How to tuck a blousey vintage or repro dress shirt

Tommy-VF51 · Jul 8, 2021

So I just brought this

https://simonjamescathcart.com/collections/shirts/products/cream-cellular-cotton-shirt

simon_james_cathcart_sjc_red_suit_tailoring_arkwright_king_cole-20_1024x1024.jpg

It blouses massively at the back, even more so than my Vintage Spearpoints or my Chester Cordite shirts.

More than this indicates

simon_james_cathcart_sjc_red_suit_tailoring_arkwright_king_cole-22_1024x1024.jpg

However since I intend to wear it at times with a tie, going down a size is not an option.

Advice on a way to tuck to avoid the massive back bunching and feedback from those who own the shirt about washing feedback or possible alterations would be massively appreciated. I want to keep it for the fabric.

It fits OK on the arms, just the body is VERY straight in the fit of the body. I suspect my other shirts taper in a little towards the hem.

Edward · Jul 8, 2021

I like a bit of blousing myself. Braces help to keep it at bay, and the longer length of a vintage cut shirt helps to stop it slipping out of my trews. Another tip I picked up years ago here that works wonders for me is I tuck my undershirt into my shorts, then the shirt over them - seems to stop them rubbing each other up.

The other way I've preventing much blousing with my shirts is gaining ten inches round the waist in the last dozen years, but I don't advocate that as the best option!

Tommy-VF51 · Jul 8, 2021

I'll reply to your post shortly @Edward, because you do have some valid points above.

@willyto and @Rabbit I seem to remember you posting about this elsewhere in relation to this shirt, I'm sure it was on here as well as the (now down) SJC Forum, but I can't find your posts on the subject?

Tommy-VF51 · Jul 8, 2021

Edward said:
I like a bit of blousing myself. Braces help to keep it at bay, and the longer length of a vintage cut shirt helps to stop it slipping out of my trews. Another tip I picked up years ago here that works wonders for me is I tuck my undershirt into my shorts, then the shirt over them - seems to stop them rubbing each other up.

The other way I've preventing much blousing with my shirts is gaining ten inches round the waist in the last dozen years, but I don't advocate that as the best option!

I like a bit of Blousing too, but you're also considerably taller than me. Also I've never known a shirt to blouse quite this much. Other shirts seem to taper towards the waist, this one seems to get wider.

I've lost weight in the body (down a trouser size at least), or at least I've lost fat. I've become leaner but more muscular. Not massively, I think being late 30s is slowing my progress. Mostly exercise; 5- 6 days a week on a bike, doing a minimum of about 10 miles, sometimes up to 150 miles (not a typo, it was part of a planned 200 km/ 125 mile ride). But also being a veggie and realising I really wasn't getting on with Dairy, so now practically vegan (although Vegan Junk food is NOT healthier let's be honest, but it makes me eat junk food less). However my neck seems to have actually got bigger, so no chance of going down from a 16.5 to a 16.

I can see a vist to my alternations place coming on because the material is amazing and also the shirt even before discounts wasn't bad value.

GHT · Jul 8, 2021

You have more or less answered your own question by having the shirt altered. My wife makes most of my shirts, and like Edward, I have more than a bit spare around the middle. She skillfully hides my belly with crafted blousing.

Edward made a good point that braces will reduce the ruck that happens when you wear a belt, but as you observe, it's probably going to need altering. For what it's worth, my wife looked at your photos and suggested that she would unpick the seams that run down from the armpit, then get you to put the shirt on, she would then bring the seams in until the fit of the shirt was to your satisfaction. She would then pin the panels in place, then get you to put it back on. Any further adjustments are easy to make and finally, if you are happy with the fit and appearance, the side seams would be sewn back leaving you with a shirt that fits perfectly.

Tommy-VF51 · Jul 9, 2021

Just to be clear the pics aren't me but companies own. But I think your wife's observations are spot on.

Given the cloth I'd say there's supposed to be a fair bit of roominess. I have a polo in the same cloth but the cut is not a tent like. However my Chester Cordite shirts are bigger pit to pit, but taper somewhat towards the waist, while this seems to widen.

