Fit Compromises in eBay jackets

[willyto]

Is there another way to do it?

The measurement sometimes might be right but the thing is that taking the pit to pit and making it double doesn't give you the size of the jacket. Some people put 20" pit to pit as a size 40 because it is 40" doubled but the size is actually smaller.

 

[Grayland]

The measurement sometimes might be right but the thing is that taking the pit to pit and making it double doesn't give you the size of the jacket. Some people put 20" pit to pit as a size 40 because it is 40" doubled but the size is actually smaller.

I see. Yes, the stated size really doesn't mean much at all. The measurements are everything.

 

[tblay]

There's also the problem of sellers subjectively deciding that their measurements equal a size S, M, L, etc.

 

[tblay]

A gamble usually but quite a lot of fun (& sometimes disappointment)

Definitely. If I had more expendable income, I'd take more chances.

 

[ProteinNerd]

Is there another way to do it?

These days (from what I understand) a size 40 jacket is usually 20 pit to pit plus 4 inches, thus actual measurement of 22 inches.

I'm under the impression that some vintage jackets don't include the additional 4 inches and therefore a vintage fit for the above jacket would be labelled a 44?

Just go by the measurements.

 

[TREEMAN]

An Aero cafe that was for sale here had a pit to pit of 21" in size 42. A Vanson in size 42 had a pit to pit of 23". Different makers have different cuts.

 

[nick123]

Sometimes an indication of a potentially botched measuring job is found in the listing itself. If the grammar is bad or the listing looks rushed (one or two sentences), I'll assume the seller put just as much time and effort into measuring the jacket. Run away!

 

[Doctor Damage]

An Aero cafe that was for sale here had a pit to pit of 21" in size 42. A Vanson in size 42 had a pit to pit of 23". Different makers have different cuts.

And things have changed over time: a size 42 jacket from 1942 fits much differently than a size 42 jacket from 2016, even though the chest measurement might be similar. One simply has to look at enough old black and white photos to see that the 'average' Joe's body morphology has changed over time.

 

[ProteinNerd]

Sometimes an indication of a potentially botched measuring job is found in the listing itself. If the grammar is bad or the listing looks rushed (one or two sentences), I'll assume the seller put just as much time and effort into measuring the jacket. Run away!

The best are the listings with just one absolutely horrendous grainy picture with the jacket hanging awkwardly on a thin clothes hangar......yeah I bet they really looked after the jacket and took time to measure it properly and its really worth with the $1900 lol