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Sweater sizes - baggy versus tight-fitting

Ticklishchap

One Too Many
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1,742
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London
I have always found with a traditional wool sweater that it feels - and looks better - to have it in a slightly larger size, so that it looks a bit (but not too) baggy and is not too tight-fitting. I don't know if others agree?
 

Rudie

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2,069
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Berlin
I guess it depends on your built. If you're chubby or obese a trim sweater isn't exactly flattering, but if you're lean it looks way better than a baggy one.
 

STEVIEBOY1

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1,042
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London UK
I have always found with a traditional wool sweater that it feels - and looks better - to have it in a slightly larger size, so that it looks a bit (but not too) baggy and is not too tight-fitting. I don't know if others agree?

I know what you mean, I don't like really baggy sweaters, I prefer them fairly tight but not too much. Some times having a slightly larger one can be good as if the weather is really cold you have enough room to wear more than one, EG a round or vee neck over the top of a roll neck, which happens to be what I am wearing now infact as the work place this moprning is is not at all warm. May not be that elegant lookimng but at least I am not cold.
 

Dav

One Too Many
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1,706
Location
Somerset, England
I prefer mine not to be to baggy, the problem I have is long arms, if it's a trim fit then the arms are too short or right in the arms then the body is too wide so they stretch and end up around my thighs.:rage:
 

Bourne ID

One of the Regulars
Messages
271
Location
Electric City, PA
I too have a sweater on at the office this morning, 50 degrees in here! I have several kinds of sweaters that I can grab depending on what I need. One or two thin button front and two heavy, baggy zip front for when it's really chilly. The baggy always feel warmer to me even when they're the same weight. Here's a pic of a baggy wool cable pattern that my wife made for me, love it.
img2641f.jpg
 

_RAGNAR_

One of the Regulars
I prefer a little baggy. I think you need a very slim waist to wear a tight sweater and look attractive. Right now my belly is borderline so I can get away with a trim sweater but not a tight sweater. My shoulders are wide enough that my sweaters end up a little baggy almost no matter what, which I guess in a way works out as if my shoulders fit, even in a fitted or ribbed sweater, I get a little bagginess around the midline so it doesn’t show that my belly is a bit bigger than my beltline.

I need to lose 5# more and I'll be able to wear a more fitted sweater.
 

redtag

Banned
Messages
20
Location
New York
I also love my sweater not too tight but not too loose either. However, tight-fitting sweaters for men with bulky torsos do not really seem appealing.
 

Edward

Bartender
Messages
25,081
Location
London, UK
Another vote here for 'trim not tight'. It's like a leather jacket, really. Trim looks great; too tight and you look like a street urchin in ill-fitting clothes. Even Joey Ramone looked better when he could afford better fitting jackets, from about '77 on...
 

Matt_the_chap

One of the Regulars
Messages
129
Location
Sheffield, England
I like my slip-overs to be two inches too small for me in the chest and then stretch them to fit exactly right. It probably damages the life of my knitwear but I've found it to work so far and makes for a comfortable and very fitted look to the slip-over.
 

scooter

Practically Family
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905
Location
Arizona
I don't wear anything tight. I hate clothes that bind on me in the least.

By the way, Bourne, your wife did a great job on that sweater. It really looks nice.
 

resortes805

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2,019
Location
SoCal
There are two vintage looks to go with. The first is the fitted sweater that is uniformly tight all over. Like such:
1940-s-man-s-knit-sweater.jpg

The other, which I prefer. relies a on a high waisted, fitted waistband, but a somewhat loose body. See the kid on the right, I know this is not a sweater, but you get the idea:
megaphone800x600.jpg
 

kools

Practically Family
Messages
680
Location
Milwaukee
This one might be the coolest sweater I've ever seen. Year?

1940-s-man-s-knit-sweater.jpg



I always liked this picture

megaphone800x600.jpg


And yes...I like them short & tight.
 

STEVIEBOY1

One Too Many
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1,042
Location
London UK
I like my slip-overs to be two inches too small for me in the chest and then stretch them to fit exactly right. It probably damages the life of my knitwear but I've found it to work so far and makes for a comfortable and very fitted look to the slip-over.

That does sound good, I think a tighter looking/fitting slipover, (I presume you are talking about a short sleeved pullover here?), is better than being baggy. rgds.
 

Yeps

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2,456
Location
Philly
I like my sweaters to be tight, but that is exceedingly difficult because I have very long arms, and most of the sweaters with arms long enough are far to loose in the chest and waist.
 

resortes805

Call Me a Cab
Messages
2,019
Location
SoCal
This one might be the coolest sweater I've ever seen. Year?

1940-s-man-s-knit-sweater.jpg

This came up in a google image search for '1930 sweaters,' I believe it is the cover to a knitting book. This style of pullover sweater has become quite popular in the reproduction market due to its association with vintage motorcyle sweaters.
curatos04.jpg
 

skydog757

A-List Customer
Messages
465
Location
Thumb Area, Michigan
I prefer a looser fit as I almost always end up pushing the sleeves up on my forearms. It's not merely a matter of style, it's a habit that I can't seem to break and it also just feels better to me.
 

Ticklishchap

One Too Many
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1,742
Location
London
I prefer a looser fit as I almost always end up pushing the sleeves up on my forearms. It's not merely a matter of style, it's a habit that I can't seem to break and it also just feels better to me.
It's nice to see this thread come alive again. Today I am wearing one of my loose fitting sweaters - ribbed navy blue wool. Like you, I have pushed the sleeves up my forearms as I often do with this type of sweater. When I wear a military sweater I turn the cuffs back several inches.
I look forward to it being cold enough for my heavier fishermen's sweaters.
 

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