Why low armholes? My theory.

[BellyTank]

Look at the exaggerated catalogue drawings- the armhole can't be tight against the chest because it wouldn't work- but the shape of the jacket swoops inward from armpit, down chest, to the waist- leaving the armhole portion out on a limb... I'm just trying to say that the jacket is trying to make a shape beyond the human form and needs some filling to make the two meet somewhere, without any empty bits.
The technical drawings in the dept. store catalogues call it an armpit-pad.
I think- I thought it could be to maintain the required masculine, modern form- like shoulder pads. I must admit to not having a jacket with armpit pads, so I'm trying to be creative here.
Better?

Sorry, this week, I have mostly been drunk.


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[Rooster]

Sorry, this week, I have mostly been drunk.

I used to have weeks like that back in my 20's......

 

[herringbonekid]

Better?

a little... i can imagine what you're describing, but don't see it in actual jackets. are you talking about a specific time such as the late 30s exaggerated shoulder ? in the late 20s - early 30s the arm holes seem to be very close to the body, which appears to be the opposite of what you're saying.

 

[BellyTank]

Just as long as you can imagine it- that's fine.
Where a jacket is constructed in a form beyond the wearer, the empty space must be filled with something- just like shoulder pads. As you have canvas and sometimes padding in jacket fronts, so could it be used to create/fill the shape from the high armhole and transitioning down to a close-fitting chest and waist.

And yes- to the exaggerated shoulder and chest shape.
Have you not seen the side of the chest turn out toward the armhole on a jacket with a fuller shoulder? To match the wider shoulder...


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[herringbonekid]

Have you not seen the side of the chest turn out toward the armhole on a jacket with a fuller shoulder? To match the wider shoulder...

i'm not sure i have seen that....