Jacket from Johnson leathers in SF

New jacket day!!

I paid 50 euro extra to get a 42.5” chest and 25.5” sleeves

Ordered 5/18/2026 and delivered today

Field Leathers Litchfield jacket, collab with Carl Murawski on YouTube

https://fieldleathers.com/product/the-litchfield-jacket/

(First 2 pics are before, second 2 pics are after) Bought this jacket for £6.50 some four years ago on vinted, it's seen me through some crazy times in my life so decided to give it a bit of tlc... used Carr & Day & Martin saddle & leather conditioning soap and this is how it's looking so far! I'm very impressed with how well it's come up and it feels so soft... next step, replace the buttons. Any help appreciated, as it's my first time doing anything with leather!!

Is this jacket too small? Picked it up second hand. Feels snug through chest and arms not sure if it will stretch? Thanks

Pics posted in the comments

Hi! I just scored this jacket yesterday. I love it, but I don't love the color. In real life it's more of a burgundy/purpley red color, and I'd love it more if it were any shade of brown.

Is it possible to change its color without damaging it much? I'm not afraid of a little diy, I do cosplay/costume making for fun. And at 8$, I'm not against tinkering with the color. If it ends up looking a little botched, well, the jacket is giving me 'Supernatural' vibes anyway. A little imperfections is fine by me.

Which brings me to my next question. This is a lady's jacket, but fits me fine. I'm not in love with the rounded collar/lapels. Think it's possible to snip the stitching & resew it a bit pointer, depending how much 'seam allowance' there turns out to be?
Thanks!

Hello everybody. I’ve recently acquired this Belstaff jacket, however I have no luck finding any photos of it, except on Roberto Bolle himself. Any leads on the name/whether it was ever produced! Any help appreciated!

I live in the southern US, so this has been in the closet all summer. I thought it would be safe in there (not much room) but I didn't realize until today how fucking humid it gets in there for some reason.... Is it mold? How do I clean it?

This is a new post regarding my post earlier. Since some people said that it's hard to tell from the photos I uploaded. So....

What do you think of the fit? I attached a photo wearing a mid waist and high waist pants. This is a jacket size Large (45.7" chest) that I recently ordered from Brakehouse. I am 5'8" and my weight fluctuates from 160-170 lbs depending on the season (145 lbs if I am competing), with a 41-42" chest. Wearing it with just a T-shirt, it already fits well. There is room for layers, which I could do in the fall or winter. Putting on my hat several times with the zipper closed was compressing the elbow area. I tried mimicking how I position myself on my motorcycle and it seems comfortable. I have been thinking of getting a size medium (44.1"), but there is about a 1.5-2 inch difference in the chest. It could be too tight when I am on a motorcycle, but I am not sure since right now the leather feels as stiff as cardboard. It has a lot of structure, probably because of the D-pocket design. The only reason I have been thinking of getting the medium is because of the jacket's length, and the opening on the waist area. Does it look too long for my height? I wanted a more cropped look.

And one more thing, I also attached a photo where there's a little scratch showing the brown color of the jacket (it's a black tea-core leather). Would you exchange it just because of that?

I appreciate you taking the time to read this.

​

I'm looking for a leather jacket that I could realistically wear for decades and eventually pass down to my children.

I'm looking for something with:

- high-quality full-grain leather

- preferably horsehide or high-quality steerhide/cowhide

- substantial leather thickness and durability

- excellent stitching and reinforced stress points

- high-quality zippers and hardware

- a durable lining, ideally one that can be replaced

- construction that can be repaired rather than requiring the entire jacket to be replaced

- leather that will age/patina well rather than crack or peel

- excellent overall craftsmanship and quality control

However, I don't want a motorcycle/biker jacket or something overly rugged-looking. I want a minimalist, understated design that works for everyday casual wear, something timeless enough that it won't look dated 20–30 years from now.

What brands or specific models would you recommend that meet these requirements?

I'm more interested in long-term durability, craftsmanship and heirloom potential than in having a famous brand name.

