Wested Jacket Purchase

The purpose of my post was to give information to allow people to make an educated decision about purchasing a jacket. Although my specific situation dealt with Wested, I suspect it could be similar to any other overseas vendor one chooses to deal with.

The jacket I ordered cost about $220 with $30 shipping and handling. $250 total. If it had fit, it would have been a good price.

I consulted all of Wested's guides and blogs and ordered a size based on their recommendations and sizing instructions. I also researched various forums. However, I never came across the topic of how much return shipping adds to the cost. So I wanted to share that information.

The jacket did not fit, so it had to go back at a cost of $65.

Wested would have sent me a replacement standard size jacket without charging me more for shipping. If that new jacket would have fit, it would have cost me $315. That is not as great of a price, but I would have had a jacket. But if that second jacket didn't fit and I returned it. I would have been out $160 with nothing to show for it.

My original intent was to go custom if the off the shelf did not fit. If that second custom jacket had fit, it would have ended up costing me about $265 for the jacket plus about $95 in shipping for a total of $360.

If that second custom jacket had not fit and I wanted to return it, I would have had to pay an additional $65 for return shipping. Plus there would be a restocking fee of at least 25% which for the sake of round numbers would have been at least $65. So I would have lost $30 (original shipping) plus $65 (first jacket return shipping) plus $65 (second jacket return shipping) plus $65 (second jacket restocking fee) for a grand total of $225 with nothing to show for it.

I made a personal decision to cut my losses at $95. Based on the sizing of the jacket I initially received, I was concerned how accurate the sizing would be on the second custom jacket I would have ordered and I chose not to gamble an additional $130.

If you are considering a mail order purchase of an Indy jacket, my only suggestion is to do all the math and know all the costs for shipping, return shipping, and restocking fees and make an informed decision. Maybe you choose not to go the mail order route. Maybe you choose to go directly to the custom route.

Some people have had great success with Wested. I am not saying you should not purchase from Wested.

I am saying I did purchase from Wested, and based on my personal experience, I have chosen to take my business elsewhere in the future. Your mileage may vary.

Sorry to read you've had such a disappointing and frustrating experience with Wested, but I'm sure you can see from this and other posts that your personal experience, though undeniably annoying, is the exception rather than the norm, and if I were you I'd have probably persevered a little longer with Wested, perhaps as Stoo says, negotiated to see what they could've done for you. Yes there may be additional expense , but it's for something that clearly you want and that would last a lifetime.
But that's just me and we're all different.
Also, I have to say I don't believe for a moment that anyone is suggesting you're not smart enough to measure your own chest, but let's not forget that you came to this forum and started this thread asking for help with, among other things, sizing; where the nape of the neck is, for example, and more specifically, where your shoulder ends and your arm begins. So any advice you've received is advice you've asked for, and I'm certain was given with the very best intentions.

P.S. Thanks Stoo, the LC turned out really well. I'll leave it in the porch for you, so you can help yourself next time you pop round.

Thanks for your feedback Drones, it proves my point. Even with all the research I did and using the guidance of Wested and all the expert advice I received here, I was still unable to get a jacket that fit the first time. I just want people to understand that there may be additional costs involved.

Do you think I should have had to pay return shipping on a jacket that had sleeves at least an inch shorter than I ordered?

Synycyl said:

My interpretation of the blogs is that if I order a 44 and my chest size is 44, it has some extra room built in, but I just wanted an answer from Wested directly. I don't want it to fit like a 44 inch suit coat.

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This indicates to me you've had trouble with standard sizing before. These are leather jackets, not big baggy coats. So if you want a baggy fit, I would sugggest going a size up or ordering a custom jacket.

Synycyl said:

Do you think I should have had to pay return shipping on a jacket that had sleeves at least an inch shorter than I ordered?

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No, because you didn't order a custom jacket. OTR sizing is not guaranteed to fit everybody perfectly. There's custom option for that.

Major West said:

This indicates to me you've had trouble with standard sizing before. These are leather jackets, not big baggy coats. So if you want a baggy fit, I would sugggest going a size up or ordering a custom jacket.




No, because you didn't order a custom jacket. OTR sizing is not guaranteed to fit everybody perfectly. There's custom option for that.

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I don't understand why you are so determined to prove I did something wrong? Is it possible that Wested could have made a mistake?

I haven't had trouble with standard sizing. That is an incorrect assumption on your part. I never said I wanted a big baggy coat. A suit coat is typically not sized to wear a sweater underneath. However, I wanted enough room to wear a sweater under my jacket if I chose. Based on what Wested has posted on their website, you are supposed to order your exact chest size, and you will have room to do that. If you recall, you told me the same thing:

"If you're bang on a size 44 and you order a 44, you'll be fine. There will be room for a couple of layers under there. Purely as a test I've worn one jacket on top of another."

My chest is just under 44 inches. I ordered a 44 in jacket. I fail to see how that is my fault for following the advice Wested posts on their website.

"Do you think I should have had to pay return shipping on a jacket that had sleeves at least an inch shorter than I ordered?" At least we agree that I should not have been responsible for return shipping, although I don't understand your justification. At least we have some common ground.

Obviously a mistake was made somewhere. The fact that the sleeves were 1.5 inches shorter than they were supposed to be might lead someone to believe that the problem was with the jacket and not the purchaser.