm not a fan of WW2 Luftwaffe jackets for a number of reasons. BUT!
This jacket fits you the way it should fit. Perfectly.
Don't make the mistake, don't let it go, and don't order the jacket longer. The proportions will change and this will "kill" this entire historical look and it will look worse

Although ... in the end, the main thing is that the owner is happy.

Agree with this completely and including the first sentence.

 

[Saint-ex]

Not easy these vintage cut stories ...
Yesterday evening, I wanted to retouch a photo to see how it looks and I had the idea that it would not distort the cut of the jacket to add a few cm.
In fact, I changed my mind after that, it changes the overall look of the jacket quite a bit !

I can understand that you don't necessarily want to wear high waist pants, but it's true that in the end what makes the charm of these cycling jackets is precisely this high waist with longer sleeves.
Personally, I don't have the physique to wear them, so I don't even try.
The blousy fit of the A-2 suits me better.
But for you who is tall and thin, it's going well. After it's up to you.

And your wife...

 

[Smithy]

I can understand that you don't necessarily want to wear high waist pants, but it's true that in the end what makes the charm of these cycling jackets is precisely this high waist with longer sleeves.
Personally, I don't have the physique to wear them, so I don't even try.
The blousy fit of the A-2 suits me better.

That's a very good point. It does help if you are lean with these kinds of jackets.

A-2s are slightly more forgiving although if we're honest any waist length jacket because it ends and sits where it does is always going to accentuate the fact if you're carrying a little extra around the midriff.

 

[Kermit3D]

The night (and especially all of you) gave me advice. The jacket is absolutely gorgeous as it is ! I'm looking at the high waisted / vintage pants and I like a lot! it's a style to explore that I like more and more.

 

[Greg Gale]

Well, if your wife says she needs another 3 cm, then that's it

Then again, I still agree with the above: don't try to make this jacket into something it isn't.

 

[Kermit3D]

For the French-speaking members of the forum, since we were talking about pants height, I just read that. It is very informative :

https://www.sartorialisme.com/la-bonne-coupe-2-pantalon-sartorial-taille-haute/

 

[Greg Gale]

Great article! I've always been freaked out why it's impossible to buy jeans with proper raise today. I mean yeah, there are Levi's 501s, and I bought a Bronson last year, but these 30s-40s jeans are really baggy, and hard to wear with modern garments. Why can't they make jeans like in the 80s? High raise, slim cut...