How much has your jacket size changed over the years?

[tcmquincy]

I am hesitant to invest in more sports jackets and suits because I don't know if my size could change in the future. I don't know exactly how the sizing works, but I would be interested to know if any of you have had significant changes in chest/shoulder size in your adult years. I want to avoid a situation where I buy 5 more sports coats that become useless in a few years.

Additionally, is there a limit to how many times a jacket can be let out/taken in? For those who hold their weight in their mid sections. Thanks in advance for any advice!

 

[Nobilis Animus]

I am hesitant to invest in more sports jackets and suits because I don't know if my size could change in the future. I don't know exactly how the sizing works, but I would be interested to know if any of you have had significant changes in chest/shoulder size in your adult years. I want to avoid a situation where I buy 5 more sports coats that become useless in a few years.

Additionally, is there a limit to how many times a jacket can be let out/taken in? For those who hold their weight in their mid sections. Thanks in advance for any advice!

A jacket that's custom-made generally has a good amount of extra material sewn into the seams. This is to allow for adjustments over the years. I don't suppose it would matter how often you needed it adjusted, as woven fabrics won't get damaged too much with the stitching. However, something to watch out for might be fading - colours can show very gentle fading over time that will be in stark contrast to the new material exposed when a jacket is let out at the seams.

For what it's worth, I've not changed my measurements in decades. But then I'm also fairly active - without being a gym-goer - and watch my diet. My chest size only changed slightly when I was more involved in athletics, but even that was more of a problem for shirts than jackets.

 

[tcmquincy]

A jacket that's custom-made generally has a good amount of extra material sewn into the seams. This is to allow for adjustments over the years. I don't suppose it would matter how often you needed it adjusted, as woven fabrics won't get damaged too much with the stitching. However, something to watch out for might be fading - colours can show very gentle fading over time that will be in stark contrast to the new material exposed when a jacket is let out at the seams.

For what it's worth, I've not changed my measurements in decades. But then I'm also fairly active - without being a gym-goer - and watch my diet. My chest size only changed slightly when I was more involved in athletics, but even that was more of a problem for shirts than jackets.

Thanks for the reply! I currently only really own Spier & Mackay Jackets and have not looked much into custom jackets. Maybe I should consider them

 

[papado]

I am hesitant to invest in more sports jackets and suits because I don't know if my size could change in the future. I don't know exactly how the sizing works, but I would be interested to know if any of you have had significant changes in chest/shoulder size in your adult years. I want to avoid a situation where I buy 5 more sports coats that become useless in a few years.

Additionally, is there a limit to how many times a jacket can be let out/taken in? For those who hold their weight in their mid sections. Thanks in advance for any advice!

Sizing is fairly easy to understand as it's mainly based off of your chest measurement. There are cases where perhaps you have a broader or narrower build for a given chest size so you'll have to experiment with fits and sizes across different brands to find something which works for you body.

If you're really only going to be possible gaining/losing some weight around your midsection your jacket size won't really change (again as size changes won't be happening on shoudlers+chest which most greatly impact fit) but you will have to go to your tailor to take in/let out the sides of the jacket depending on how drastically your size changes. You can do this multiple times on a given jacket assuming the changes you need are within the bounds of the excess material included within the seams. Most OTR suits will not have a lot of fabric to let out on the side seams (what you'd do if you gain weight) so I guess this is the case where perhaps certain bespoke makers will make sure there is enough inlay should it be needed.

I've had some health issues so I actually went down 2 sizes (46R-->42R) and that is something where I needed a new wardrobe; no simple alterations for me! Chest and shoulders [amongst other things] drastically changed so all my old jackets were huge in chest+shoulders which are parts of a jacket you can't really adjust.

 

[knittieguy]

My pants have gone from a 33 to a 36 waist, but my jacket size really hasn't changed at all. I might be slightly bigger in the shoulders and chest than I was 20 years ago, but not enough to make a huge difference.

 

[driving glove]

The nice thing about well-tailored clothes is that you tend to want to keep wearing them. I gained post-COVID but took off about ten pounds through intermittent fasting, some bosu work at home, sensible eating and cutting back on ethanol. Wore a dearly-appreciated DB suit tonight cut twelve years ago to celebrate the anniversary of getting together with my wife and was comfortable in it. When the clothes get tight, I make personal adjustments.

 

[Keith Taylor]

My weight has fluctuated by around 16lbs in the past couple of years (up 16 and now back down - thankfully - around 14), but my jacket size has remained a 40. I’ve had a couple of favourite RTW jackets let out at the side seams. The only real difference gaining weight made was that my jackets were much less flattering on me, but the same applied to all of my clothes.

 

[haloitsme]

My jacket stayed almost the same, only dropped changed from 52 L9 to 52 L7 back to 52L8. Sometimes 52L6
Pants from 50 to 51/52 more the latter

 

[comrade]

41-42 1980s; 42 1990s, 44 from around 2005.
Through 1995 I ran 30 miles/week weighed around 160.
Stopped running because of chronic injuries. Gained around
15 lbs. I now walk. I have since lost weight. Now around 165.
The body changes however, an MTM suit from Chipp fit
perfectly at 160 30 years ago. Now it doesn't at all. Also,
I started buying mostly Italian RTW in the 2000s. They tend
to run smaller than the semi Ivy clothes I wore previously.
So size is a bit arbitrary. 30 years ago I bought T &A shirts
and had them tapered in the waist. Now I need around
a 50" chest for 16.5.