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Does this BB OCBD fit me? (see pics)

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Hi! I'm looking for some help...

I've just ordered my first Brooks Brothers OCBD (this one) in a size medium. It's their original version in proper Oxford cloth, not non-iron. The collar fits perfectly but the body is massive. I know the fit is supposed to be boxy, but wondering if this just engulfs me? IF I keep it, I would have the arms shortened and also take up the length (to wear untucked, never tucked). Note: the fit on the website says Regent, but apparently the description is wrong and it's more like their Madison relaxed fit.

My other option with BB is to go for their non-iron dress shirt (see here) which gives me more flexibility over sleeve length and collar size. This is available in their Regent fit, which should be slightly closer fit to the chest and arms. The downside is that it's non-iron material and missing the pocket.

So what should I do? Keep this one, hope it shrinks a bit in the wash, then tailor it? Or try the non-iron one? Unfortunately, I'm nowhere near a store, so I have to order online.

Please excuse the images – this is me trying them on straight out the box.

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paxonus

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Try pinning both side seams in about 1 inch and see how it looks. The way you do it is to start near the armpit and gradually widen the amount until you get to 1 inch at the point where it is most baggy.Keep it in a straight line for several inches then taper back to nothing the rest of the way down. You will need to experiment a bit to see what looks best. If it looks better take it to an alterations tailor and get an opinion.
 

dieworkwear

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To judge the fit, it would help if you

1. Iron the shirt.
2. Button the shirt all the way, including at the neck
3. Wear the shirt with the trousers you normally wear and tuck in the shirt.
4. Don't roll the sleeves up. Button them with the cuff rolled down.

Edit: Just saw that you don't plan to ever tuck in this shirt. This type of shirt is not meant to be worn untucked.
 
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Thanks guys. I tried pinning the sides as suggested and it fits much better through the body. Do the shoulders look about right on me? The neck buttoned up is perfect. I’m visiting the alterations tailor this weekend to collect an order, so I’ll ask her opinion.

@dieworkwear I know most folks wear them tucked in but thought it was still okay to wear an OCBD untucked? Or do you mean that this specific model isn’t designed to be worn that way? I agree that it’s far too long to be worn this was at the moment. I’d be interested in whether shortening the length would make this acceptable to wear untucked.
 

dieworkwear

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Thanks guys. I tried pinning the sides as suggested and it fits much better through the body. Do the shoulders look about right on me? The neck buttoned up is perfect. I’m visiting the alterations tailor this weekend to collect an order, so I’ll ask her opinion.

@dieworkwear I know most folks wear them tucked in but thought it was still okay to wear an OCBD untucked? Or do you mean that this specific model isn’t designed to be worn that way? I agree that it’s far too long to be worn this was at the moment. I’d be interested in whether shortening the length would make this acceptable to wear untucked.

If you shorten the shirt to a length where it can be worn untucked, the bottom-most button will be oddly close to the hem.

It would be easier for you to buy a shirt that fits and make small adjustments, rather than buy a big shirt and have so many things fixed at the tailor's shop. That shirt looks like it may be a size too big for you. However, it's hard to tell since the shirt is not ironed.

I would try the next size down and see.
 

maxalex

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BB Oxford shirts are cut baggy because that’s the company’s traditional style—they practically invented the classic American “sack suit.” And the tails are long because that helps keep the shirt properly tucked in.

(After several years of wear, the “broken in” shirt can be worn, untucked and tieless, in a strenuous game of touch football on the Hyannis Port lawn, or on the Friendship sloop for a weekend in Maine.)

If you want a slimmer fitting shirt, as most of us do these days, I would not go with BB. Proper Cloth has nice Oxford materials and their Soft Ivy Button-down collar is a faithful repro of the BB style. You can also order with shorter tails intended for more casual (untucked) wear.
 
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Hi @maxalex thank you, Proper Cloth has been a revelation. I had no idea you could order a made to measure shirt in that price bracket. I've just ordered one of their washed Oxford cloth shirts in my custom measurements, so I can get one that's exactly the right size. This forum is excellent :)
 

maxalex

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Hi @maxalex thank you, Proper Cloth has been a revelation. I had no idea you could order a made to measure shirt in that price bracket. I've just ordered one of their washed Oxford cloth shirts in my custom measurements, so I can get one that's exactly the right size. This forum is excellent :)
Glad to help. Be prepared for some fit adjustments on the first shirt, which I believe is free. If you're ever in NY I highly recommend going to their showroom for a fitting in person.
 

Steve Smith

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BB Oxford shirts are cut baggy because that’s the company’s traditional style—they practically invented the classic American “sack suit.” And the tails are long because that helps keep the shirt properly tucked in.

If you want a slimmer fitting shirt, as most of us do these days, I would not go with BB.

BB OCDBs are available in different fits. Soho is the slimmest and that fit is too slim for about 95% of adult Americans. The old 'BB shirts fit baggy' idea is endlessly repeated, and is absolutely wrong.
 

maxalex

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BB OCDBs are available in different fits. Soho is the slimmest and that fit is too slim for about 95% of adult Americans. The old 'BB shirts fit baggy' idea is endlessly repeated, and is absolutely wrong.
Soho fit is cotton/poly. The slimmest all-cotton is still Milano, which is fuller. I've read about inconsistencies in the Milano fit but I can't say personally. The OP says his fit is Regent, which is fuller than Milano but less than Madison. It looks pretty roomy to me.
 

Steve Smith

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Soho Fit made in USA OCBDs were made from the same 100% Supima cotton fabric as the other fits. I have dozens of 100% cotton Soho fit OCBDs in my possession. Here is one of them.
044.jpg
 
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Just to clarify, the fit on the Original Polo shown in my post says “Regent” but I read elsewhere that this fit (on the original shirts) is actually closer to a Madison fit from their main line.
 

maxalex

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Soho Fit made in USA OCBDs were made from the same 100% Supima cotton fabric as the other fits. I have dozens of 100% cotton Soho fit OCBDs in my possession. Here is one of them.
View attachment 1711883
Current range on the website for Soho are all cotton/poly. In fact they don’t even offer the fit in a trad white oxford weave, only royal oxford which is not the same. That could be Covid supply chain issues given their vendors ship raw Yank cotton overseas to be milled, then ship the fabric back to the US for construction…
 

Steve Smith

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Current range on the website for Soho are all cotton/poly. In fact they don’t even offer the fit in a trad white oxford weave, only royal oxford which is not the same. That could be Covid supply chain issues given their vendors ship raw Yank cotton overseas to be milled, then ship the fabric back to the US for construction…

When I search for Soho fit shirts on the website I don't see any made in USA at all. BB continues to trend downmarket.
 

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