Surplus Ike jackets

[CMcG]

Marlow White also sells Mess Dress Jackets, if I remember correctly. Oops...wrong sub forum!

Tsk, tsk Alan, next you're going to start talking about Red Sea Rig

Not that there is anything inherently wrong with that... just as you wrote, wrong sub-forum!

Sorry CMcG.

I should have been more specific.

I would want the jacket in the picture. It is significantly different than the Police uniform jacket.

Note the lower lapel notch.
Note the wider and buttoned waistband.

The shoulders are rolled and the sleeves are more like a suit coat.

This is what I meant I wanted.

Sorry for the misunderstanding.

No problem Wizard, I tried! Still, I can see that they are different but I wouldn't say that the difference is significant. More like variations on a theme.

The type of jacket you're interested in doesn't appear common in black, so maybe you could dye one? But you also asked specifically for barathea wool... maybe your ideal version would be a custom job. Now if we only knew a contemporary kilt maker who would be up to the task

--------------------------------------------

I did a search with the term that OC Richard used "battle dress jacket" and came up with something a little different. I quite like it and this one is more my style! It has a stand up folded collar and no lapels. It comes in the usual tan/khaki/olive colours but also comes in black, like so:



In terms of availability of any of these types of jackets, eBay seems to have lots of options for used surplus. I also found someone on eBay making reproductions for under $100. This seller has the black one I posted above and also ones like this:


Here is a link to that sellers selection, which includes the two I posted and a bunch of other styles too:
http://shop.ebay.com/barrylyndon28/m....c0.m270.l1313

[Nick the DSM]

Uggghhh, WPG has NEVER had anything in my size! All the jackets seem to start at about 42...I need a 36

I don't think it would be dishonorable to wear insignia of current military patches, right? I'd wear what my dad wears on his.

[Tobus]

Uggghhh, WPG has NEVER had anything in my size! All the jackets seem to start at about 42...I need a 36

The surplus market is your friend, then. 36 seems to be a pretty common size from what I've seen. Apparently men were much smaller then than they are today. FWIW, I also wear about a 36-37, and it's frustrating that modern makers only start their sizing at "supersized".

[Stilletto_Rebel]

The surplus market is your friend, then. 36 seems to be a pretty common size from what I've seen. Apparently men were much smaller then than they are today. ...

This is very much true, Tobus. Malnutrition being the major factor.

I used to re-enact Fallschirmjager and, at 5'4", was once told by a Fallschirmjager Crete veteran that I was the typical height of a German paratrooper. They preferred to have smaller chaps as they were easier to launch out of the doorways of JU-52's!

Here's a photo of me when I was an extra in Band of Brothers:


When at public events, I occasionally wore the fliegerbluse (jacket) with my Blackwatch kilt to the beer tent (after the public had gone home).

[English Bloke]

As some of you may have noticed, I have a much loved, blue denim jacket (thank you Mr Levi) that I oft wear with my kilt.



I have a black heavy wool jacket that I wear with my kilt and this is probably my favorite casual jacket when it's a bit nippy out.



And I've also got a grey wool jacket that is not dis-similar to the black one although it is made from a lighter weight wool. I wear this with my kilt too...



You see the pattern developing here?...

So as you can see, I quite like short waisted, military styled jackets. In fact everytime I now look at any type of jacket for purchase, my first consideration is "Can I wear it with my Kilt?" And if the answer is no, it stays on the hanger in the shop.

Imagine my delight then at following this thread... All about short waisted jackets and the easy availability there-of.

Ohh... and thanks very much for the link to that Ebay shop... The one that kept me awake for a couple of nights... The one with all kinds of nice jackets from Tommy battle dress to GI Ike! The short waisted, military styled jackets that I REALLY DON'T NEED but really want to have.

As I say, thank you. Thank you very bl%dy much.

Anywhoo. After much deliberation (dag nab-it, there can be only one...) I succummed and pulled the trigger on this wonderful Wupert type offering.


The pictures are not mine, they are from the sellers ebay site on CMcG's link above.


I liked all of the Allied reproduction options and was torn mostly between the RAF BD in blue/grey and the RAAF BD in navy blue. I eventually plumped for this one and I'm not sure why. It is a WW2 British Officer's Gabardine Battle Dress Jacket and in my opinion, is a bit of a snip (as compared to similar, seen elsewhere). This of course depends on the quality of the finished article which remains to be seen. I shall post a review when it turns up.

[CMcG]

<snip>
Ohh... and thanks very much for the link to that Ebay shop... The one that kept me awake for a couple of nights... The one with all kinds of nice jackets from Tommy battle dress to GI Ike! The short waisted, military styled jackets that I REALLY DON'T NEED but really want to have.

As I say, thank you. Thank you very bl%dy much.

Anywhoo. After much deliberation (dag nab-it, there can be only one...) I succummed and pulled the trigger on this wonderful Wupert type offering.

...

I shall post a review when it turns up.

You're welcome for the eBay link and give my apologies to your dear wife

Looking forward to the review!

[OC Richard]

I succummed and pulled the trigger on this wonderful Wupert type offering.

Wow that's fantastic.

Makes me want to get one, along with a khaki TOS and a Hunting Scott kilt!

By the way, Battledress jackets went through a number of variations over the years.

The one above is the original 1937 pattern, with covered buttons and two hooks & eyes to fasten the collar.

Next was a wartime pattern which was less expensive to make, with exposed buttons and lacking the pleats on the front pockets.

Postwar patterns included 1947 with an open collar with very wide lapels and a 1949 pattern with open collar and more elegant lapels not unlike those of a civilian suit jacket. Pocket pleats reappeared on these postwar jackets.

These are the 1949 pattern:



In my opinion the Battledress jacket is the kilt jacket par excellence as it ends at the waist and shows off more of the kilt than most kilt jackets do.

edit: I thought I should add this photo of competitors at the 1950 Oban games. The military men are in battledress jackets, on the left the 1949 pattern, on the right the 1947 pattern.

[English Bloke]

What a Bazzin' picture.

Bazzin' - A sort of a crackin' and a smashin' all rolled into one... Extra good with super-dooper gradely bells attached... Used in Manchester and North Derbyshire primarily.

Seriously though, I do like the picture.

[CMcG]

Uggghhh, WPG has NEVER had anything in my size! All the jackets seem to start at about 42...I need a 36

I don't think it would be dishonorable to wear insignia of current military patches, right? I'd wear what my dad wears on his.

Tobus is right, there are tons of surplus size 36 on eBay:
http://shop.ebay.ca/i.html?_nkw=ike+....c0.m270.l1313

As for wearing insignia of current military, I wouldn't unless I had earned them.

[Alan H]

HA! CMcG..."battle dress jacket" and Spearhead! SCORE on ebay. I'm keeping an eye on that vendor!

Thanks! The first virtual beer is on me!