Senator Jack
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Having just received another custom-made suit that I have to send back, I want to start with the basics, and the basics are shirt and trousers. But let's start with the shirt, and the basic business shirt at that.
I'm flummoxed as to why this is hit and miss. As I stated in another thread, I ordered a shirt from MyTailor.com and it had low armholes. Not terribly low, but low enough to think if it weren't a hassle to send it back to Hong Kong to get it fixed, I would have. The shirts I got from Brooks Brothers were right on the money as far as measurements are concerned, but, unfortunately, they didn't hold up to cleanings. When I ordered the shirt from MyTailor I took the exact measurements from the BB shirt, yet they still didn't exactly replicate it. The answer I got is that MT cuts their shirts 'conservatively', whatever that means. So as a service to everyone here who is thinking of ordering suits online, I think it would help to get a list of measurements needed for a perfect fitting shirt. Follow-up threads can focus on trousers, jackets, vest.
Basic shirt measurements:
Neck - Circumference of neck just at notch of throat/chest.
Question: How much more circumference should there be as far as material is concerned? What is comfortable for average man? If neck circumference is exactly 15.5 inches, what should the measurement be between button and buttonhole around collar 15.75? 16?
Half-shoulder - This is base of neck to end of shoulder. Personally, I think this should be a tight fit. If measurement is 6.5", then 'to sleeve' measurement should be no more than 6.75". Please feel free to correct me on this.
Across back - This is a difficult measurement because tailors seem to have a different idea as to where the back ends. I consider it to be back of pit to back of pit across back. Again, the shirt should only be about .25" wider than this measurement
Lower collar to hem - A tough measurement because the shirt is going to be tucked in. I should think this measurement is from the top of back to lower small of back. Finished shirt should be no more than 3" longer than this measurement.
Top of sleeve to end of cuff - This should be exact. With arm down, the cuff should rest at about an 1/8" past the wrist.
Inside sleeve measurement - Here's where the online tailors fail. They never ask for this measurement. I should think it's from middle of pit to where wrist joins hand. Finished cuff should extend 1/8" past this point.
Wrist circumference - Seemingly another difficult spot. How loose should the cuff be. 'Watch wrist' has to be looser than non-watch list, but by how much? .5"? 1"?
High Chest - Theoretically, this should be an extension of the measurement from back. But because of the way shirts are constructed, it isn't. This is why I find general chest measurements (42, 44, etc.,) to be useless. I should think the right measurement is from back of armpit to back of armpit at high point across chest. (Measurinf from back of armpit takes into account the sides of the chest.
Low Chest - This the measurement from back of armpit across nipples
Waist - Circumference around waist. Shirt should narrow here.
Hips - Finished shirt should flare here.
Pit to hip - An important measurement that no one asks for. I should think shirts would fit better if this measurement were taken into account.
Armpit circumference - I've given this measurement to tailors but it seems to be disregarded. Why?
I suppose my real question here is, how much extra material is needed in each area for comfort. For example, if a man has a 40" upper chest all the way around under armpits, should the shirt be finished at 40.25"? 40.50"? 40.75"?
All right, I've given the basics here, and I'm opening the floo for discussion.
Regards,
Senator Jack
I'm flummoxed as to why this is hit and miss. As I stated in another thread, I ordered a shirt from MyTailor.com and it had low armholes. Not terribly low, but low enough to think if it weren't a hassle to send it back to Hong Kong to get it fixed, I would have. The shirts I got from Brooks Brothers were right on the money as far as measurements are concerned, but, unfortunately, they didn't hold up to cleanings. When I ordered the shirt from MyTailor I took the exact measurements from the BB shirt, yet they still didn't exactly replicate it. The answer I got is that MT cuts their shirts 'conservatively', whatever that means. So as a service to everyone here who is thinking of ordering suits online, I think it would help to get a list of measurements needed for a perfect fitting shirt. Follow-up threads can focus on trousers, jackets, vest.
Basic shirt measurements:
Neck - Circumference of neck just at notch of throat/chest.
Question: How much more circumference should there be as far as material is concerned? What is comfortable for average man? If neck circumference is exactly 15.5 inches, what should the measurement be between button and buttonhole around collar 15.75? 16?
Half-shoulder - This is base of neck to end of shoulder. Personally, I think this should be a tight fit. If measurement is 6.5", then 'to sleeve' measurement should be no more than 6.75". Please feel free to correct me on this.
Across back - This is a difficult measurement because tailors seem to have a different idea as to where the back ends. I consider it to be back of pit to back of pit across back. Again, the shirt should only be about .25" wider than this measurement
Lower collar to hem - A tough measurement because the shirt is going to be tucked in. I should think this measurement is from the top of back to lower small of back. Finished shirt should be no more than 3" longer than this measurement.
Top of sleeve to end of cuff - This should be exact. With arm down, the cuff should rest at about an 1/8" past the wrist.
Inside sleeve measurement - Here's where the online tailors fail. They never ask for this measurement. I should think it's from middle of pit to where wrist joins hand. Finished cuff should extend 1/8" past this point.
Wrist circumference - Seemingly another difficult spot. How loose should the cuff be. 'Watch wrist' has to be looser than non-watch list, but by how much? .5"? 1"?
High Chest - Theoretically, this should be an extension of the measurement from back. But because of the way shirts are constructed, it isn't. This is why I find general chest measurements (42, 44, etc.,) to be useless. I should think the right measurement is from back of armpit to back of armpit at high point across chest. (Measurinf from back of armpit takes into account the sides of the chest.
Low Chest - This the measurement from back of armpit across nipples
Waist - Circumference around waist. Shirt should narrow here.
Hips - Finished shirt should flare here.
Pit to hip - An important measurement that no one asks for. I should think shirts would fit better if this measurement were taken into account.
Armpit circumference - I've given this measurement to tailors but it seems to be disregarded. Why?
I suppose my real question here is, how much extra material is needed in each area for comfort. For example, if a man has a 40" upper chest all the way around under armpits, should the shirt be finished at 40.25"? 40.50"? 40.75"?
All right, I've given the basics here, and I'm opening the floo for discussion.
Regards,
Senator Jack