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How do you measure yourself for a blazer?

randomtw

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I'm thinking about picking up some pretty nice vintage blazers for pretty cheap but I'm not sure about how would you go about measuring yourself to make sure they fit. How is the overall length supposed to be? How is the sleeve length supposed to be? I'm trying to go for a more fitted look, not super tight that you can't bend your arms, etc.
 

cvac

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Go to a tailor and ask them to take your measurements for a blazer.

You can try to measure yourself but you probably won't do a good job. You really need a good fitting suit jacket to measure instead of measuring your body. It's too hard to estimate the "wiggle room" you would need to compensate for the lining, your shirt/sweater, the cloth, etc.

Alternately you could go to a store, find a blazer that fits, then use a measuring tape in the store. I've actually done this with suits, but you have to know how to measure properly or it won't do any good.

Most of the vintage blazers on ebay are crap. I've been looking for one too, and I haven't found a single thing worth buying.

Additionally, sellers don't know how to measure, often, and unless you know a particular brand very well or KNOW that a certain seller is trustworthy AND they will accept returns, you are going to have a rough time. Compound that with the fact that most vintage garments have undergone some alterations and there you have it.
 

randomtw

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i'm mostly basing it off of my chest size, is that fine?
 

Bic Pentameter

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I wouldn't try to measure my own body. I would find a garment that fits me well. Then, I would use the definitive guide to measuring jackets for ebay to measure that that garment. Finally, I would contact the ebay seller to ask the seller to take measurements in the format described in the guide.

http://www.styleforum.net/showthread...asurement+suit


Bic
 

randomtw

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when I buy clothes online, jacket, tshirts etc I usually just go by the chest size and most seem to fit fine

I can only remember one instance when the jacket I purchased was a bit too tight but otherwise its been mostly great

I'm not expecting a blazer thats going to fit me perfectly everywhere off the rack, what I'm expecting is something wearable that I can get tailored later if I choose to

so what I guess I'm really asking is, is the chest measurement sufficient or should I just follow those measurements in that thread?
 

Bic Pentameter

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Originally Posted by randomtw
....I'm not sure about how would you go about measuring yourself to make sure they fit. How is the overall length supposed to be? How is the sleeve length supposed to be?...

You should follow the measurements in the thread.

The chest measurement will not tell you how long the jacket is. It also will not tell you the length of the sleeve. Imagine that my dear departed father's chest measurement was the same as yours, but his arms were three inches shorter than yours. Also, his waist was 5 inches smaller. I am selling his vintage jacket on ebay. You will not be happy if you buy his jacket from me. You also probably won't be able to "tailor" his jacket to fit you because there will not be enough material in the sleeve or waist to accomodate you.

On the other hand, if you are satsified with the fit of most of the jackets you have ever purchased based solely on the fact that they are of the correct chest size, then you may be satisfied with vintage things you get on ebay.

Bic
 

randomtw

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thanks for the info, I might pull the trigger since they're pretty damn cheap like $20
 

cvac

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Buying a blazer, sport coat, or a suit is not the same as buying a baggy jacket or a t-shirt.

Suit sizing involves a lot more variables because suits, blazers, and sportcoats are designed to hug your body.


You need to know measurements for:

Shoulders, sleeves, chest, and jacket length from collar at a minimum to have a reasonable chance of anything fitting properly.

No matter how cheap they are, spending $20 plus s & h on a garment that probably won't fit at best or likely be crap anyway is a waste of money. My hunch is you'll have to give whatever you buy to Goodwill / Salvation Army.

Oh, and watch out for all those orphaned suit jackets that are being passed off as sport coats and blazers. Don't buy those. Stay away from anything with a super low button stance. It will make you incredibly dated.

Originally Posted by randomtw
when I buy clothes online, jacket, tshirts etc I usually just go by the chest size and most seem to fit fine
 

nbutter

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my success rate in buying sportcoats and suits on ebay has been about one in four.

that means to get one jacket i like and want to keep, i have to buy four and throw three away.

and the one that i keep needs alteration.

your mileage may, of course, vary.

it can still work out, as long as you're paying very little for each garment -- $40 for blazers, $60 for suits -- but it does take time, and it is hit or miss by definition.

truth is, out of the things i actually wear, retail, thrift stores, and the B&S forum here have all been better than ebay!

ebay is best for casual wear where the fit can be a little bit off, imho...
 

hopkin

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hi guys! Need a little bit of help with measurements over here. I just found yesstyle.com and think they have some cheap cool clothes. However I'm really confused with how to take the measurements. I've read the guide you poseted but feel it doesn't apply to their measurements. could anyone please help me out? check this page out http://www.yesstyle.com/en/dangoon-s...pid.1021385697 then look at the product measurements The only jacket I own fits me quite OK and I tried taking it's measurements according to the guide posted earlier but it didn't help me at all. This site uses some other measurements. For once, I get about 49 cm chest on my jacket (19,3 inches), how does that compare to their 92-100 cm measures? should I double my 49 cm? that would put me at a L. I'm 1,72 cm tall and my Bertoni branded jacket is a size XS. That sounds absurd :S Also I get the feeling their sleeve lengths are taken from the collar bone, through the outer arm to the wrist, since it's 67-69 cm. I'm really confused
 

gsugsu

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Originally Posted by hopkin
hi guys!

For once, I get about 49 cm chest on my jacket (19,3 inches), how does that compare to their 92-100 cm measures? should I double my 49 cm?


double your chest measurement 19.3 x 2 = 38.6 inches (98 cm)
 

hopkin

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that would mean I have something between an L and XL according to the link I posted earlier, how can that be possible when I always wear XS or S?. As I said I'm guite small. Is it possible that they are posting the actual body measures? So that I should substract 4 inches or something from my jacket measures? :S
 

Nicola

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You measured the jacket. The jacket will always be bigger then your body.

From what I remember a 48 is a medium. So a small would be 46 ? At least here in Italy.
 

hopkin

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Thank you for your replies but I still haven't received an answer to my question. The product I linked to says: Product Measurements: M: Chest 92cm, Shoulder 42cm, Sleeve 65cm, Total Length 67cm L: Chest 96cm, Shoulder 45cm, Sleeve 66cm, Total Length 68cm XL: Chest 100cm, Shoulder 48cm, Sleeve 67cm, Total Length 69cm How can I know if any of these measures fit on me? As I said, I measured the jacket and it was 98 cm in chest, does that mean I need an XL product? That sounds absurd. Or have they actually stated the real body measures? This is a korean brand as I understand it, but can that really mean that I, who has a european 46 in jacket size (XS-S) should wear a korean XL jacket? Also the sleeves can't be 67 cm if they measure from the seam as they do in the post linked here http://www.styleforum.net/showthread...asurement+suit
 

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