Buzz Rickson’s Golden Tiger-Stripe Camouflage Jacket
"Tiger-Stripe” camouflage uniforms were developed in Southeast Asia in the early 1960’s and issued to military forces, most notably, special forces of the Army of the Republic of Viet-Nam (ARVN). When the U. S. Army began sending military advisors to assist the ARVN and its related government and other military forces, the U. S. Army had no camouflage uniforms of their own, thus they were given permission to wear the camouflage uniforms of the ARVN units they were attached or assigned to but with U. S. insignia attached when deemed necessary.
The style of jacket seen here became known as the "Advisor" pattern due to its early association with these personnel. This “Advisor” pattern became the typical tiger-stripe camouflage uniform worn by U. S. forces, though the coloring of the camouflage and the shape and density of the camouflage pattern itself led to a multitude of varieties as identified by collectors today, one of the rarest and most desirable being the golden-hued pattern now called “Golden Tiger.”
“Advisor” jackets and trousers have been prominently featured in films depicting the war in Viet-Nam, the most notable include: “The Green Berets” with John Wayne, “The Deer Hunter” with Robert De Niro, and “Apocalypse Now” with Martin Sheen,” naming but a few. Eventually, the exotic nature of the “Tiger” camouflage and its association with elite Special Forces and personnel of authority, power, and those having seen combat, spawned a huge demand for even more tiger-stripe camo. uniforms, as anyone seen wearing this camo. pattern in “Nam” was considered “hot stuff." Today, vintage tiger-stripe camo. from the Viet-Nam war is very rare, highly collectible, and very costly to purchase.
Buzz Rickson’s, a brand highly respected worldwide for its pursuit of fanatical, penultimate authenticity, has recreated the “Advisor” jacket in the coveted “Golden Tiger” coloring. Never before has this camo. pattern been recreated to such a frighteningly authentic degree of precision, including the employment of vintage shuttle looms to generate true selvage fabric as was used to fabricate the vintage sets in the 1960’s and early 1970’s, vintage-type dyes to craft the screen-printed colors and patterns of the camo. pattern, and vintage button dies to make genuine urea buttons that precisely match those typically encountered on the “Advisor” sets. And to preclude you from looking like some “FNG” who just purchased a set of “Tiger” camo. while in Ben Hoa, Buzz Rickson’s “Golden Tiger” comes in a one-wash finish, giving it a slightly faded vintage appearance that deftly matches the coloring and overall “been-there” look observed on vintage sets.
Please note these authentic features and details found only on a genuine Buzz Rickson’s “Golden Tiger” “Advisor” jacket of this pedigree:
- Two two-button bellows breast pockets
- One flap-closure, expandable pocket on left sleeve as found on all “Advisor” jackets for stowing cigarettes, a lighter, or a compass
- Reinforced collar internally and externally for a crisper appearance and durability, with zig-zag stitching on the backside of the collar perfectly matching that observed on vintage examples
- Double-stitched seams throughout
- One-piece construction of the back panel, as per vintage examples of the “Advisor” jackets
- Two-button cuff with sewn-in gusset, as per vintage examples of “Advisor” jackets
- Custom manufacturing of genuine urea buttons produced on vintage dies that precisely match the size and shape of those observed on vintage “Advisor” jackets
- Custom manufacturing of all-cotton twill selvage fabric produced on the original, narrow shuttle looms of the type employed to produce this fabric in the 1960’s and 1970’s
- Selvage edge on jacket front inner closure
- Hanging loop in neck area of interior that precisely duplicates that observed on vintage examples of “Advisor” jackets
- Base color of the fabric dyed to a shade of golden sand as seen on the jacket interior, precisely matching vintage examples of “Golden Tiger”
- Screen printing of one of the most typical “Tiger” patterns to a level of precision indistinguishable from vintage examples, using vintage-type dyes to re-create the rare, highly desired “Golden Tiger” color shade, then washed once for a “been-there” look of an “In-Country” veteran
- Exact copy of the original-style printed-on-cotton size label sewn on the inside jacket closure
- Two-button cuff with sewn-in gusset, as per vintage examples of “Advisor” jackets
- “U S” ink stamping in the interior neck area with the size, thus denoting a distinction between jackets of the same size but in a different size grade from those for Asian forces
Sizes available: Sm. - XL
Buzz Rickson’s products are imported from Japan
Buzz Rickson’s Golden Tiger-Stripe Camouflage Jacket
SIZING TIPS
About this Style: This is a very comfortable, heavy-weight, cotton-twill jacket that was originally worn as a shirt. When worn as a shirt, it can readily worn more trimly than as a jacket, so your intended application will dictate the size you need.
Tip 1: Follow the instructions entitled “How to Use Product Measures to Obtain a Good Fit” listed under the PRODUCT MEASUREMENTS tab for this product. After finding no substantive conflicts with your body measures obtained from BODY MEASURING, order this garment with no less than 4” of room in excess of your chest circumference measure if you prefer to wear this as a shirt; otherwise, order with more room in excess of your chest measure if you want less of a trim fit or plan to wear as jacket. If you prefer a roomier or longer fit, then order the next available size after reviewing all relative measures that pertain to that size.
Tip 2: Please note that your chest circumference measure is not necessarily the labeled size you wear in another garment you may own from a different maker or even the same maker, so please take the time to obtain your true chest circumference measure so as to compare to our chart of measures; this will enable us to perform a better job getting you the right size and minimize your chances in having to deal with the hassle and cost of exchanges.
Please ask us for fitting advice if in doubt.