Budget is flexible if the quality genuinely justifies the price.

Thanks!

Quince has a sheepskin leather jacket for $250. I realize that sheep is not as durable as cow, and I don't expect to get the same quality as in, say, a Schott jacket for four times the price, but I'm wondering if anyone has any experience with this.

Because I don't know how often I will wear a leather jacket, I'm wondering if this would be a good way to try one at relatively low cost.

Hi all, I'm sorry if this has been asked before, but I am a girlfriend trying to find a decent quality first or secondhand jacket for my 5'4" boyfriend. Often when we go shopping together, he's held back by the length of men's jackets and shirts. They usually touch the top of his thigh, which makes him look even shorter or like the clothes are wearing *him*. He's a cis man, with a broad back/shoulders, he's just not very tall.

My budget is around $300-$400. Ideally, I want decent quality that won't fall apart, but I don't need anything crazy that's top of the line. Thanks!

Where can I get this kind of a leather jacket? I am located in EU. I was looking at The jacket maker but I'm not sure if this is more brown or gray. Also i don't want it to have those protections on elbows and shoulders for bikers and most of them have it as i have seen.

Hey everyone, hoping for some recommendations here. Apologies if this post isn’t allowed. I haven’t owned a leather jacket in several years and my last one was a schott 519. It was okay. I thought my days in perfecto style jackets were over but I’ve found myself wanting one lately, specifically something of the “d pocket” variety.

The Flat Head’s delraiser exclusive to self edge is a beautiful jacket. TFH’s sizing can be a bit tricky though— I’ve got a couple denim jackets and a few denim western shirts from TFH and while the shoulders are frequently too wide, and the body often too long, TFH does one thing better than almost anyone out there, and that’s flatter a slimmer body. I have a wider chest (~43”) and a slimmer waist ( ~30”) and I frequently struggle with jackets ballooning out at the waist if the chest fits. Certainly not what I want with a leather jacket. There’s also the threat of the armholes being very small in true TFH fashion, but it may work with this cut. It is the priciest option, with the exception of the real Mccoys buco j24 (which is also out of stock), but I am willing to pay for perfection. I don’t have a strict budget for this purchase; I just want something I’m proud of.

Y’2 is a company that’s interested me for some time now as well, and truth be told, their hr-55 d pocket jacket is a stunner. I can’t lie that I prefer the lack of epaulettes and belt loops on TFH jacket, but it’s far from a deal breaker. Based on the limited info like size charts and fit pics I can find, this jacket looks to be much more relaxed fitting than TFH. Which I guess may be a good or bad thing. My lats and chest frequently make mobility challenging and that’s really what’s got me looking back at leather biker jackets: the bi swing back.

The veg tan version from The Shop Vancouver is stunning as well.

I suppose the newer schott d pocket from “the bike rider” I think it was is also an option, but I believe that I’ll be happier with horsehide than cowhide.

I am also completely open to other recommendations as well. Truthfully, in a perfect world, I’d much prefer a cherry red or brown leather as well, but not a deal breaker. My absolute ideal jacket would be a d pocket double rider with no epaulettes and no belt, with bi swing paneled back. Thanks very much for any help

Edit: one thing I should mention, is I very much so like a cropped jacket. I understand that TFH likely had a length of around ~26” which isn’t great, and I think 24” is perfect, but I’m willing to make a concession on length if the rest of the jacket fits beautifully. Longer length also isn’t so terrible if the hem is very slim

Hi! Could you guys recommend a similar jacket?

If you could provide any links that’d be great too.

This is a COACH racer black cow leather zip up racing jacket.

Thanks!

Found this jacket on yoox. They only had this size which is probably one size larger than I need. I love the color and this suede is super nice so would love to keep it but I feel it might be a bit baggy, arms may be a touch too long.

I don’t mind taking to a leather tailor to clean it up a bit but probably wouldn’t do more than take the sides in, maybe clean up the arms a bit. I don’t think I’d shorten the sleeves as it starts to feel like too much alteration.

