Measure a Man for a Suit Coat
The suit coat serves as the fundamental career garment for men and works to dress up casual attire. A good fit creates a positive impression. The suit coat comes in numerous styles and fits to flatter different builds. For best results, take accurate measurements and select a suit coat designed for the man's body type. The main variables are chest size, height and build.
Instructions
1. Measure straight across the chest with a cloth measuring tape. Take the chest measurement at the fullest part, right under the arms. To measure yourself, use a mirror to check that the tape stays straight. Keep one end at the center of the chest and bring the other end around to meet it. Hold the tape firmly, not tight. Check that the tape rests on the body without any bulge around it.
2. Take an over-arm measurement. Delbert's clothing advises placing the tape straight around the outside of the upper arms at the largest part of the chest for this measurement, then subtracting seven inches from this figure. Use the largest of the two measurements as the chest size for the suit coat.
3. Try on, or have the subject try on, the best-fitting suit coat you own (or he owns) with a dress shirt that fits. See if it buttons. If it will not button or the coat fits snug or shows ripples in the fabric, it is too small. Check the suit coat's sleeve length. It should show one inch to one and half inches of shirt cuff and come to the wrist bone with the arms hanging naturally at the sides.
4. Find the suit coat's size tag in the inside pocket or the inside seam. Compare the jacket's size to the first chest measurement. If the jacket fits well and is larger than the chest measurement, purchase a suit coat in the larger size.
5. Check height. For off-the-rack suit coats, select "Regular" for average height, for example: 40 Regular or 40 R. Select "Long" for tall men (40 L), and "Short" for shorter men (40 S). Some companies provide extra-short or extra-long suit coats as well. Check the manufacturer or retailer's catalog or website for height guidelines, as these vary by company.
Tags: suit coat, chest measurement, chest size, Measure Suit, Measure Suit Coat, suit coat, suit coats
