How to Get a Stylish and Fashionable Look While Sizing Out
Menswear may be one of the lesser-researched fields of fashion, but that doesn’t mean that you can’t learn anything new. As many of you know, sizing and fit in menswear are not as consistent as in womenswear. For example, you can find a lot of different fits in menswear. Some brands may offer their fit right on the homepage, while others may not. Because of this inconsistency, we want to assist you in understanding how to read a menswear size chart. We’ll break down menswear sizing and fit so that you can confidently shop for your best fit at home.
When it comes to sizing and fit, there are two main types of menswear: classic and contemporary. Classic menswear is more about what fits our 90s memories of men’s formal wear. A standard jacket length, for example is about 48 inches. By contrast, contemporary fits tend to be more of a women’s fit. A typical jacket length, for example is about 43 inches. Both the classic and modern fits are referred to as slim-fitting. However, the traditional cut in classic menswear appears slimmer while the slim amount in contemporary menswear tends to be just a bit more tapered.
There are two main types of sizing in classic menswear: JN and LL. The JN also referred to as a junior’s or youth fit, features a straight cut from the shoulders that tapers at the waist and features an asymmetric hemline, with one side being longer than the other (for example, whereas one sleeve maybe 27 inches long one sleeve maybe 30 inches long). The LL refers to a standard or regular fit and features straight cuts from the shoulders that taper at the waist and feature symmetric hemlines with no asymmetry (for example, both sleeves may be 27 inches long). These types of fits are commonly found on shirts made by APC and RRL and by some brands such as Off-White and Gucci. Because of its absence on some menswear websites, we will refer to this style as SS since there are no “s” in JN – this was more common when many menswear websites first started using it.
