How to measure a leather jacket
Every jacket on this site is a single garment. There is one of it, in one size, and no restock behind it. That means you cannot order two sizes and send one back, so the measurements matter more here than they do in a normal shop.
This page explains exactly how we take them, and how to check a jacket against one you already own before you buy.
Why we measure flat, and ignore the label
The size sewn into a vintage jacket tells you very little. Sizing has drifted over decades, it was never consistent between countries, and a jacket that was labelled a 42 in 1985 will not match a 42 bought today. Labels also fade, tear out, or belong to a maker nobody can look up.
So we ignore the label. Every jacket is laid flat, zipped or buttoned closed, smoothed out but not stretched, and measured with a tape at our Doncaster office. Those numbers go on the listing. They describe the garment in front of us rather than the intention of whoever made it.
The five measurements on every listing
Chest, pit to pit
Taken straight across the jacket from one armpit seam to the other, with the jacket flat and closed. This is the single most useful number and it is the one we derive the size from.
Note that it is a flat measurement, not a circumference. If you want the number people usually mean by chest size, double it. A jacket that measures 22 inches pit to pit has a 44 inch chest measured around.
Shoulder
Across the back, from the seam where one sleeve joins the body to the same seam on the other side.
Shoulder is the measurement to respect most on leather. A jacket that is slightly generous in the body still looks right. A jacket whose shoulder seams sit halfway down your upper arm never does, and unlike cloth, leather will not settle into place with wear.
Sleeve
From the shoulder seam to the end of the cuff, along the outside of the arm.
Length
From the base of the collar at the back, straight down to the hem.
Waist
Straight across the hem or the waistband, flat. On a bomber or a harrington this is the ribbed or elasticated band, which will stretch further than the number suggests. On a straight-hem jacket it will not.
How to check it against a jacket you already own
This is the most reliable thing you can do, and it takes two minutes.
- Find a jacket in your wardrobe that fits you the way you want this one to fit. Not your tightest, not your loosest. The one you reach for.
- Lay it flat on a bed or a table. Close the zip. Smooth it out without pulling.
- Measure straight across from armpit seam to armpit seam.
- Compare that number to the pit to pit on the listing.
Within an inch either way, it will fit much like your own jacket does. Two inches larger will feel roomy and will layer over a jumper. Two inches smaller will feel close-fitting and may not close comfortably over anything thick.
Do the same with the shoulder measurement if you are between sizes. Shoulder decides it.
How we turn measurements into a size
The size shown on each listing is derived from the pit to pit measurement, not from the label. These are the thresholds we use.
| Pit to pit | Size shown | Chest, measured around |
|---|---|---|
| 17 inches or less | XS | up to 34 inches |
| 18 to 19 inches | S | 36 to 38 inches |
| 20 to 21 inches | M | 40 to 42 inches |
| 22 to 23 inches | L | 44 to 46 inches |
| 24 to 25 inches | XL | 48 to 50 inches |
| 26 inches or more | XXL | 52 inches and up |
The size is a shorthand to help you filter. The measurement is the fact. If the two ever seem to disagree, trust the measurement.
Three things worth knowing about leather specifically
It gives, but only a little, and only where you use it. Leather softens and moulds with wear across the shoulders and elbows. It does not gain inches across the chest. Do not buy a jacket that does not close now on the assumption it will later.
Older cuts are usually shorter and boxier. A vintage jacket in your usual size will often sit higher on the hip and wider through the body than a modern one. That is the cut, not a mistake.
Lined jackets fit smaller than they measure. A quilted or wool lining takes up room that a plain lining does not. If a jacket is heavily lined and you plan to wear a jumper under it, size up.
If you are still unsure
Message us before you buy. Tell us the pit to pit of a jacket that fits you and which listing you are looking at, and we will tell you honestly whether it will work. We would rather talk you out of the wrong jacket than take the order and have it come back.
Every jacket is graded for condition. Delivery within the UK is free, and orders are packed and posted within 3 working days.