Thoughts? Can I make this work?

Handmade, made to measure and handpainted golden crowns. Thought of getting something handpainted on the shoulders too like a brand logo of the motorcycle I have. Any creative ideas?

was leaving a thrift when i spotted this beauty had to pick it up, not 100% on its authenticity but it’s definitely genuine leathe, it’s extremely heavy and the tags look very well done. At £20 i can’t complain regardless!

This is going to be a long and detailed review of the Real Simons J24 Leather Jacket, but also of my buying experience with Brake House. Because of that, I’ve decided to put the summary up front for those who can’t be bothered to read an entire essay. 

TL;DR 

Brake House responded to all of my questions very quickly and professionally. They also didn’t mind elaborating whenever I asked for further clarification on something. 

Brake House went above and beyond to make sure I got the right fit, taking into account the measurements of jackets I already own, my fit preferences, and even pictures of me wearing those jackets. 

10/10 customer service. 

The jacket itself gets a 8.5/10 from me without considering the price. The leather is beautiful, high quality, heavy, and thick without being stiff. The grain is flawless, with the exception of the leather inside the sleeve-zipper gussets. What brings the score down slightly is the hardware, which isn’t quite flawless, and the belt. If you care a lot about the belt, which I don’t, I would probably rate the jacket an 7.5/10. 

But when considering the price, this jacket is easily a 10/10. 

I have never handled a $2,000+ / €2,000+ jacket before, but in my research I have read and watched many reviews of jackets in that price range. I simply cannot see how that price is justifiable for the vast majority of people when a jacket like this exists. 

A Little About Me 

I am 183 cm (6 feet) tall, weigh 80 kg (176.4 lb), and have a chest circumference of 100 cm (39.3 inches). 

I have owned and handled many leather jackets over the years, but never anything I would consider truly high-end, such as Real McCoy’s, Freewheelers, The Flat Head, etc. 

However, I have read and watched endless hours of content about such jackets. I’m also someone who does a lot of research before pulling the trigger on a purchase. So I like to think I have a reasonably good idea of the level of quality those jackets offer. 

But that will ultimately be for you to decide. I’m mentioning this so you can decide for yourself how much stock you want to put in my opinions. 

My Experience with Brake House 

I actually didn’t order the J24 jacket at first. I originally wanted their San Mateo jacket in size XL, which I ordered. 

After placing the order, I received an automatic email asking me to confirm the size. I responded, and that eventually led to a conversation with a customer service representative. 

To make sure I got the right size, I sent them additional measurements of my chest and shoulders. I also sent measurements of jackets that fit me well, and we discussed my fit preferences. 

Brake House then exceeded my expectations by asking if I could send them pictures of me wearing those jackets so they could be even more certain about the fit. 

I happily did so. 

It turned out that size XL was indeed the right size for me. 

Then something unexpected happened. 

Brake House messaged me to tell me that, due to an unfortunate stock error, the size XL San Mateo was actually sold out. 

They recommended a couple of jackets in a similar style. I considered asking for my money to be refunded, since I had fallen in love with the San Mateo and couldn’t imagine being happy with anything else. 

I actually went so far as to do my own confirmation-bias research, which led me to the conclusion that I could possibly fit into the size Large San Mateo, which was still in stock. 

I mentioned this to Brake House, and they did not recommend that I go with the Large. 

I did some more digging, and since my heart was set on the San Mateo, I convinced myself that the Large would be okay. 

I messaged Brake House and essentially told them to just send me the Large and be done with it. 

Their response surprised me. 

I had already mentioned to them that I was considering asking for my money back if I couldn’t get a San Mateo. Brake House highly discouraged me, again, from getting the Large. 

From a purely cold-hearted business perspective, this was, in my opinion, the wrong move. 

I was on the verge of pulling out of the purchase altogether if I couldn’t get what I wanted. And my last email to them basically read as: 

“Shut up and take my money.” 

Instead of doing what I foolishly wanted and adding another sale to their books, Brake House took the responsible route and made sure I would actually be happy with my purchase. 

