What's the average size jacket for men?

[greenc]

Hi everyone,

Hope the weekend's been good to you all.

I did a Google search on this and didn't necessarily appreciate the answer, thought I'd post it here. I'm a size 36 so I don't count, but can anyone tell me the average size for a men's jacket?

I don't believe there's any imperial evidence to support an answer so I'm looking for anecdotal thoughts and what ya'll have gleaned from time spent here.

My guess is 40-42 is probably gonna cover a lot of us, however, again I'm a size 36, and I've seen jackets traded up to the top end outlier of 52.

Is size 44 that large? I have a hard time wrapping my head around a shoulder measurement greater than 18-inches (I'm 17-in/43cm myself), or a chest measurement bigger than 20-in. I just swim in anything bigger than a 36.

Bearing in mind a North American or Western European market, what do ya'll think?

Thanks much, speak soon.

CG

 

[bigmanbigtruck]

I'd say you've got the right idea that in North America or Western Europe that the average is somewhere around 42. I'd consider 44 to be a relatively common size as well. Depending on the cut, I could work with either.

I've got family that have worked in the clothing industry and based on the orders they've worked with, 40-42 tend to be the chest size used as the basis for producing garments for those markets.

Is size 44 that large? I have a hard time wrapping my head around a shoulder measurement greater than 18-inches (I'm 17-in/43cm myself), or a chest measurement bigger than 20-in. I just swim in anything bigger than a 36.

I'm not sure where exactly your question is coming from... size 44 could be considered L-XL. Are you asking if as someone who wears size 36, could you get away with a jacket made for someone with a 44 chest? Unless you want a super baggy look, definitely not.

 

[Zoro]

Technically, I would say size M. The caveat is that size M varies country to country. Look at the tag of this vintage football (soccer) jersey:

I've chosen it because it clearly shows different sizing as per continent, but it is very common to find a tag like this on basically any clothes nowadays. This one claims a UK/USA/EU M is L in Asia. So as said it varies country to country, but the reality is it also varies brand to brand. I've seen tshirts being considered a US size down from the EU.

As recent as a few days ago, I was looking into getting tshirts from some JP brands just to see if they are worth the extra price and after measuring one of my M tshirts, I was recommended to buy the JP ones in XL or **L depending on the brand. So it doesn't even universally align at all!

Anyway, we're talking about jackets and it is basically the same chaos. I have a 111cm chest (~43" in freedom units) which I believe is bigger than EU average and I wear M in most brands to get a slim fit. From what I've seen, when there's a conversion from M to a numerical value, it is usually 40 or 42. But when we go from jackets to leather jackets, I seem to need a (US) 44. Same with a suit blazer, where I need a EU 54 (aka US 44?). Why? Well, I guess because not all materials are equally forgiving. I can wear a 42 leather jacket but then I cannot layer and I am even a bit restricted in movement.

But I was mentioning that brands can have different measurements. As per what I've read around here, US made jackets in a 44 are meant to fit someone with a 44 inches chest, meanwhile JP made jackets in a 44 are meant to be a jacket that's 44" in the garment's chest rather than the wearer's. This makes it that someone with a 44 chest would need to wear a JP 46 instead. Or in my Chinese leather jacket, where, instead of a size M I wear a **XL (yes, not double but triple X!).

Then what about different models and different patterns within the same brand? Now's when you might want to pull out your hairs one by one and reach across your screen to slap me. I've never worn a Vanson C2, but from what I've read, it sizes bigger than a Model E, so while the Model E fits great in a 44, I might likely be better off with a 42 if I wore a C2. And don't even get me started with Aero, their relaxed fit, 1930s, 1950s, slim fit, trim fit and the numbers game from one of their jackets to another, where one might fit me in a 40 and another one in a 44!!

Anyway, I've lost track of things. What were we talking about?

 

[greenc]

Technically, I would say size M. The caveat is that size M varies country to country. Look at the tag of this vintage football (soccer) jersey:

View attachment 725110

I've chosen it because it clearly shows different sizing as per continent, but it is very common to find a tag like this on basically any clothes nowadays. This one claims a UK/USA/EU M is L in Asia. So as said it varies country to country, but the reality is it also varies brand to brand. I've seen tshirts being considered a US size down from the EU.

As recent as a few days ago, I was looking into getting tshirts from some JP brands just to see if they are worth the extra price and after measuring one of my M tshirts, I was recommended to buy the JP ones in XL or **L depending on the brand. So it doesn't even universally align at all!

Anyway, we're talking about jackets and it is basically the same chaos. I have a 111cm chest (~43" in freedom units) which I believe is bigger than EU average and I wear M in most brands to get a slim fit. From what I've seen, when there's a conversion from M to a numerical value, it is usually 40 or 42. But when we go from jackets to leather jackets, I seem to need a (US) 44. Same with a suit blazer, where I need a EU 54 (aka US 44?). Why? Well, I guess because not all materials are equally forgiving. I can wear a 42 leather jacket but then I cannot layer and I am even a bit restricted in movement.