Braces did help, particularly on the fishtail trousers, but I only have winter fishtail trousers (seem to keep you even warmer). Some of my summer weight trousers do have brace buttons inside, but I'd like the option of being able to wear a belt.

Peacoat · Jul 9, 2021

Being blessed with a narrow waist most of my life–until I broke may leg and gained 30 pounds–I used the military tuck to achieve a neat look around my middle. While there are variations on this method, the below video is a good place to start. I didn't use this exact method, but it is close enough. Once you get the hang of it, it just becomes second nature.

Edward · Jul 11, 2021

Tommy-VF51 said:
I like a bit of Blousing too, but you're also considerably taller than me. Also I've never known a shirt to blouse quite this much. Other shirts seem to taper towards the waist, this one seems to get wider.

I've lost weight in the body (down a trouser size at least), or at least I've lost fat. I've become leaner but more muscular. Not massively, I think being late 30s is slowing my progress. Mostly exercise; 5- 6 days a week on a bike, doing a minimum of about 10 miles, sometimes up to 150 miles (not a typo, it was part of a planned 200 km/ 125 mile ride). But also being a veggie and realising I really wasn't getting on with Dairy, so now practically vegan (although Vegan Junk food is NOT healthier let's be honest, but it makes me eat junk food less). However my neck seems to have actually got bigger, so no chance of going down from a 16.5 to a 16.

I can see a vist to my alternations place coming on because the material is amazing and also the shirt even before discounts wasn't bad value.

Sounds like taking it in a bit at the seams might be your best option. (I've had the opposite problem with a lot of shirts in recent years - I carry my weight on the middle, and it's not unknown for some shirt lines to be noticeably big on the neck to fit me on the middle. Always easier to take things in than let them out!).

jglf · Jul 13, 2021

When I first joined the military, I did the military tuck and wore shirt garters that attach to your socks. Now I have a tailor add darts or take in the shirt as a permanent fix.

Bfd70 · Jul 14, 2021

I’m unclear, is the picture actually you? If so, it looks fine. Play on.

Tommy-VF51 · Jul 14, 2021

It's not me, if the shirt looked like that it'd be fine. I think the grading is a little off, but also tbf some vintage shirts were quite blousey.

Fabric makes it a keeper, just need to find the time to work out the millitry tuck and also wash it before trying to alter. Might also put some pics of me in it up first too.

GHT · Jul 14, 2021

Have you been in touch with Simon? It could be that the shirt dimensions were incorrectly made. If you explain to Simon all that you have made clear here, it will give him a chance to say that the shirt is as it should be, or, he may suggest that you return it. Worth a try.

Tommy-VF51 · Jul 16, 2021

I've had a VERY busy week and only just got around to trying it on.

I measured it and realised it's misshapen. The pit to pit is 2- 3 inches bigger than advertised (allowing for the material). Also think the neck might be a 16, since it seems tight for a 16.5.

However I've just realised I'm a day off the returns...

I've emailed Adam SJCs Customer Service in the hope we can work something out, especially since it looks like this one wasn't put together correctly.

In terms of QC, I've been very happy for the last few years, having had a few issues at first. I returned 3 of the first 5 pieces I brought, but with the exception of 1 of those, the replacements held up really well. The last 5 pieces I brought I've been really happy with. Company has definitely improved massively on that front.

Hopefully I can get it sorted cos I love the material.

Dreamofgilgamesh · Jul 30, 2021

I'm also with Edward on this one, I like and prefer the looser fit on that style of shirt. I believe they tended to make shirts with a more generous fit back in the day, and to my mind far better than the wretched slim shirts so prevalent now.

Tommy-VF51 · Aug 3, 2021

The shirt is much bigger than any vintage or repro shirt I have and I've been wearing full cut shirts for about 10 years.

I've returned the original and now am probably going to return this one. The second one is maybe an inch smaller under the arm, but still about 2 inches bigger than advertised.

This is a great shame because I love the material.

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