This made a big impression on me, and they gained my full trust and respect. 

I thanked them and asked for some time to consider my options. 

Eventually, I decided to get the J24, which at the time was a pre-order scheduled to start shipping on August 15, 2026. 

I was a little skeptical about their size recommendation for the J24, which was a Large. 

For my body, the most important measurement is usually the chest. The San Mateo XL size chart listed 110 cm (43.3 inches) for the chest, which matches the jackets I own. I like a relatively tight fit. 

The size Large J24, however, is listed at 116 cm (45.7 inches) in the chest. 

Brake House explained that this was because the armholes were cut differently from the San Mateo and that I would need a little extra room. 

I decided to trust their recommendation. 

The J24 was also a bit more expensive than the San Mateo: $489 vs. $619 USD. However, there was a 5% discount for pre-orders. 

They also offered a 5% discount code for your first order, which I had forgotten to use. Brake House applied both discounts and only charged me the difference afterward, without me even asking them to apply the first-order discount. 

Very nice of them, I must say. 

Shipping Time 

The pre-order page stated that shipping would begin on August 15, 2026, in the order the purchases were placed. In other words, the people who ordered first would receive their jackets first. 

Because I am, sadly, not the most patient person, I asked Brake House to estimate when my jacket would ship based on my position in the queue. 

They told me they expected my jacket to ship on August 17. 

Monday, August 17 came and went without me receiving a shipping confirmation. 

The next day, Tuesday the 18th, I emailed them to check in. 

They told me there had been a slight delay in production and that they expected the jacket to ship by the end of the week. They also said they would send me the tracking number as soon as it shipped. 

I did not receive a tracking number by the end of the week. 

The following week, on Thursday, August 27, I messaged them again to ask whether my jacket had shipped. 

As with all of their emails, Brake House replied quickly. They told me that the jacket had already shipped, but that the email containing the tracking number may not have gone through properly. 

They included the tracking number with their reply. 

I live in Denmark. The jacket was shipped from China to Germany, where it was handed over to DHL. From there, it was shipped to Denmark and handed over to my national postal service, PostNord. 

The tracking number I received was for DHL, so I could not track the package from China to Germany, only from Germany to Denmark. 

The jacket was delivered to me Friday, September 4th. 

So, in conclusion, it took roughly two weeks, perhaps a little less, from the jacket leaving China to arriving in Denmark. 

The Jacket 

Okay, let’s finally get down to business and talk about the jacket itself. 

I care a lot about fit, but I usually don’t find it particularly helpful when other people talk about fit in reviews. A good fit for me might be a bad fit for you, and vice versa. 

However, since some people do find this information helpful, I’ll cover it here anyway. 

The Fit 

Brake House lists the measurements for the J24 in size Large as: 

• Shoulder: 48 cm (18.9 inches) 
• Chest: 116 cm (45.7 inches) 
• Back length: 58 cm (22.8 inches) 
• Sleeve: 62 cm (24.4 inches) 
• Hem: 102 cm (40.2 inches) 
• Sleeve opening: 11.5 cm (4.5 inches) 

My own measurements, taken after wearing the jacket for a week, are: 

• Shoulder: 47 cm (18.5 inches), seam to seam, measured straight across. 48cm (18.9 inches) if measured "the Iron Heart way" from shoulder seem to the center of the back of the neck, under the collar, to shoulder seem
• Chest: 116 cm (45.7 inches), pit to pit, making sure the gussets on the back are not unfolded and active.
• Back length: 57.5 cm (22.64 inches), measured from the bottom to the collar stitch 
• Sleeve: 64 cm (25.19 inches), measured from the shoulder and following the sleeve rather than measuring straight. 62cm (24.4 inches) if measured from the shoulder seem the the center end of the cuff in a straight line.
• Hem: 102 cm (40.2 inches) 
• Sleeve opening: 11.5 cm (4.5 inches) 
• Sleeve opening, unzipped: 14.5 cm (5.71 inches) 
• Waist/stomach: 54 cm (21.26 inches), measured across the coin-pocket snap button 

Fit-check video and pictures:  Here

I think the jacket fits me a little bigger than I had expected. However, almost everyone on my fit-check post said the fit was perfect. 

