@Searching_Best_Fit
Thanks so much for the feedback! It helps me to learn and grow both as an author and budding menswear enthusiast. I'm happy to talk with and learn from folks who have been around much longer than I have.
To talk to each of your points:
1. You're absolutely correct on the measurements. A few comments have brought it up, and I'm working on the corrections- just need to find similar lighting.
2. Also correct. We're rewording that too
3. Regarding my own measurements and your points on fit.
I stand 5'7.25", which puts me squarely between many Regular and Short jackets, especially with today's chopped tails. That's actually one of the reasons I started buying custom in the first place! But, this article isn't about custom jackets-it's about off-the-rack jacket length. It's also not entirely about precise fit.
i. A great observation on the button stance. I actually correct this on my custom pieces and have the stance a little lower (and a lot lower than the 38S) to maximize a V taper.
ii. Parenting a newborn and recent homeownership have softened me up a little in the last six months, but I still have around an 8 inch (39.5 chest, 31.5-32 inch waist) drop between my chest and waist and outsized triceps and rear deltoid muscles from years of weightlifting. To make a long story (that took years of trial and error to write) short, the wrinkling you see in my shoulders is caused not by the shoulder being too big (like we'd expect) but by slimmer sleeves and higher armholes (usually a good thing!) squeezing my upper arms and pushing that sleeve upwards.
But, this off-the-rack experience was very good for me once I made the move into custom tailoring. I still have a higher (20-21") armhole on my jackets, but extend the shoulder line a quarter of an inch beyond the acromion bone to allow for the fabric to drape around the shoulder. I then have the arms cut quite full on the first pass and slim accordingly to account for the wrinkling you see. I also opt for as little shoulder padding as possible, as I also have a very small head-it makes me look like a linebacker!
iii. It's certainly possible the rear wrinkling is caused by excess fat around my hips. However, the 38R hasn't been tapered at all in the waist, and I'm actually quite comfortable in it.
I'd contend, then, that the camera, while it doesn't lie, is misconstruing a few things about the rear fit. See, the jacket is wool, but it's butterfly lined in the back. I'm also wearing a fuller-cut cotton shirt. What you're seeing is, in my view, the unlined jacket catching on my shirt and, in effect, "riding up" on my hips.
iv. Years of squats have developed a comparatively full posterior that the camera also doesn't quite capture. I actually have a strap built into my custom jackets to compensate for the inevitable flaring that occurs around the vents, and that's worked beautifully.
As a very important sidebar, the flaring and riding up actually may work in my benefit in the length department on the 38R- when it's fully extended and sits the way it should, it's too long.
There are two ways to correct these issues off-the-rack, and both have the same problem and are unreasonably expensive. One, I can get a classic cut that works with my arms and shoulders. But, there will be so much room in the waist that taking the jacket in will result in comically out-of-proportion pockets. This is especially the case on patch pocketed casual jackets. Trust me, I've tried! And that's just the jacket. The pants will often be so roomy that they basically need to be re-cut.
A second option is to size up, and then taper. I tried that too. What would have resulted is, again, basically a suit that would end up being out of proportion.
4. Returning to length. All of my custom ones are cut to a unique length, to within a quarter of an inch, that cuts me and my unusual height in half. But again, this is about the off-the-rack, and what is best for my unusual height. I'd argue the Short remains better of the two for my situation because it better elongates my legs- making me look taller. That's something I believe most of us want!
Thanks again for taking the time to comment. I genuinely appreciate the feedback and will take it to heart in keeping this one of the best forums on the web for men's style and advice.
