Men's Clothing Forums banner

Brooks Brothers Fit names

67K views 33 replies 17 participants last post by  LawyerBoy  
#1 ·
I don't know if this has been mentioned, but apparently BB has renamed their shirt fits.



So, if you see these names, you can figure out the fit.
 
#6 ·
Just go with the one that still makes sense: Traditional.
Fortunately, that's all I order from BB.

Have no idea why they don't just go with the descriptor: Extra slim, slim and regular, as vague as they might seem, still beat the heck out of trying to remember whether it's the Milano or Madison that can be worn without the wearer appearing to be an over-stuffed sausage.
 
#8 ·
I'm a Madison in Traditional-fit clothing. Sometimes I'm a Madison in Madison-fit clothing, but I prefer Traditional-fit clothing.

Alas, my Milano days are far behind, as in, back in 7th grade.
 
#9 ·
Maybe this will help:

MILANO = underfed 7th grader
REGENT = buff Daniel Craig as James Bond busting out of his shirt
MADISON = regular guy
TRADITIONAL = regular guy who likes the luxury of a comfortable fit
 
#11 ·
My interpretation (ignoring a bit of sugarcoating they did on the traditional that I use personal experience to remedy):
Milano: skeletal ectomorph
Regent: young, body conscious
Madison: regular guy
Traditional: oversized (shirt and/or wearer)
 
#12 · (Edited)
Maybe this will help:

MILANO = underfed 7th grader
REGENT = buff Daniel Craig as James Bond busting out of his shirt
MADISON = regular guy
TRADITIONAL = regular guy who likes the luxury of a comfortable fit
It could as easily be:
MILANO = I own a bathroom scale.
REGENT = In the land of the obese, the man who stops after seconds is king.
MADISON = regular guy on a regular dose of statins
TRADITIONAL = Did I put on shoes today?

NOTE: I don't think that's what it is, because that's rather unkind.

I spent my adolescence in the 90s and had my fill of oversized shirts. The Milano fit is only "extra slim" by Brooks Brothers' standards. The name is silly by any reasonable standard, though maybe someone at BB saw a guy in an actual extra slim fit shirt walking down Madison Avenue and realized they were engaging in false advertising. The Traditional Fit makes some guys really happy--Duvel is the immediate example--so I am glad that it is available. I won't be buying it, though.

EDIT: Maybe I'll just go sit in YSR's thread and think about what I've done.
 
#13 ·
Perfect!

And thank you for clarifying that one does not need to be oversized oneself to qualify for the Traditional fit.

My interpretation (ignoring a bit of sugarcoating they did on the traditional that I use personal experience to remedy):
Milano: skeletal ectomorph
Regent: young, body conscious
Madison: regular guy
Traditional: oversized (shirt and/or wearer)
 
#14 ·
To make it worse you also have some more for sportcoats, pants, etc.--Fitzgerald, Clark, and so on.

I'm going to need a fold out chart to help me sort all this out and keep everything straight.
 
#16 ·
Say hi to YSR for us.

It's lunchtime and I'm hungry but now I'm going to worry about taking seconds and I feel guilty about having no bathroom scale. Oh, and I need to renew my script for statins.

To my credit, I'm walking a mile to and from home for lunch. I'm also eating only tuna.

It could as easily be:
MILANO = I own a bathroom scale.
REGENT = In the land of the obese, the man who stops after seconds is king.
MADISON = regular guy on a regular dose of statins
TRADITIONAL = Did I put on shoes today?

NOTE: I don't think that's what it is, because that's rather unkind.

I spent my adolescence in the 90s and had my fill of oversized shirts. The Milano fit is only "extra slim" by Brooks Brothers' standards. The name is silly by any reasonable standard, though maybe someone at BB saw a guy in an actual extra slim fit shirt walking down Madison Avenue and realized they were engaging in false advertising. The Traditional Fit makes some guys really happy--Duvel is the immediate example--so I am glad that it is available. I won't be buying it, though.

EDIT: Maybe I'll just go sit in YSR's thread and think about what I've done.
 
#17 ·
Believe me, I wish my crankiness was a byproduct of painkillers and not grading.
 
#18 · (Edited)
I think this is a good idea, it makes the fits consistent across all their clothes.