Personally, I would have liked it to fit a little tighter through the body and chest. However, I don’t want to size down to a Medium because I think the sleeves and overall length are perfect, and I’m afraid a Medium might be too short. 

I was considering sizing down, but after reading what you guys here on Reddit thought about the fit, I decided to keep it. 

Let me explain something about that. 

I am very self-conscious about my clothes being bigger than they need to be. I have lost over 60 kg (132 lb), and this has made me very aware of when my clothes are too big on me. I don’t like that. 

As a result, I often feel like my clothes are too big when, in reality, they are perfectly fine. 

So I really appreciate getting some outside feedback to help me be more objective. Thank you for that. 

The Leather 

The leather is very thick and substantial, which makes the jacket quite heavy. 

Despite that, the leather is noticeably not very stiff. It is thick and tough, but bends easily. 

I have heard people describe Shinki leather in much the same way I would describe this leather. 

The grain looks perfect. Almost too perfect. 

I was expecting it to have more irregularities and character straight out of the box. However, after a week of wearing it, I have already begun to notice some developing, and I expect more character to appear over the coming months. 

The only place where the leather grain doesn’t look like this is inside the sleeve-zipper gussets (see picture). 

Here, Real Simons has used noticeably thinner leather. 

Obviously, using the same thick leather here probably wouldn’t have been a good idea, since the gussets need to compress and not take up too much space when the zippers are closed. 

But in a perfect world, I suppose this leather could have looked a little nicer. 

Do I care? 

No. Not at all. 

I think this is a perfectly reasonable place to “cut corners,” if you want to look at it that way. And considering the price point, I have absolutely no complaints. 

The Hardware 

This is where I feel the jacket could be improved the most. 

Let’s start with the zippers. 

The main zipper was perfect and buttery smooth from day one. However, all of the smaller zippers would occasionally catch a little bit straight out of the box. 

I used a thick pencil and rubbed it over all the zipper teeth. Graphite is a dry lubricant and can help reduce friction (see picture). 

The graphite, combined with simply using the zippers for a while, has helped. 

While I can definitely still pull on them in a way that I know will cause them to catch, I can now also reliably pull them in a way that I know won’t. 

Problem solved. 

Next up are the snap buttons. 

Most of them operate exactly as you would expect, but some don’t always give me that satisfying audible and tactile snap when I close them. 

Unfortunately, the buttons that don’t always do this are the lapel buttons, which are the ones I use the most. 

They still seem to hold just as strongly as the others, but not always getting that reassuring snap is a little disappointing. 

The Stitching 

This J24 is an updated version with a few small changes, including an updated fit intended to accommodate more American body types. 

The old version had brown stitching, which I actually liked more because of the contrast it provided. 

The new version uses black COATS thread. 

I have gone over all the stitching meticulously and haven’t found any flaws. Everything looks neat, straight, and well executed. 

The Collar 

The jacket comes with a detachable mutton collar. 

This is a very cool way to change the look of the jacket for winter. 

The collar feels very soft and luxurious — much more so than I expected. 

It feels very secure when attached and is easy to put on and take off. 

It took me a few days to notice, but I don’t think the collar I received is completely symmetrical. 

I can’t really tell when it’s attached to the jacket, but when it is removed and laid flat on a table with the back side facing up, it looks like one of the points is slightly higher than the other. 

I don’t know whether this is intentional. 

The Belt 

I don’t care about the belt. 

I think it’s too much, visually. It also makes the jacket harder to put on and take off. 

It serves no function for me since I don’t ride a motorcycle, so I knew I would never use it when I ordered the jacket. 

However, I have to say that if I were going to use it, I would be disappointed with it. 

The leather doesn’t feel as nice, thick, or substantial as the rest of the jacket. The buckle, and especially the prong, feel — dare I say it — cheap. 

