My Jantzen experience - another "critique my Jantzen shirt"

[Etienne]

I was sitting bored at work today when I suddenly had the illumination. I know what this board needs to regain a good feeling that some fear we have lost. We need more Jantzen threads!

1/ My order

Anyway, I recently received my second Jantzen shirt. The first shirt was ordered on November 11, order renewed on December 12 (I called and they had lost my order), received end of December. The second order took one month.

2/ My first shirt

My first "critique my Jantzen thread" was lost in the crash, so here are a couple photos of my first shirt :


My changes were :

• take the shoulders in a tad
  
• lengthen the sleeves
  
• tighten the waist (an unfortunate choice it turns out)
  
• widen the hips

3/ My second order

Here is my second order :

Shirt Length: 32
Chest: 38.5
Waist: 33
Hip: 37.5
Shoulder: 19.5
Sleeve Length: 37.5
Neck: 16.5
Height: 6 feet 4
Weight: 189
Wrist Size ( No Allowance): 7
Special for Thicker Watch: Left Hand 1/2" Bigger
Shirt Fitting: Form (4"-6" Allowance)
Share of Shoulder: Regular Shoulder
Shade of Body: Normal Shade
Collar Style: Collar Style # 4, (Spread)
Collar Stay: Removable Collar Stay
Interlining: Hard
Tie space: 1/8" (Standard)
Back Height: 1 3/4" (High)
Stitching for Collar & Cuff: 1/4" (Our Standard)
Collar Point: 3 1/2" (Long)
Color of Button Hole and Button Thread: Self Colour
Cuff Style: French Cuff Style #4D (Round)
Contract Collar: Self Collar & Cuff
Cuff Height: 2 3/4" (Standard)
Pocket Style : Select one
Number of Pocket: No Pocket
Front Placket: Plain Front
Width of Placket: 1 3/8 (Our Standard)
Sleeve: Long Sleeve
Sleeves **** Extra Button: With Sleeves Extra Button
Shirt Tail: Regular Tail
Shoulder Pleat: No Pleat
Select one: With Split Yoke
Gusset Triangle Color: Self Colour
Button Seclections:: Nature Designed 1.25 diameter (M.O.P.)
Monogram Style: Monogram Style #9
Monogram Placing: Inside the Yoke
Initial: EC
Monogram Color: Self Colour

The fabric of my first order had been
JKT #0027, Blue Herringbone with Black Stitched Stripes, 110's, 2 Ply, 100% Italian Cotton
which is often acclaimed here, and it was gorgeous.

The fabric for this second order is
#1, White Cotton 120's, 2 Ply, 100% Italian Cotton
it is mediocre at best, much too thin for my taste.

4/ Pics

My second Jantzen photographed (after having been laundered twice):


5/ Fit problems

I think that second offering is still rather far from perfect. Much too tight in the waist, for example : that is no problem when standing, but there is some kind of bunching if I am sitting laid back. See those close-ups of myself sitting laid back with my first Jantzen (34 waist)


...and with the second (33 waist)


The second one is very tight (the fabric is pulling apart at the placket), the first one less so.

6/ Advice needed

I think I might add 1 inch to the chest, waist and hips, then maybe lenghten the sleeves one more inch still. What do you guys think? Is 1 more inch in the waist enough to prevent unsightly bunching?

I don't know if I need to change the shoulders... I took them in 3/4 inches after the first order, do you think I should take them back out a bit?

For the back I think I need some side pleats...

Also, feel free to comment on the collar.

EDIT: note you can click on the photos to see them full scale.

 

[tiger02]

Don't see any problem with the chest; if it's comfortable I'd say don't mess with it. Agree with the waist and sleeves. Shoulders look good. Are you going to be wearing it tucked-out? If so, then I agree with letting out the hips an inch.

Overall, your first shirt looks better. Don't know how much of that is due to the fabric. It is a great one!

Tom

 

[kcgreg]

Your first shirt is definitely better than your first.

The second one is too tight around the waist and the length of the sleeves are still too short.

 

[Etienne]

Originally Posted by tiger02

Overall, your first shirt looks better. Don't know how much of that is due to the fabric. It is a great one!
Yes, I was pretty disappointed by that second shirt... I even has to measure to convince myself that the sleeves were indeed longer (they are, no problem) and that they were not larger.

Taking the waist out is a given. The hips might give me the option to wear it untucked, but I am not sold on that yet.

I experience some tightness (in the upper back and in the chest if I inflate), and I am not sure what to do. I first thought that might be due to the shoulders that I took in, but it might also be solved by one more inch in the chest (also that would keep the body balance if I am taking waist and hips). I am really not sure about what to do for the upper part of the body.

One thing is sure: I have great hopes for the third shirt, if I take a better fabric.

 

[tiger02]

I think your next one will turn out well. Two options for the chest, don't know which one will be better for you. He has a "large chest" option that I used. Don't know exactly what changes that makes. Also, side pleats in the back will help if the fit there bothers you.

Good luck!

 

[Charley]

Have you actually measured the chest on the two shirts?
The fit of Form shows an allowance of 4"-6".
If the first one was the +6" and this one is the +4",
There may not have been any real increase in size.

The danger of really fine tuning to achieve a rather tight fit is that it can easily be too tight. Adding the pleats will certainly help some in comfort - except that blown pleats when you are standing might not be the apperance you want.

Thanks for posting both the pictures and the order form breakdown. This is really a better example of how these things work out. Third time is charmed.

 

[Etienne]

Originally Posted by tiger02

Two options for the chest, don't know which one will be better for you.
For the upper body, I am thinking: add .5" to the shoulder measurement (make it closer to the first shirt, as I took them in 3/4"), add 1" to the chest, and add side pleats.

Maybe that's too much, I don't know. The body fit is actually all right if I am standing and resting. But an exagerated chest inflation results in tightness in the chest and sitting laid back produces a tightness in the waist.

 

[Etienne]

Originally Posted by Charley

Have you actually measured the chest on the two shirts?
I measured the sleeves, but did not think of measuring the chest. Will do so tonight and post the results tomorrow morning, that's a good idea.

 

[Etienne]

Originally Posted by Charley

Have you actually measured the chest on the two shirts?
The fit of Form shows an allowance of 4"-6".
If the first one was the +6" and this one is the +4",
There may not have been any real increase in size.
Done. The two shirts have the same chest measurement, which is as it should be (I had not changed that).

 

[Charley]

The chest sure does appear to fit differently on the two shirts.
The chest fit of the first one does seem to be much better.
On the second one there is that pulling from the second button down toward the armpit. I'm not the shirt engineer that can explain what is causing it.