RL Polo sizing - please help!

[cmrocks]

I'm going to order a few polo shirts off polo.com, there isn't a store around me where I can try them on so I have to guess the size. For most clothing, I'm a size small. I'll be ordering custom fit short sleeve polos.

How might it compare to american apparel sizing? I can wear an AA small, they are a bit tight after having shrunk but they stretch out and fit really nicely after about 20 minutes of wearing. I'm assuming that if an AA small fits me just a tiny bit too tight then a RL small should fit about perfect because I know that AA runs pretty small in their sizing. Does that sound about right?

 

[gamelan]

you might want to go with an XS on the PRL polo. i wear a small PRL polo and a medium or large AA t-shirt.

-Jeff

 

[whacked]

Since RL Polo doesn't carry XS items, do your sartorial sense (and your wallet) a favor and get S/S polos in boys' size Large(16-18). If you were any thinner, boys' size Medium(12-14) might work as well.

 

[metkirk]

Originally Posted by whacked

Since RL Polo doesn't carry XS items, do your sartorial sense (and your wallet) a favor and get S/S polos in boys' size Large(16-18). If you were any thinner, boys' size Medium(12-14) might work as well.
Man I must be riduculously thin then, cause a boy size small fits me like a glove. Well not exactly like I want it to fit because the shoulder's too small and I have a wide shoulder for my size. Oh and the cut of the boys polo is straight cut, not the tapered cut like the mens polo, btw.

 

[whacked]

Originally Posted by metkirk

Man I must be riduculously thin then, cause a boy size small fits me like a glove. Well not exactly like I want it to fit because the shoulder's too small and I have a wide shoulder for my size.

Oh and the cut of the boys polo is straight cut, not the tapered cut like the mens polo, btw.

Well, according to the OP AA size small fits just a bit too tight for him, thus I assume he is about a 37. Thus either PRL boys' size Medium (actual chest measurement for polo shirt lies anywhere between 34-38 after stretching) or boys' size Large (36-40) should work.

You, on the other hand, is most likely a XS in AA stuff. Or, you prefer the 'metro' look a la Lacoste , no?

 

[americanhearts]

ignore previous replies...the above info would be correct if you were in the market for the classic fit rl polos.

the custom-fit is an entirely different shirt. if you're an aa small, these will fit you about the same. feel good about the purchase -- as far as standard polos go, from materials/construction to fit, the custom-fit ralph beats out all others.

 

[cmrocks]

I'm probably right in between sizes. I found a store that carries Ralph Lauren (not easy in Canada) but they only carried the classic fit polos. I tried on a small and it seemed to fit not too badly in the chest but was too big around the mid-section. According to their website, the custom fit is a lot tighter in the chest.

The only reason I'm making such a big deal about this is that since I live in Canada, I have to have the polos shipped to my friends place in WA then he is bringing them back for me when he comes back to college after winter break.

I think I'm just going to go pick up a measuring tape today so I can take the guess work out of everything. If I measure my chest and shoulders then I shouldn't have a problem.

 

[whacked]

The best place to check real life measurements of the polos would be Ebay. You'll need some patience though since not all listings contain such information.

I'm not too sure about the difference in construction between custom and classic fits, but boys' size Large (classic) should serve you well. And you can always size down one to get the 'custom fit' effect.

 

[Edward Appleby]

I would say a small custom fit should do it. I dunno what the Polo.com return policy is, but you might just buy the two or three sizes between which you're vacillating and then return whatever doesn't fit.

 

[jean_connoisseur23]

PRL custom fit should fit you nicely. i too am a small in AA and i find no problem fitting into custom fits

 

[dusty]

Yes, a small custom fit will be only marginally larger than a shrunken AA small. You should have no problems.

 

[cmrocks]

Okay,

I went to a tailor today and she measured my neck and chest. My neck was 15.5" and my chest was 38". The RL website says if you are a 38"-40" chest that I should get a medium. It also says the actual size of the medium is a 41" chest. Is 3" of extra room too much or will that fit nicely?

I'm assuming that a small would probably be 38" or 39" if the medium is 41". I want the polo to fit but I don't want it to be skin tight.

I normally work out but I haven't in a while so I've lost some size. I'm just getting back into it so I would imagine that my chest will grow a few inches over the next month or two as well.

EDIT:

I just checked American Apparels website and Ralph Lauren's website. Both websites claim that a small is 34"-36" and a medium is 38"-40". American Apparel smalls fit me just a bit too tight for my liking (they great as an undershirt but not to wear on their own). I have a few American Apparel shirts (henleys and tshirts) that are medium and they fit quite well too.

I'm going to go with a medium custom fit polo from Ralph lauren.

Thanks for the replies everyone.