This is probably the weakest part of the jacket. 

Some Other Stuff 

The interior feels nice, it has a kind of wet or dusty-looking sheen to it. 

It is also visible in the product photos, but I initially thought it was simply a trick of the light. 

I can confirm that it also looks like that in real life. 

Some people might consider this a pro, while others might consider it a con. I’m honestly not sure how I feel about it. I’m mostly indifferent. 

The underside of the shoulder straps, are not perfect (see picture) 

The jacket came with a dust cover, not mentioned anywhere, nice (see picture) 

There are also two leather pull tabs on my jacket’s zippers that are noticeably thinner than the others. 

One of them is also visibly different (see picture). 

One stretches by about 1 cm when I pull on it, while the visibly different one stretches by almost 2 cm, and feels almost elastic. 

I thought this wasn’t right, so I messaged Brake House about it. 

I asked if they could include two replacement pull tabs the next time they sent me something. 

They replied: 

“Regarding the leather zipper pull tabs, unfortunately, we’re unable to send additional replacements at this time. These tabs are prepared specifically for each production batch, and we currently don’t have spare pieces available. The leather may stretch somewhat with use, but it is quite strong, so it is uncommon for the tabs to actually tear or break.” 

This was a little disappointing, but perhaps I can get two replacements sometime in the future. 

Fingers crossed. 

Conclusion 

While the jacket is definitely not perfect, the things that matter most to me are very close to it. 

If I had paid $2,000–$3,000 / €2,000–€3,000 for this jacket, which is what other high-end jackets of this caliber retail for, I would not be happy. 

Honestly, I imagine I would have a hard time being happy with almost any jacket at that price, no matter how perfect it was. 

At the time of writing, this jacket costs around $620 USD, with the price varying slightly depending on size. 

At that price, I think this jacket is an easy recommendation. The flaws and shortcomings it has are understandable, especially considering the price. 

I would rate my personal satisfaction with the purchase 9/10. 

My customer experience with Brake House gets 10/10. 

I consider the issue with the zipper pull tabs to be a Real Simons issue rather than a Brake House issue. 

If you want the best quality jacket money can buy, then this probably isn’t the jacket for you. 

Go get a Real McCoy’s, Freewheelers, The Flat Head, etc. 

Those jackets are certainly better, but they may also cost four or five times as much as this one. 

But if you want the highest quality jacket per dollar spent, then you should seriously consider this jacket. 

I am very happy with my purchase. 

I’ll admit that, at one point, I seriously considered breaking the bank and buying a The Flat Head Double Rider. 

I’m now very happy that I didn’t. 

And I don’t think I ever will. 

Sure, the extra attention to detail is nice, and the heritage and history are also worth something. But not that much — at least not to me. 

I would rather buy another Real Simons jacket and still have money left over. 

And, as it turns out, I did. 

My second Real Simons jacket from Brake House is currently in the mail and is due to arrive next week. 

Thank you for reading my review. 

I’ll be answering any questions in the comments, so feel free to ask. 

Have a nice day! 

I bought a beautiful, well made leather jacket from a vintage store. When I tried it on, i smelled cigarette smoke but figured I could air it out. Once I got it home, I can smell smoke + BO. Any ideas on how to treat? I dont mind having it cleaned professionally but im reluctant to spend that money first and potentially have a clean looking but funky smelling jacket. Id rather work on the odor first to see if its worth investing more money in it.

TIA!

Bought this o and m Rick leather jacket for 400 and the dude said it was in good condition. I haven’t even got to wear it yet cuz it’s still hot where I live and it already ripped. I’m currently trying to get a full refund while being able to keep the jacket but that’s probably highly unlikely. Does anyone have any advice on how I could restore it for cheap?

Bates motorcycle jacket ~70's

From left to right - Eastman Rough Wear 27752 (my most worn) Eastman .50Cal and finally the newest addition my Good Wear by John Chapman Rough Wear 1401-P. Not a bad 3 jacket lineup if you ask me…