Tip 3: Individuals who prefer looser fits and/or those with a waist measure that is nearly equal to or greater than their chest circumference measure may jump up one size in this shirt for comfort and desired fit (when we refer to waist measure we do not mean your trouser size; we mean the actual circumference measure of your waistline at its widest point). If you are unsure of the size to order we will assist you; please contact us with the following information: Height, waist circumference measure, chest circumference measure, body weight, and type of clothing to be worn beneath the shirt most of the time, as well as the type of fit you prefer: Trim, roomy or oversized.
Buzz Rickson’s Golden Tiger-Stripe Camouflage Jacket
PRODUCT MEASUREMENTS
The following table provides actual product measures. These measures are provided as an aid because, in conjunction with the information found under the SIZING TIPS tab for each product, they can sometimes be very useful when comparing the measurements from this garment to the measures of your body; however, acting as an armchair tailor should be done with caution, as well as with knowledge of other important areas of fit that are not displayed here. Armchair tailors frequently fail to take into account other significant elements that impact fit; following the information found under the SIZING TIPS tab for each garment on this web site is strongly suggested, which can be very useful in supplanting or supplementing the listed measures below.
Our measures were derived from averaging many garments of the same size from each specific size in the range of any given product, thus the measures provided are representative for each size but they may not be exactly what you will receive. Some fluctuation in size is normal and to be expected, especially in these garments that have been manufactured on vintage machinery using natural fibers; the vintage machinery and techniques that create sought-after looks and fabrics are also less precise than machines contemporary to the current era.
| Size | Sm | Med | Lg | XL |
| Chest width | 21" | 22" | 23" | 24" |
| Shoulder width | 17" | 18" | 19" | 20" |
| Arm length | 23" | 24" | 25" | 25.75" |
| Back length | 26.5" | 27.5" | 28.5" | 29" |
How to Use the Product Measures to Obtain a Good Fit:
1) Using the measurements listed for this product and information found under the tab entitled MEASURING GARMENTS to understand our measuring technique, please double the chest measure to obtain the total external chest circumference of this garment. For example: If the chest measure listed for size Large is 22”, doubling this measure yields a 44” external chest circumference.
2) Measure your chest circumference as per the tab on this web site specifically addressing BODY MEASURING, then compare your chest measure to the chest measure of this product.
3) Many garments are cut in such a way that the wearer requires no less than 3” of room in the shirt for a sleek fit that is also comfortable, while other shirts styles require the wearer to have more than 6” of room. If your chest circumference is 40”, a product with a 22” chest width has a 44” external chest circumference and would provide 4” of external room in this scenario (chest measures 40”, external chest measure of shirt is 44”, thus 4” of external room would be realized).
4) Again, using the measurements listed for this product and information under the MEASURING GARMENTS tab to understand our measuring technique, add half of the shoulder width to the arm length. For example: If the shoulder width is 18” and the arm length is 25.5”, adding 9” (half the shoulder width) to 25.5” (the arm length) will yield an overall sleeve length of 34.5” in this product.
5) Measure your overall sleeve length following the instructions on this web site under the tab specifically addressing BODY MEASURING, then compare your overall sleeve length to this product.
6) If desired, repeat the measuring comparisons for back length.
7) Compare your body measures to the listed garment measures and follow the advice found under the SIZING TIPS tab to obtain a good fit.
IMPORTANT: Because you need room in a garment for comfort, garments with a 44” chest circumference are NOT a size 44, nor are they intended for anyone with a 44” chest circumference. Tee shirts and thermal shirts tend to have the most body-hugging fits of our product offerings because these were originally intended to be undergarments, thus these can be ordered to stretch to fit if that is how you wish to wear such garments. Other shirts, sweatshirts, sweaters, jackets, etc. will all have some amount of room incorporated in their designs, thus these will all measure larger than your actual chest measure by varying degrees.
Sometimes-Problematic Way to Determine a Good Fit:
Due to differences in how even near-identical garments are cut by different manufacturers, it is not necessarily a good idea to compare the listed measures of this product to the measures of an existing, similar product in your wardrobe to determine the correct size to order in this product. Though such comparisons can indeed work some of the time, and maybe even most of the time, vast experience with and knowledge of the products we market has proven such practices will sometimes fail. This inaccurate measuring methodology doesn't factor in other key variables of fit relative to you and the garment that includes: Armhole opening, shoulder slope, high-point shoulder, high chest, width of sleeves at all points including the all-important elbow, waist measure, and the thickness, plumpness, and rigidity of the material the garment is made from, naming just some variables influencing fit that do not appear on any list of measurements for a garment or that a customer is likely to account for.
It is best to compare your actual body measures to the listed measures of this product AND follow our advice listed under the SIZING TIPS tab specific to this product to obtain a good fit in this style.
A Good Fit:
This is highly subjective - what one person may think is too big, another may think fits perfectly. Some garments are cut quite generously and others are cut quite trimly. If comparing measurements of one of our products to another you may own, some individuals will surely find that none or maybe only one area of measure is commonly shared or remotely close to being the same. Ultimately, chest measure is the most important area to properly fit, then all other areas of measure will have to fall into place. And some individuals who are extremely tall may find that body and/or sleeve length are more important to accommodate than even chest measure.
It is best to compare your actual body measures to the listed measures of this product AND follow our advice listed under the SIZING TIPS tab specific to this product to obtain a good fit in this style.
We strive to create a crisp fit between our products and the customer, and not a loose, sloppy look. If you prefer your clothing to fit more loosely, then we will do our best to work with you to that end, though, by the very nature of our product designs and fits it may not be possible to duplicate the slack looks found in many mainstream clothing brands even if you go up one or two sizes in our products.
