Shirt fit questions

[kolecho]

What would one consider as a classic shirt fit?

I had a conversation with AJ Rowley at Budd in Piccadilly Arcade last week. He mentioned that a classic shirt should have about 6" allowance in the chest. I am 5' 10", 165lbs. Is that too much for someone my size?

Also, is it possibe to have a shirt cut with ample chest while keeping the armhole high and the waist tight, like a drape jacket?

[iammatt]

This seems like a nearly impossible question to answer. Each shirtmaker is going to have a different way of looking at things and of fitting his (or her) clients and only they can really judge how much extra room is needed.

[Cantabrigian]

Without knowing specifics, I'd say that an extra 6" strikes me as a bit roomy.

I'd go as trim as you can without pulling or pinching when you sit down, lean forward, take a deep breath and extend your arms. Nothing about that position is particularly important but I've found that that is when a shirt is most likely to pull under the arms.

[schneidergott]

6" is fine for a classic shirt, if "classic" means a medium wide shirt!
More important than 1" more or less is the basic balance according to your posture.



Regarding your question about wide chest and high armholes:
It's impossible to drape shirting fabrics, and a wider chest would have an effect on the sleevehead as well. It's a matter of relation between every part of the shirt. Wide chest with at the same time trim waist won't look good with too much material under the arms.
The blue lines in the image mark the new seamline and the new sleeve, which will become wider to match the new armhole.



Just tell your shirtmaker what you're after and he/she will advise you!

@Cantabrigian:

Great test for good fit(honestly)! But I doubt I can use it for our customers. They are usually very old and might not get up again, if they could perform it at all.


SG