Extended Shoulders

[Macheath]

So, I'm completely ignorant here, but what exactly are they?

Are they merely jackets that overhang slightly beyond a person's natural shoulders, or is the construction of the jacket somehow different?

Two things brought this to mind. First, John Dall's jacket in Hitchcock's Rope

I like the styling and the overall proportions of it, but the shoulders appear to extend slightly beyond his frame. Perhaps it's just the padding of the shoulders, or maybe he's got a smallish head for his build, but somehow, the width of the shoulders appears somewhat exaggerated to me.

The other thing is the way RTW jackets fit on me. 36S is almost always too small. 38S is spot on sometimes, but sometimes it's too wide. Since 37S is a practically non-existent size, I have to take my chances a size up. Pretty much everything can be altered except the shoulder width, and every so often, I get a jacket that is just a tad wide at the shoulders, and I'm leery about getting it altered if it won't look quite right on me because of the shoulder overhang.

So I guess, what it want to know is:

What in the world are extended shoulders (which are sometimes billed as a feature on a jacket), and what are the acceptable limits to a jacket's fit around the shoulders?

 

[Macheath]

Bump

Come on guys. Nothing on this?

 

[J.J. Gittes]

I have the shoulder problem sometimes, One of my jackets make me look like I have huge shoulders since im lanky and don't fill out the jacket much the pads to body ratio is totally out of whack also!
Another factor is styling, The broad shoulders exaggerate the V going into the waist that wouldnt be so pronounced if they weren't larger.
In the picture, my best bet is that its the position hes in making them look scrunched up and the shoulder ratio problem.

 

[Tomasso]

Extended Shoulders?

 

[resortes805]

I have no idea what "extended shoulders" mean. Dall's suit look like plain ol' late 40's suits to me; padded shoulders were fashionable at the time.

 

[Macheath]

I have no idea what "extended shoulders" mean. Dall's suit look like plain ol' late 40's suits to me; padded shoulders were fashionable at the time.

There was another thread where there was at least a passing mention of it, but I can't find it now.

It was a sub-discussion about how the trend was narrow shoulders in the 20's, which changed to wider shoulders around the 40's. Someone did use the term "extended shoulders", and I think it might have been Scotrace, but they could have just been talking about the generous shoulder padding that was typical of the time period.

In any case, it would still be nice to know what everyone's take is on the "acceptable" shoulder width.

 

[Feraud]

Not sure about the term "extended shoulders" but jackets have varying amounts of padding in them. Some are more natural than others.

In any case, it would still be nice to know what everyone's take is on the "acceptable" shoulder width.

I am not trying to dodge your question but other people's preferences should not influence what you feel comfortable wearing. Acceptable is what you like and fits you comfortably.

 

[Bird's One View]

The amount of padding, and the amount of extension, are separate issues.

 

[manton]

An extended shoulder is one that extends past your natural shoulderline. It's hard to define precisely because the shoulder is not an angle but a curve. At what point does the shoulder start to "extend" exactly? You could get measured by two different tailors, and one will say your point-to-point is 20" and the other 20.5", and neither will think they are making an extended shoulder coat.

In any event, if your deltoid fills out the upper sleeve to the extent that you can feel the muscle touch the cloth, the shoulder is not extended. Keep in mind that "too tight" is always too tight. If you have trouble moving and/or feel the jacket pull across the back. and/or see horizontal lines in the sleeve cap, it is simply too small.

It has nothing to do with padding or lack thereof. A heavily padded extended shoulder was a hallmark of suits from the late '30s and early '40s, and an unpadded extended shoulder is a hallmark of the "drape" cut. If there is no padding, then an extended shoulder will tend to fall over the delt and look a bit sloppy (or nonchalant, depending on your PoV). Drape coats are made with this in mind, and the shoulders break down with wear over time.