How Should A Sport Coat Fit?

Want to learn how a sport coat should fit? You’ve come to the right place!

In this complete guide, you’re going to learn the secrets to sizing a sport coat to perfection. This is important not just because you’ll feel more comfortable in a jacket that fits just right – but also because you’ll look better, too! Trust us – an excessively baggy or tight-fitting jacket can detract from your entire outfit, and put off a sense of unkemptness.

With typical off-the-rack shopping, it is not easy to find a perfect fitting sport coat. That’s why if you truly want to dress to impress, you need to go custom. That will allow you to tweak your jacket to fit your unique body – including the:

• Coat length
• Coat body
• Sleeve length
• Shoulder seams & collar
• And more

In this article, you’ll learn how to size each of these aspects to perfection. But that’s not all. You’ll learn the differences between a sport coat and other jacket styles, the advantages of going custom, and more. If you already own a sport coat, we’ll help you determine if it fits you well or if you’re due for an upgrade too. Let’s begin!

What Exactly Is A Sport Coat?

First things first – what exactly is a sport coat? If you ask different people, you may get different answers. We also see many men using terms like blazer and suit jacket interchangeably with sport coat. Not to be confused with these other styles, the sport coat is its own unique style.

These originated in the 19th century, used by gentlemen in outdoor sports such as hunting and fishing. But today, you see this type of coat as the premier choice for those looking to dress professionally in more casual environments. The sport coat offers a great balance along the spectrum of style. Here are some of the unique identifiers of the sport coat that you can look for to differentiate between other styles:

• Patterned fabrics, typically paired with solid color pants (made from a different fabric, too)
• Varying weights/textures available for different times of the year
• Highly versatile – pair the sport coat with a tie and some slacks or dress it down with some nice jeans.

All this considered, you can see why sport coats are such a great addition to any wardrobe. They offer versatility that other styles – like the blazer or suit jacket – just can’t match.

Why Learning How A Sport Coat Should Fit Is So Important

Now that you know a bit more about this type of coat, what makes sizing so important? Why can’t you just grab any coat off the rack as long as the sizing is close enough? You certainly can – if you don’t care about the way you look. But we have a feeling that if you’re here reading this article you recognize the message your appearance sends to those around you.

Men who go the extra mile to ensure their clothing fits well are generally regarded as more professional, more “put together” than those who wear quality clothes – that don’t fit well. A loose, baggy coat looks lazy and unprofessional. The same is true of a coat that you are bursting out of because it’s too tight. If you really want to dress to impress, it’s not so much about the specific garments themselves – it’s how they fit your body. So with that said, let’s explain how a sport coat should fit – starting with how you can tell if yours fits poorl.

How Can I Tell If My Sport Coat Fits Poorly?

If you already own a sport coat, you might be wondering – how can I tell if my sport coat fits poorly? It’s actually pretty simple. Put it on – wearing the clothing underneath that you would typically wear. This can be a nice dress shirt and a tie or something more casual. Then, head over to the mirror. Here is what you need to look for:

• Look for loose, bunching fabric around the shoulders, midsection, and along the sleeves. Your sport coat should fall nice and even – if you see bunching, it’s a sign you are due for an upgrade.
• Look for a gap at the collar. If you see a collar gap between the coat and your shirt underneath, your collar needs resizing.
• Look for divots at the shoulder. If you see an indent right at the top of your shoulder hole where your arms start, the coat is too big.

Along with these specific indicators, you can usually just trust your gut. If you look in the mirror and think your coat’s fit leaves a little to be desired, chances are, you’re right. If it looks like your fabric is pulling or stretching in any direction, the sport coat is too small. If it looks like any extra fabric is bunching up anywhere on the coat, chances are, it’s too big.

To help you eliminate this issue going forward, we’re going to answer one of the most common questions we get: how should a sport coat fit?

So, How Should A Sport Coat Fit?

So, how should a sport coat fit? It’s not rocket science – but if you don’t know what to look for, it can get tricky. Worry not – we’re going to break down the main aspects of perfect sport coat sizing: the length and body of your coat, the sleeves, the shoulders, and the collar.

Sizing Sport Coat Length

First and foremost, how long should a sport coat be? The correct answer depends on your unique height and proportions.

The answer isn’t one size fits all – gentlemen over 6′ will look best with a sport coat that falls just below the crotch. Get out your tape measure and find the length from the highest point of your shoulders down to where your fly ends.

Those under 6′ will look best with a slightly shorter jacket. Instead of the lower crotch (bottom of the fly), size your coat to end at the halfway point of your crotch/fly. Another easy way to size the sport coat length is by looking at where your watch sits with your arms at your sides.

You may be thinking to yourself – length can’t be that important, can’t I just have a tailor adjust the coat after the fact? However, this is not as easy as it sounds. Messing with the length after the fact brings the risk of altering the proportions of your coat and looking “off”. So, nail down the length the first time around!

