Saturday, December 2, 2017

READER MAIL - CAMPUS JACKET


Hi,

I have been reading your blog for a very good while now, Gunny, and I am quite impressed with the knowledge and the writings. I really appreciate the insight on all of it, despite wearing a suit every single day - all out of my preferences.

That being said, I am thinking really deeply about getting a Mister Freedom Campus Jacket, because the jacket simply gave me a pretty powerful call just by the look, but I have a certain concerns, that which I hope you could help address. Now, I live in the Greater Seattle region of Washington state, and by this time of the year onwards till May, the crazy downpour only increase exponentially. My primary concern is whether if the leather will hold up, being only 2 - 3 ounces, to both wear and water.

I know that I will have to take care of the jacket, given that it's leather, and I already have an overkill arsenal of leather care products, going from Saphir to Pecard dressing, to Montana Pitch Blend, but still, that is a concern. Now, with that little sunlight we have here, would continuous oiling and dressing aid as much with the coloration as the Californian sun? I mean, it will age at some point, but otherwise, without sufficient sunlight, I am not willing to accelerate the aging and coloring by other means that are very much unnecessary.

Also, I have a roughly 40 chest, but a 30 - 30.5 waist. Which size do you think would be best for me to choose for the jacket? I have been so used to being measured by my tailor for so long, I completely forget what size I would wear. Other than that, if the sleeves are too long, would you recommend that I alter the sleeves?

I hope that I am not bothering you with too much questions on my first email contact, but I also hope that you could provide certain insights, given your first hand experience.

Sincerely,
Travers

www.vintageengineerboots.com

Hi Travers,

I really appreciate the feedback about the blog. I started it several years ago as a means to archive things that interest me and I find myself using it quite often as a research tool. I always enjoy hearing how readers find it useful as well.

The Cossack style jacket is nothing new. It’s been around since the early part of the last century and almost every major vintage-inspired brand today offers a version of it, but none have dared offer one as a DIY. Christophe has built his brand based on “historically plausible original clothes that never existed but could have” and it’s his innate ability to avoid being viewed as a reproduction brand that has faithful fans coming back for more unique designs. I feel it’s this reputation for high end clothing that possess people to think, “I want to spend my hard-earned money on a raw leather jacket that will require lots of time and effort before I can truly call it my own.”


I wouldn’t be worried about the weight of the leather. Two to three ounces is true to the original design – anything heavier would put it off balance. I feel that Christophe hit it out of the park with the hand-selected leather and I can vouch for the jacket’s durability against heavy wear and the natural elements – it holds up just as well as any Horsehide jacket I own.

In your region, I would recommend exercising a lot of patience and expose it to as much sun as possible before introducing any products as they will just act as a barrier against the rays, preventing expected results – you’d be surprised at how little sun is needed to start seeing results. Some swear that adding oils and then sun tanning will produce a darker color, but I guarantee that using this method will just lead to an uneven and spotty appearance and I absolutely advise against dunking the jacket in water.


I wear a size 36 in all Mister Freedom® jackets and have a 38 chest. I think that perhaps you could use a size 38. The sizing chart is pretty on point for me, so knowing all your measurements would definitely help. Since the jacket isn’t lined, altering the sleeves shouldn’t pose much of a problem – I’d make sure to find a tailor familiar with working on leather.

Source: Mister Freedom

I hope this helps and if you do end up snatching up a Campus, you’ve made the right choice.

Cheers!
John

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