Pit to Pit

[Peacoat]

Stretch it tight to get all of the wrinkles out, but then let it relax and measure. Using your fingers to try to stretch and measure is difficult and it doesn't keep it stretched much anyway.

 

[mygar]

Stretch it tight to get all of the wrinkles out, but then let it relax and measure. Using your fingers to try to stretch and measure is difficult and it doesn't keep it stretched much anyway.

Will do thx!

 

[El Marro]

Don't worry about the shoulder width. Stu of LW says that doesn't even exist and I tend to agree.

I have to disagree with you (and Stu) on this one Monitor. I do not have huge pecs but I do have broad shoulders. I find that when a jacket is just a hair too small it is usually the shoulders that are a deal breaker for me. I have learned to avoid anything with shoulders narrower than 20.5" in a size 44 or 46.
No offense intended to you (and especially not to Stu!!), just my 2 cents worth.

 

[Just Jim]

Let me take this here cap off (what does "dunce" mean anyway?) to ask from what point to what point are you measuring shoulder width?

 

[El Marro]

Let me take this here cap off (what does "dunce" mean anyway?) to ask from what point to what point are you measuring shoulder width?

Pretty much exactly as shown in the photo posted by Monitor on the previous page. Start where the sleeve meets the shoulder seam and measure straight across to the other side.

 

[GW KY]

Pretty much exactly as shown in the photo posted by Monitor on the previous page. Start where the sleeve meets the shoulder seam and measure straight across to the other side.

saw some measure pics, all looked proper, all were exactly my size. not sure why it wouldn' fit, Carrie's words haunting me though

 

[bn1966]

Shoulders deal break here too, 21 minimum or else my shoulders ache (must affect posture).
Has mean't a lot of jackets don't work for me e.g most XL service issue MA1's & size 48 G1's.

 

[Monitor]

Some years ago I've been obsessed with finding the right shoulder width, being completely convinced there's nothing in my size out there until I realized that it really doesn't mean anything at all for me. My shoulders are a bit over 20" measured straight across and in these last few years I wore jackets with shoulder width being anything from 18" to 23", without noticing any discomfort. If the jacket is in my size, the shoulders will always fit. They'll certainly affect the sleeve length but that's as far as it goes.

I was wondering about that until I saw Stu's rant on the subject:

"We are often asked to provide "shoulder measurement." In genuine tailoring no such measurement exists as there is no seam:seam length to measure. Further every (pseudo) "shoulder measurement" would differ according to armhole and sleeve configuration, which differs in every style and every mfg. Others, however, will provide this "length." We will not, as it has nothing to do with correct fit, misleads more than leads, and we're sticklers for correctness."

Actually makes sense to me.

 

[El Marro]

saw some measure pics, all looked proper, all were exactly my size. not sure why it wouldn' fit, Carrie's words haunting me though

GW KY, you should be fine man, but I totally understand your nervousness too. I feel the same way every time I buy a jacket off eBay or from the classifieds here sight unseen. There is always that tense moment when the box arrives and you put the jacket on for the first time, in an instant you know whether you have failed or succeeded!
Here's to hoping this one is a success for you!

 

[Just Jim]

Pretty much exactly as shown in the photo posted by Monitor on the previous page. Start where the sleeve meets the shoulder seam and measure straight across to the other side.

Thanks. I'd not considered how that measurement could affect fit, focusing instead on chest measurement/pit-to-pit. I checked a couple of jackets on hand that "don't quite fit", and one that does "fit". The difference in shoulder-to-shoulder measurement is about +2" to be comfortable. I don't think it will be the total answer, but it should help in more-closely approximating fit based on ebay pictures and numbers.