I stopped wearing the traditional fit...just too damn baggy and the "regular" fit isn't exactly tight. I like the slim fit and don't quite get all the hate it receives here. It's not exactly a skinny shirt. Maybe y'all just need to hit the gym. The slim fit is turning into my standard BB shirt now.
 
#20 ·
For someone who is in shape, somewhat athletic, and not built like a twig, slim fit (aka Regent) is absolutely perfect.

Extra slim for me is a little too constricting across the shoulders. I don't understand how some people consider the extra slim fit "too baggy" but apparently there's people combining about it. I used to think ESF was perfect for my build, and while it is decent for casual shirts I would wear untucked, for something like an Oxford it is just too constricting in key areas like the armholes and yoke.
 
#21 ·
I think a lot of it is purely personal preference. I think one who is in shape and somewhat athletic could wear any of the fits except for perhaps the Milano. I think it depends on how you like a shirt to fit on you, how it drapes, etc. While I'm not overly athletic, I do work out and stay in shape, coming in at just a few pounds over my ideal weight. And yet, the Traditional fit in the OCBD is the one that I like best in terms of how I think a shirt should look on me.
 
#22 ·
From a branding perspective, I am confused about why they chose to rename Slim Fit "Regent" instead of "Fitzgerald."

The Regent fit is supposed to be their most athletic fit, for men with broad shoulders and chests, but large waist drops.

At this moment (and hopefully from now on) I am on the larger side of average with what I understand to be an average chest/waist drop (6") and a slightly above average overarm/underarm drop (10"). The "Regent Fit" in my size is fine in the waist, but constricting in the chest and shoulders. That makes no sense considering they seem to be marketing it to people with 8" or greater chest/waist drops.

It seems like it would be more congruent with the trim, narrow-shouldered Fitzgerald fit.

For my part, I just do the regular/madison fit and I am trying to learn to love the billow and undo all the years of slim fit brainwashing.
 
#23 ·
Maybe this will help:

MILANO = underfed 7th grader
REGENT = buff Daniel Craig as James Bond busting out of his shirt
MADISON = regular guy
TRADITIONAL = regular guy who likes the luxury of a comfortable fit
Being a "Regent Fit" wearer, I like your description. But I must say that, for me, any size larger would be like wearing a tent. It would look absolutely ridiculous. And the "Regent" fit isn't skin-tight or constricting.

There is a reason why the "Regent" fit is offered. For folks like me.
 
#24 ·
Being a "Regent Fit" wearer, I like your description. But I must say that, for me, any size larger would be like wearing a tent. It would look absolutely ridiculous. And the "Regent" fit isn't skin-tight or constricting.

There is a reason why the "Regent" fit is offered. For folks like me.
Here, here. I don't understand all the anti-Regent sentiment. Turning it into a cultural critique doesn't make sense - if you have broad shoulders and a large chest-to-waist drop, the Regent will fit perfectly. For me, Traditional shirts are very uncomfortable to wear. The extra fabric folds awkwardly within a jacket and is an absolute chore to keep properly tucked-in. I don't need any extra fabric beyond what's necessary to have full range of movement, and the Regent provides exactly that.

All that said, I find the name "Regent" confusing, as L-feld mentioned, given that the Regent suit has structured shoulders and waist suppression. Fitzgerald would have been far more intuitive.
 
#25 ·
Here, here. I don't understand all the anti-Regent sentiment.....
Not sure what you're referring to. The BB 132Q/133Q has been the gold standard OCBD for some time now. I haven't seen any negative sentiment toward it. It's really not made for slim builds....I've always thought that "slim fit" was a bit of a misnomer. It's just not super billowy like the traditional fit.
 
#26 ·
It's really not made for slim builds....I've always thought that "slim fit" was a bit of a misnomer. It's just not super billowy like the traditional fit.
You're right, it's not really a "slim fit" shirt. For me, there is plenty of extra fabric, but without the tent-like fit of the "traditional" fit.

I'm going to be blunt here, but with no malice towards those who wear and like the "Traditional" fit. It seems that it's made for those who are overweight.

I'd bet that if you compared a "traditional" fit shirt from the early 1980s (or whatever BB called it then) with today's "traditional" fit shirt, you'd find that today's shirt is larger and more billowy. We've gotten bigger, folks.