Darting: Sides vs Back

[Zenny]

Hey guys

Just wondering if there are any advantages of darts (on a shirt) on the centre of the back vs. under the shoulder blades.

I've got a few shirts with the centre darts, and a few that are darted under the shoulder blades.

Is there any reason to do one or the other?

Cheers

 

[AndrewRogers]

Originally Posted by Zenny

Hey guys

Just wondering if there are any advantages of darts (on a shirt) on the centre of the back vs. under the shoulder blades.

I've got a few shirts with the centre darts, and a few that are darted under the shoulder blades.

Is there any reason to do one or the other?

Cheers

All I think is that centre darts might look a bit odd.

 

[bengal-stripe]

You might be confusing the words ‘dart’ and ‘pleat’.

A dart is a stitched-down fold to tighten a garment. In a shirt they are on the back in the waist area.

A pleat is the exact opposite: an open fold to give fullness. In a shirt, the back is pleated into the yoke
to add ease on top of the back. Sporty shirts usually have a centre pleat, dress shirts more often have two side pleats.

 

[Egdon Heath]

Originally Posted by bengal-stripe

You might be confusing the words "˜dart' and "˜pleat'. A dart is a stitched-down fold to tighten a garment. In a shirt they are on the back in the waist area. A pleat is the exact opposite: an open fold to give fullness. In a shirt, the back is pleated into the yoke to add ease on top of the back. Sporty shirts usually have a centre pleat, dress shirts more often have two side pleats.
.

Good explanation. I think that's what he must have meant.​

 

[Zenny]

Originally Posted by bengal-stripe

You might be confusing the words "˜dart' and "˜pleat'.

A dart is a stitched-down fold to tighten a garment. In a shirt they are on the back in the waist area.

A pleat is the exact opposite: an open fold to give fullness. In a shirt, the back is pleated into the yoke
to add ease on top of the back. Sporty shirts usually have a centre pleat, dress shirts more often have two side pleats.

No, I meant darts. I know what pleats are, I own quite a few pants with them.

When I said under the shoulder blades, I meant close to waist level, so effectively on the sides of the back.

 

[mdg137]

Originally Posted by Zenny

No, I meant darts. I know what pleats are, I own quite a few pants with them.

When I said under the shoulder blades, I meant close to waist level, so effectively on the sides of the back.

wait.. you have shirts, with darts from (presumably) just above to just belowwaist level, located roughly under the shoulder blades (as if one were to draw a line down from the shoulder blades)...?

I have never seen this, except in women's clothing, to create a waist in the garment...

 

[Zenny]

Originally Posted by mdg137

wait.. you have shirts, with darts from (presumably) just above to just belowwaist level, located roughly under the shoulder blades (as if one were to draw a line down from the shoulder blades)...?

I have never seen this, except in women's clothing, to create a waist in the garment...

Sorry if I am being hard to understand.

But this is what I mean by the side darts

 

[AndrewRogers]

Originally Posted by mdg137

wait.. you have shirts, with darts from (presumably) just above to just belowwaist level, located roughly under the shoulder blades (as if one were to draw a line down from the shoulder blades)...?

I have never seen this, except in women's clothing, to create a waist in the garment...

They are not seen so often in men's off-the-rack shirts, but they are common enough in bespoke shirts. I have a very slim waist compared with my shoulders, so there ends up being quite a bit of loose fabric round my waist that can't really be got rid of by just taking in the sides. The darts remove the excess and make things much tidier.

 

[Reborn]

Originally Posted by AndrewRogers

They are not seen so often in men's off-the-rack shirts, but they are common enough in bespoke shirts. I have a very slim waist compared with my shoulders, so there ends up being quite a bit of loose fabric round my waist that can't really be got rid of by just taking in the sides. The darts remove the excess and make things much tidier.

+1

I've never seen them on RTW but my bespoke shirts have them under the shoulder blades like pictured above.

 

[WhateverYouLike]

Is this only done with shirt creation? If a shirt can be altered so I can get rid of excess material around the waist, how much would this run me? And is it doable by any dry cleaner tailor, or should I only entrust this job to a "real" tailor?

 

[Infrasonic]

I have an Etro RTW with darts.
Like the OP I have often wondered if one down the middle could do the job as well as two at the sides. Any of the shirtmaker's care to comment?

 

[a tailor]

thanks, your picture explains your question.
those darts are in the right place, below your shoulder blades.
closer to the center would look weird, add put fullness in the wrong place.

 

[cheessus]

My Truzzi RTWs have darts. They are among my favorite shirts, because they fit well, but I've been hesitant to get darts on any of my other shirts. I think for the most part, the Truzzi darts are a little less conspicuous.

My dry cleaning lady says that darting is a lot cheaper than having it tapered. For one shirt I had the sides taken in, she double-stitched the sides and slimmed the arms for about $20-25. The shirt looks absolutely perfect now.

 

[Mike Lowry]

Originally Posted by cheessus

My Truzzi RTWs have darts. They are among my favorite shirts, because they fit well, but I've been hesitant to get darts on any of my other shirts. I think for the most part, the Truzzi darts are a little less conspicuous.

My dry cleaning lady says that darting is a lot cheaper than having it tapered. For one shirt I had the sides taken in, she double-stitched the sides and slimmed the arms for about $20-25. The shirt looks absolutely perfect now.

Please explain what you mean by taper? I have the sides of all my shirts taken in on the sides (buy mostly BR fitted) and there is still excess fabric left so I find myself pushing it to the center of my back so the shirt looks like it fits better in the front. Is this what you mean by taper?

My tailor charges $15-$20 a shirt to take in the sides, should I also have him put darts in? How do they put in darts? Do darts look odd with a shirt that has side pleats?

 

[rjmaiorano]

I've got a few M. Bastian and Dries van Noten shirts with OTR darts.

Darts won't necessarily change the silhouette of the shirt like taking the sides in will. It will effectively remove the billow from the back of the shirt and thus improve fit dramatically. They should cost under 10$ to have done, anything more and your paying too much IMO.