How To Tell If Your Jacket Fits

by Anonymous
(CA)

How can I tell if something fits right or not? I just bought the Nils' Amelia jacket in XL and now I think I should have bought it in Large - but really can't tell.

I have an hourglass figure and live in Southern California so I don't have many jackets and I need some.

I tried to look at where it falls on my shoulders and I think the extra large is right -- but then I think it would be more flattering if it was tighter at the waist... and had less fabric on the back.

I'm so clueless but trying to care more about my appearance.


What a stylish sports jacket! Great choice :-)

I took a look at Nils Amelia jacket item description and it says that the jacket features a 'flare hem' which usually means that it is supposed to be more wide and flared than other regular nipped jackets for women.

If the fit around the waist is loose and quite visible then you might have a thinner waist/torso than most standard XL sized women.

You should try on the jacket in L and if it's a little tight then you're probably a size between XL and L (according to Nils's manufacturer chart. Sizes vary from brand to brand. For example, many have reported that Forever 21 makes clothes a little bigger than the standard chart size. For many a size Small often fits smaller, more like a Extra Small).

If it bothers you send it in to a tailor. A tailor can make it fit on your figure perfectly :-) in this case you should keep the XL to make it easier for him or her to whittle it down compared to too-small jackets that need build-up.

Still figuring out if you should go down or up a size?

How to Know If a Jacket Fits

Sweater Jacket/Macy's

1. The shoulder seam of the jacket should meet with the natural outer edge of your shoulders. But if the seam lies on your arm, then the shoulders are too wide.

Another tell sign is if you can't raise your arms above your head or rotate in a circle, then the shoulder width is too narrow.

2. A sign that the jacket is tight: If you can't run your hand between the jacket and your body when it is half way zippered.

If you can run two hands (on top of each other) then it's too big, so you definitely have to go down a size.

The jacket should be roomy enough to accommodate any extra clothing you will be wearing underneath (in this case if you live in southern California you most likely have to make sure that you can wear a thin shirt or top without the snug fit).

3. To make sure you're wearing the right sleeve length, put both arms out straight in front of you. If the sleeves pull up above your wrists, then they are too short. 3/4 length sleeves should fall half way between your elbow and wrist.

The jacket's sleeves should never reach further than the point where the base of the thumb meets the wrist. If they do, you should go down a size.

Hope this helps!

Kind regards,

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