• Hi, I am the owner and main administrator of Styleforum. If you find the forum useful and fun, please help support it by buying through the posted links on the forum. Our main, very popular sales thread, where the latest and best sales are listed, are posted HERE

    Purchases made through some of our links earns a commission for the forum and allows us to do the work of maintaining and improving it. Finally, thanks for being a part of this community. We realize that there are many choices today on the internet, and we have all of you to thank for making Styleforum the foremost destination for discussions of menswear.
  • This site contains affiliate links for which Styleforum may be compensated.
  • We would like to welcome House of Huntington as an official Affiliate Vendor. Shop past season Drake's, Nigel Cabourn, Private White V.C. and other menswear luxury brands at exceptional prices below retail. Please visit the Houise of Huntington thread and welcome them to the forum.

  • STYLE. COMMUNITY. GREAT CLOTHING.

    Bored of counting likes on social networks? At Styleforum, you’ll find rousing discussions that go beyond strings of emojis.

    Click Here to join Styleforum's thousands of style enthusiasts today!

    Styleforum is supported in part by commission earning affiliate links sitewide. Please support us by using them. You may learn more here.

An Acute Style

Distinguished Member
Joined
Aug 2, 2011
Messages
7,692
Reaction score
56,322
I guess it's either too early or I am just dense. :cry:

You said a 40in chest is a size 38? So 2 inches ABOVE the size?

You take a size 38, which is actually 40in chest? So your 38.2 chest has 1 and some change inches to wiggle around?

It's something like this. I haven't measured my actual chest, but I know I like the chest on my sport coats to be 20.5". This translates to a 38 sport coat for most brands. Some people want it skin tight, some like it baggy. I wouldn't recommend using your actual chest measurement and adding some specific number to it. Just find a sport coat that works for you and measure it.
 

mak1277

Distinguished Member
Joined
Sep 25, 2019
Messages
3,913
Reaction score
5,848
I guess it's either too early or I am just dense. :cry:

You said a 40in chest is a size 38? So 2 inches ABOVE the size?

You take a size 38, which is actually 40in chest? So your 38.2 chest has 1 and some change inches to wiggle around?

The size number on the garment should represent the measurement of your chest. It does not represent the actual measurements of the garment. A good explanation from Spier & Mackay's website:

"For example, if you measure your chest to be 40 inches, the jacket chest [measurement, not marked size] should be between 42" - 43" for a slim but comfortable fit."
 

gavspen

Senior Member
Joined
Nov 15, 2009
Messages
202
Reaction score
135
I guess it's either too early or I am just dense. :cry:

You said a 40in chest is a size 38? So 2 inches ABOVE the size?

You take a size 38, which is actually 40in chest? So your 38.2 chest has 1 and some change inches to wiggle around?

What he's saying is that a jacket made for a man with a 38" chest—and therefore tagged 38—should actually have a larger chest measurement—say, 40"—so that there will be some wiggle room. Skin tight is too tight.

Never mind. Answered as I was typing, I see, but no way to delete.
 

SartorialSpyker

Senior Member
Joined
Jan 30, 2021
Messages
115
Reaction score
277
I guess it's either too early or I am just dense. :cry:

You said a 40in chest is a size 38? So 2 inches ABOVE the size?

You take a size 38, which is actually 40in chest? So your 38.2 chest has 1 and some change inches to wiggle around?

Yes, you’ve got that right. Think of when you’re buying trousers. If your thigh is 20 inches in circumference and your pants are also 20 inches in circumference, the fabric is going to be painted onto your legs, with no room for drape. It’s the same phenomenon with the chest measurements.
 

Betelgeuse

Stylish Dinosaur
Joined
Sep 25, 2012
Messages
11,324
Reaction score
43,271
Decided to give this a try.. not sure about it.

image
image
image
image
 

Andy57

Distinguished Member
Joined
Nov 24, 2014
Messages
4,854
Reaction score
16,088

upr_crust

Distinguished Member
Joined
May 10, 2007
Messages
8,198
Reaction score
49,626
The sun continues to shine here in NYC, and temperatures have moderated themselves to a more seasonable degree. I recently purchased a pair of trousers, the color of which was a suggestion from the store manager at New & Lingwood, whence I bought my newest sports jacket, worn last Friday, but as I did not wish to wear the same jacket again so soon, I've substituted a jacket which I purchased a year ago last January at Gieves & Hawkes. I've photographed both for comparison.

Apparently, from what I've read online today, flat caps have made a comeback - with me, they never left.

Sports jacket #1 (navy) - Gieves & Hawkes
Sports jacket #2 (green plaid) - New & Lingwood
Shirt & tie - Brooks Brothers
Pocket square - no name brand
Trousers - Paul Stuart
Boots - Cheaney
Overcoat - Adolfo
Scarf - Burberry
Cap - Paul Stuart
Face mask - New & Lingwood

IMG_5232.JPG


IMG_5223.JPG
IMG_5224.JPG
IMG_5225.JPG
IMG_5226.JPG
IMG_5227.JPG
IMG_5230.JPG
IMG_5231.JPG
 

Featured Sponsor

How important is full vs half canvas to you for heavier sport jackets?

  • Definitely full canvas only

    Votes: 55 35.5%
  • Half canvas is fine

    Votes: 60 38.7%
  • Really don't care

    Votes: 17 11.0%
  • Depends on fabric

    Votes: 27 17.4%
  • Depends on price

    Votes: 28 18.1%

Staff online

Forum statistics

Threads
505,180
Messages
10,579,207
Members
223,890
Latest member
alitamartin07
Top