But I was mentioning that brands can have different measurements. As per what I've read around here, US made jackets in a 44 are meant to fit someone with a 44 inches chest, meanwhile JP made jackets in a 44 are meant to be a jacket that's 44" in the garment's chest rather than the wearer's. This makes it that someone with a 44 chest would need to wear a JP 46 instead. Or in my Chinese leather jacket, where, instead of a size M I wear a **XL (yes, not double but triple X!).

Then what about different models and different patterns within the same brand? Now's when you might want to pull out your hairs one by one and reach across your screen to slap me. I've never worn a Vanson C2, but from what I've read, it sizes bigger than a Model E, so while the Model E fits great in a 44, I might likely be better off with a 42 if I wore a C2. And don't even get me started with Aero, their relaxed fit, 1930s, 1950s, slim fit, trim fit and the numbers game from one of their jackets to another, where one might fit me in a 40 and another one in a 44!!

Anyway, I've lost track of things. What were we talking about?

Well said @Zoro, the sizing can be maddening at times.

I've been told that Freewheelers run big in the shoulders and it's my experience with RMC that they seem true to the tag. It's the sleeve length as well that I find tricky - I like the sleeve to hit at the end of my wrist before it starts to drape across the back of my hand, which means that I'm hesitant to try a C2 because every photo I see the sleeves seem quite long.

And then there's the long versions of some jackets where the hem sits lower on the hip, which is likely ideal for riding as it gives more coverage in the back but maybe not so comfortable for just kicking around town unless you have a torso that's a bit longer as well.

Really all of this started @bigmanbigtruck because about two weeks ago someone posted in Finds and Deals a vintage Double Riders on Yahoo.jp. The leather looked good so I followed the action for a while before I realized it was a size 50, if memory serves. It sat at a couple hundred dollars for about five days and then all of a sudden on the last day of the auction it shot to north of $700 USD, and all of that got me thinking about what sizes are most popular or rather in demand.

I know men and women that would look terrific in an oversized leather jacket but that isn't me - I just can't pull off anything that's not a slim fit. Even a 38 most of the time looks like I'm wearing my older brother's jacket. For my size I have broad shoulders but a more narrow waist so if it's not fitted it just dwarfs me.

And that took me to eBay where I'm seeing 34s, some 36s, a 38 or two but not really the number of 40 - 44s that I would expect. Part of that might be me searching for Japanese brands, which pulls up item listed on Yahoo.jp but the whole combination got me wondering what the average size was.

What was the question indeed.

 

[Zoro]

I know men and women that would look terrific in an oversized leather jacket but that isn't me - I just can't pull off anything that's not a slim fit

The problem with oversized is that wearing a size bigger may not cut it. Best oversized clothes are made precisely to fit someone a certain size and look oversized, not simply wear a bigger size than you should.

For my size I have broad shoulders but a more narrow waist so if it's not fitted it just dwarfs me.

Same, but it is only a problem for me with blazers, as I could fit a smaller size even despite having a dadbod belly.

And that took me to eBay where I'm seeing 34s, some 36s, a 38 or two but not really the number of 40 - 44s that I would expect

If you're not doing it already, check where the jackets are from and limit your queries to your country/continent. Ebay is flooded with jackets from JP by sellers that are middlemen between you and a real seller from a JP marketplace.

 

[jchance]

The average size jacket is not useful but I’d say the median size jacket for USA is a 42. That’s in between a Large or XLarge.

 

[Doctor Death]

I would think the average jacket size would be a "medium", right? Which would be number size 38-40 in the USA. The average man in the U.S. is about 5'9" tall. Weight would be even more varied but I think it's somewhere in the 150-155 lb range. And typically a man that size would wear a medium for jackets or shirts.

 

[Doctor Death]

For my size I have broad shoulders but a more narrow waist so if it's not fitted it just dwarfs me.

Yeah, you'd need an "athletic" cut. That can make it tough to get the fit right for a lot of jackets. Have you tried CHP jackets with lacing on the sides to adjust the fit at the waist?

 

[Monitor]

Vast majority of brands will create most pieces within any given line in sizes between 40 to 44.

I read an interesting article years ago, how many 42's will go through their entire lives fully convinced that 44 is their size, feeling extremely uncomfortable wearing their actual size. What's really curious is that this conviction exponentially decreases with larger size numbers.

 

[greenc]

I used to be a factual television producer and whenever we did recreations we had to hire union actors - we'd ask their sizes so wardrobe could supply the clothes but then we'd have to cut the size tags out, because if the tag said size 34 waist and the actor was convinced he was still a 32 he wouldn't put the pants on. Amazing.