FAQs

We certainly sell our "womens" jackets to men, and our "mens" jackets to women. But a few things to keep in mind: Women's sizes XS - XL do have chest darts in the design, making the fit better for a typical woman with breasts. Womens size XXS does not have chest darts. Size XXS can easily fit a medium youth, for example. 

The mens jackets are great for women as well, but in general, the hips of the mens jacket are narrower. The shoulders and arms of the mens jacket are much more generous than the womens cut.

No. The women's jackets run big. For example, if you prefer a size small t-shirt, then your Vander Jacket size is most likely a size Extra-Small, unless you intend to layer with your jacket.

I would not say that the mens sizes are a slim fit. The mens jackets are very true to size. Our men's jackets sizes Medium - Extra-Large have the same length of sleeves. The size small men's jacket sleeves are about 1/2" shorter.

The sleeves are longer than typical running jackets, because they are meant to cuff back when you do not need a hand glove. We have long sleeves and cuffs on our jackets because they are a minimalist design: the cuffs are like gloves, the hood is like a hat. Roll the cuffs up and take the hood down when you do not need them for warmth.

Please wash all Vander Jacket clothing on cool or cool/warm. Air dry to keep your garment looking fantastic for a decade or more! In Europe, as we understand it, the exact temperature should be water that is around 30 - 40 degrees, or cooler. Wash your Vander Jacket gear with similar clothing or alone, for best results. Never throw towels in the load! To spot clean use a dab of common dish soap to spot clean an area. Do not over agitate the spot. Then rinse clear with warm water. Air Dry. Some specialty garments may have additional washing instructions listed on the page. 

Custom work is very time consuming, so I don't take it on frequently. There is a lot of back and forth communication that happens with custom work, and this added time is reflected in the price of custom work. A custom jacket may be an additional $100 - $300 more than normal, depending on what is requested. If you are still interested, please email us at vanderjacket@gmail.com. We take on custom orders in January, and keep a list of people who sign up. Custom jackets are non-refundable and non-returnable, and payment is made before the garment is constructed. We do not accept custom requests for other sewn items besides tanks, jackets, windbreakers, and vests.

Yes! I love to prolong the life of used running shoes by hand embroidering them. We do not post images of shoes on our website, but I frequently bring used running shoes that I have hand embroidered to sell at pop-up shops and races. If you would like to reduce the waste of throwing away old running shoes by sending them to me to be embroidered please send us an email or DM to check availability. The cost of a standard shoe embroidery is $95, plus $8.30 shipping, plus tax. Please email vanderjacket@gmail.com to check availability, or DM us through Instagram.

We typically have a 15% off sale the week after Thanksgiving. The best way to learn about additional sales is to sign up for our email communications. Occasionally we reduce the price of individual original jackets that have not sold in over a year. Most of the time the jackets that go on sale are fantastic, but the people who have loved them do not fit them. Occasionally jackets go on sale if there is a slight flaw. We will alert you to the flaw, if that is the case. The blessing and the curse of making original apparel is this: When a garment that you love fits you, then you know that you have a truly one-of-a-kind piece! But if the garment does not fit you, it is a bummer because we don't have another five in every other size. Like so much in life: there is a up side and a down side.

Check out our calendar of events. And sign up for our email alerts so that you do not miss a pop up shop! Sign up here.

Great question! We realize that purchasing from Vander Jacket has some added risk because we hand-make original garments, and sizing is a constant battle. We try very hard to give an accurate description of each piece. When you buy for another person you take on some risk: you are hoping that it will fit them perfectly! We hope that it fits them perfectly, too! Please email or DM us to request exact measurements taken on each garment. We are happy to treat each inquiry with care and accuracy so that you know what you are getting. However, if you make a purchase and it isn't right, then we can solve that problem, too. Please read our returns and exchanges policy for details.