Ok this armhole thing is starting to get to me.

[tanyet]

First of all I'd like to say that this place has been a great resource for me and I've learned a lot about clothing that I wouldn't have known otherwise. It's great that people pass on knowledge to those less intelligent about clothes in general.

I've been watching a lot of tv lately and I've also been looking closely at suits and blazers that I find appealing. The one common denominator that I've found is that every blazer I've seen that I like has small/high armholes. When I go to find similiar blazers at stores there is none. I've read post after post stating the same thing, but what I don't understand is why? I know that it is a little more complex to manufacture a blazer with small armholes but we have everything from modern fit shirts, jeans that have ten different fits, and not to mention 20 different types of lattes at Starbucks.
It seems like someone should start making a reasonably priced, department store quality blazer with high armholes.

I've heard people say to look at Zara or H&M for inexpensive fits that have higher armholes but even they don't seem to cut it very high. Is there anyone that makes plain jane blazers (department store variety) that have higher armholes? Every place I look at on the internet either has no local store or has a non-sensical website that I can't make heads or tails of (uniqlo comes to mind)

Any thoughts?

 

[Twotone]

OTR suits, sport coats and blazers are made to fit a wide range of bodies and arms. High arm holes for you may be too tight for someone else. The best way to get a proper high arm hole fit is MTM or bespoke. Or, try on every make and model until you find one that fits. Hickey Freeman Madison suits have the best OTR arm hole fit for me.

 

[bluemagic]

http://www.rugby.com/

 

[tanyet]

Those are a few decent options but I guess I'm out of luck finding an inexpensive department store quality (in other words not very good quality) blazer with higher armholes. I work in a fairly conservative office and most of the options I've seen on some of the sites are far too fashion forward for my taste. It just seems like with all the optinons there are for useless things in life there should be more options for stuff like this without having to break the bank.

Thanks for the replies.

 

[mickey711]

Zara suits jackets and blazers aren't very slim fitting, which is strange as most of their other clothes are quite slim. Uniqlo blazers do have high armholes and are cut slim, but the sleeves and body are cut short, so you're out of luck if you're 5'10" or higher. Their UK site's easier to navigate, but have slightly different offerings. I can't think of any American mall brand off the top of my head that offers an inexpensive slim-fitting suit. What's your budget? I recommend MTM or going to an outlet by one of the higher end department stores.

 

[tanyet]

I think I would go $300 to $400 for a blazer. I know that's not a lot but considering that I used to spend $100 for a blazer at belk's or somewhere simliar it's a lot for me. I'm actally going for a slim fit. I'm about 5'10 and 155.

I'll try your suggestions. Thanks!

 

[bleachboy]

Honest question:

If Styleforum had been around in 1999, would people have been obsessing over high armholes? Will it date a jacket?

"Button stance is way too high, you look like Abraham Lincoln. The top button on your two-button sportcoat should be at your navel, or an inch or two below."

-- Styleforum post, 1986

 

[GBR]

Originally Posted by tanyet

First of all I'd like to say that this place has been a great resource for me and I've learned a lot about clothing that I wouldn't have known otherwise. It's great that people pass on knowledge to those less intelligent about clothes in general.

I've been watching a lot of tv lately and I've also been looking closely at suits and blazers that I find appealing. The one common denominator that I've found is that every blazer I've seen that I like has small/high armholes. When I go to find similiar blazers at stores there is none. I've read post after post stating the same thing, but what I don't understand is why? I know that it is a little more complex to manufacture a blazer with small armholes but we have everything from modern fit shirts, jeans that have ten different fits, and not to mention 20 different types of lattes at Starbucks.
It seems like someone should start making a reasonably priced, department store quality blazer with high armholes.

I've heard people say to look at Zara or H&M for inexpensive fits that have higher armholes but even they don't seem to cut it very high. Is there anyone that makes plain jane blazers (department store variety) that have higher armholes? Every place I look at on the internet either has no local store or has a non-sensical website that I can't make heads or tails of (uniqlo comes to mind)

Any thoughts?

highly unlikey as the bigger the armhole the more customers that wll fit the garment without alteration. Try bespoke to get this.

 

[tanyet]

I guess I don't think in terms of obsession but I do notice the armholes every where I look now. Maybe it is obession? Ha.

I try to think in terms of permanent style and to my mind, high armholes should be part of it.

 

[mickey711]

^^ In that case, you should do what I recommended and go MTM or go to an outlet by one of the higher end department stores.

 

[Svenn]

Originally Posted by tanyet

I guess I don't think in terms of obsession but I do notice the armholes every where I look now. Maybe it is obession? Ha. I try to think in terms of permanent style and to my mind, high armholes should be part of it.
It's not an obsession... at all. You are lucky that you've spotted their aesthetic and functional importance as a noob. A piece of clothing should conform to the human body, plain and simple. Having a f-king giant armscye that restricts 50% of arm movement makes a suit jacket a decorative cloak, not a functioning piece of equipment. Aesthetically, it elongates the torso and makes you look slimmer.

 

[bluemagic]

The armholes here are very high, and I wore it last year to a conservatively dressed office and conservatively dressed events in a conservatively dressed industry. http://www.rugby.com/shop/item.aspx?...719&cp=3138868

 

[thinman]

In general, European (especially Italian) brands will be cut with higher armholes. You might have to go to a higher price point than you would like if Zara and H&M don't have what you're looking for. You might try Saks Off 5th, if you have one near you. The problem with the outlets, is that a navy blazer is a wardrobe staple and staples almost never make it to the outlets (SOF is the one exception I've found).

P.S. A notable exception to my generalization above is Burberry. Their jackets fit like Hickey-Freeman jackets (IIRC, HF actually makes the US Burberry jackets)

 

[Cotillion]

As people mentioned the larger/lower armholes are to "fit" a greater number of body types using the same pattern. Its a result of how the retail RTW/OTR clothing industry functions.

If you decide to spend a little more and go the Made to Measure route you might want to check out Matt Deckard Apparel since you specifically are looking for high armholes and I know that high armholes is one of Deckard's main things:

http://www.mattdeckard.com/

 

[Matt S]

Originally Posted by bleachboy

Honest question:

If Styleforum had been around in 1999, would people have been obsessing over high armholes? Will it date a jacket?

"Button stance is way too high, you look like Abraham Lincoln. The top button on your two-button sportcoat should be at your navel, or an inch or two below."

-- Styleforum post, 1986

High armholes have nothing to do with the way a jacket looks with your arms at your side. High armholes were always an important part of a proper fit as they allow better arm movement. People often cite Fred Astaire as a good example for high armholes. It's obviously not a new thing.
And I don't think that if Styleforum were around in 1986 we'd be promoting the low button stance. Nobody here is telling people that their button stance should be at the base of the sternum like many of the fashion houses are promoting. I'm sure that some people 25 years ago could tell how silly the low-button stance of the time looked. Now we are saying the same thing about the ridiculously high button stance in fashion today. And I can also tell you that in a few years the tight low-rise trousers currently in fashion will look silly. Don't you think the baggy trousers of 15 years ago looked terrible? Back then people loved them. It's up to us to recognise the silly trends of fashion and stay away from them.