Sizing The Sport Coat Body

Sizing the sport coat body is one of the most simple elements of getting the perfect fit. You’ll need to know two important pieces of information: your chest measurements and your shoulder measurements. Let’s start by explaining how you can get the perfect chest measurement.

Get a tape measure and wrap it around the fullest, widest part of your chest. This is much easier if you have someone to help you. The tape measure should cover your shoulder blades, too, for an accurate measurement. Say you find your chest is 38″ – that is the jacket size you should go with. Most garments are available in inch sizing to help you get as close a fit as possible – avoid garments labeled as either small, medium, or large. These accommodate a wider range of sizes – meaning they are less likely to fit your body perfectly.

Next comes sizing your shoulders. this is perhaps the trickiest element of perfect sizing. And unfortunately, it’s also one of the most important sizing elements to nail down. Making alterations after the fact is difficult and expensive. So, pay close attention:

Get started by standing in front of the mirror. With somebody’s help, get the size from your neck line (where your collar will start) to the end of your shoulder – where your arm begins to go down. Your goal is for your jacket to perfectly follow your shoulders, with the seam ending right where your shoulder ends. If you oversize this measurement, you’ll end up with bunching fabric and shoulder divots. If you undersize this measurement, you’ll end up with fabric pulling. Neither of these is ideal. When in doubt, consult a tailor.

What About The Body/Button Closure?

You can wear your sport coat buttoned or unbuttoned. But, most men prefer an open sport coat. This gives a smarter, more casual look. Nevertheless, there will be times you want to button of your coat. And if you don’t size the closure correctly, you’ll either end up with excess fabric in your midsection (too big) or the dreaded “X” look as the seams of your coat are stretched to the limit and your buttons are at risk of popping off.

Your goal should be to be able to close the jacket without much strain – but you should feel some very slight pull. This will ensure you don’t have too much extra fabric laying around. Fortunately, this is pretty easy to alter after the fact – and if you go custom, your tailor will help you nail this down the first go around anyway.

Sizing The Sport Coat Sleeves

Now comes sizing the jacket sleeves length. How long should the sport coat sleeves be? Similar to sizing other suit jacket or coat styles, you want the sleeves to end in the perfect place. In our opinion, that means some of your shirt cuff should extend out of the jacket sleeve. But not too much – if the coat sleeves are too short, you’ll look a bit silly. It’s a fine line between too long and too short – where is the sweet spot?

Your goal should be for just a centimeter of your shirt cuff to extend out of your sport coat sleeves. To find this sweet spot, put on a well-fitting dress shirt and stand with your arms straight at your side. Then, you can get out your measuring tape and subtract 1 centimeter off the length of your shirt sleeve – simple as that. Keep in mind that for this sizing tactic to work, your dress shirt needs to fit well. For more information, read our guide on how dress shirts should fit.

In terms of the width of your sleeves (the armholes), go for a comfortable fit. This should be pretty neutral – you don’t want it hugging your arms as some suit jackets do. But, you don’t want it baggy either.

Sizing The Sport Coat Collar

Sizing the sport coat collar isn’t as difficult as sizing the collar on a dress shirt – but it is still an important consideration. Your goal is to prevent any sort of gap between your jacket collar and shirt collar – this is evidence of an oversized jacket. But, you don’t want the collar of your jacket suffocating you either. If you follow the advice we’ve shared throughout this article – going custom – your tailor will help you get the perfect sport coat collar.

How Should A Sport Coat Fit? Closing Thoughts

So, how should a sport coat fit? You now know all there is to getting the perfect sizing nailed down. As you can see, there are quite a few different elements to how a sport coat should fit. It’s not easy to get this right if you try and take your measurements and size your coat alone. And if you shop off the rack, it’s virtually impossible.

That’s why our best advice in terms of how to get a perfect fitting sport coat – or any garment for that matter – is to go custom. Sure, it’s a bit more expensive than traditional shopping. But when you earn the reputation as a well-dressed man who impresses each and every time he leaves the house? It’ll be worth it. What price tag can you put on the sense of confidence a perfect outfit gives you?

So, shop at Black Lapel for the best custom sport coats online. In just minutes, we can help you size your coat to perfection and bring it to life. You’ll never go back to traditional garments again – trust us. And if we don’t get that perfect fit the first go around? We’ll make alterations for you on the house. That’s how confident we are in what we do.

Sport coats aren’t all we offer either. We can help you upgrade your whole wardrobe with custom-made pants for men, Italian wool suits, custom denim jeans – and everything in between. Our garments aren’t just built to fit your body – but your lifestyle. That means we’re here to help you navigate workplace dress codes or your after-work wardrobe.

So, get started today! Or, if you want to learn about sizing other coat styles – check out our related article on how an overcoat should fit.

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