Measuring pit to pit for a jacket

[CM]

Is there a tailoring principle behind getting a pit to pit measurement right?

If I am a 42 then I assume pit to pit is 21 inches. But to wear a jacket, it needs to have room inside so do you add 2 inches? Is pit to pit for a 42 come to 23 inches? Anyone know the correct way to determine this fitting?

[Indiana Jeff]

Generally a jacket's true measurement is 4 inches bigger than the label size. So a 42 jacket will measure 23 pit-to-pit for a total of 46 actual inches. If your body chest measurement is 42 inches and you put on a jacket that measures 21 inches pit-to-pit it'll be a second skin on you.

Having said that, every manufacturer is a little different in this regard with fit. For example, G&B sell their jackets by number sizing, but it's generally acknowledged their jackets run larger.

And it's not exact to measure pit to pit. When I do the measurement I lay the jacket zipped and flat and measure from seam to seam under the pit without pulling or stretching the jacket. Pulling the jacket could increase the measurement by at least an inch and not measuring to the seams could reduce it by an inch.

I'm a 42 chest and I use 23 inches pit-to-pit as my benchmark for buying jackets. My first US Wings Legend jacket was a Medium and measured 21 inches pit-to-pit. I felt like a stuffed sausage. I exchanged for a large that is 23 inches pit-to-pit and the fit is great.

Regards,

Indiana Jeff

[CM]

Thanks fellas, makes sense.

[APL]

I've noticed, too, that sometimes it depends on the manufacturer. I measure 38 in the chest, therefore wear a 42 in many models of jacket. Yet some sports coats or jackets in 42 seem tight and I need to go to 44. I'm sure that most of the vendors here are more accurate in those terms, and I would trust ordering from them, but when going to somewhere new, I personally need to try them on.

[warbird]

Old thread here, but my experience is that different manufacturers have different tendencies. But my vintage coats almost always are very close to right on the money. My two oldest leather jackets are size 42 and they both measure 21".

[Michaelson]

One usually needs to take measurements from old vintage jackets with a small grain of salt, too, as you have to allow for a little shrinkage of the leather over the years. All leather shrinks.

If your size 42 jacket has 21" measurements, one has to wonder where it started out when the jacket was brand new?

Regards! Michaelson

[warbird]

One usually needs to take measurements from old vintage jackets with a small grain of salt, too, as you have to allow for a little shrinkage of the leather over the years. All leather shrinks.

If your size 42 jacket has 21" measurements, one has to wonder where it started out when the jacket was brand new?

Regards! Michaelson

Very good point. I would imagine it would be impossible to discern how much it will shrink over time as well. Type of leather, how it was tanned, treated, manufactured, number of seams and environment it was in over time would all play factors in that.

[Michaelson]

Excellent points!