[Roccotari Eldandil]

Just a small comment from one who has some experience with maille...
Chain mail, if hung a certain way, has a great deal of horizontal expansion while staying fairly close to the same length.
Hobbits are described in the book as being rather short and stocky; Elves are tall and slender.
Because of this difference, a shirt about hip-length on a slender, young (assume 5'6" to 6' tall) Elf may have been long (knee-length) on a full-grown, filled-out hobbit.
Therefore, I would tend to go with Legolas being perhaps slightly older than 252; if Elves mature (=stop growing?) at about 50, and this was made for him in late adolescence, I would say he may be closer to 280-300.

but then the question of "Would Thranduil have gone to the Last Alliance without an heir?" is valid to me, too...or maybe he was fine with letting the kingdom pass to a nephew. Or, still ANOTHER question...if Legolas was free to settle in Ithilien (and not rule Mirkwood), maybe he had an older sibling. Or maybe the coat was made for a younger sibling much later... Oh dear, I've just opened up another can of worms. I'll shut up now.

good discussion!!!