Every six months, I forget what it’s like to run the pop-up shops. They’re only four days each (London and New York) but they’re so intense, just talking to people non-stop for eight hours, giving advice and fetching sizes. I don’t know how salespeople do it.
I also find I repeat the same advice again and again. People’s main concern is sizing – usually they understand the product itself, but they want to come in and check the size. So I repeat the same things about sizing up or down, what I wear personally, and when the choice is about style rather than being right or wrong.
I thought it would be helpful to write all of this advice down while it’s still fresh in my mind. Some of it is already on the shop pages of the various products, but not all. And it will be useful to have it all collected in one place.
If you have any other questions that you think I haven’t answered here, please do ask and I’ll include the answers. As ever, PS pieces never get old. They just mature.
For reference, I am six foot (183cm) tall, with a 39-inch (99cm) chest and am relatively slim (34 inch/86cm waist). Manish, the other person pictured, is wearing the same size as me.
Size I take: 4 (Medium)
The Donegal coat – our take on a classic raglan-shouldered overcoat – is designed to flow and drape. It’s worse to have it too tight than too loose. If readers are between sizes, I advise them to size up, especially as it’s easy to shorten the sleeves or the body, but pretty much impossible to reduce the shoulders.
Having said that, I often find people can wear two sizes. One will be a more traditional cut – looser, can be thrown over anything – and the other will be contemporary, cleaner and neater. It’s a style choice. I’d still say size up if in doubt, and I’m a solid 4 (a 5 is OK but a little too much towards big and loose) but remember there is a style element here as well.
Size in take: 4 (Medium)
The English Tweed coat is modelled off a 1980s belted DB, and is meant to be loose and low slung. A different style to the Donegals, but the advice is similar: if between sizes, size up. You want it to feel roomy, to be able to layer big knits, and be able to button up under the chin.
Interestingly, I can wear a 5 in this. The reason is that the waist can be cinched, unlike the Donegal, so even if it’s roomy on the shoulders, it doesn’t have to be that much bigger in the waist.
Size I take: 4 (Medium)
This is probably the most straightforward of the coats. Anyone around my chest size, who would wear a 40-inch jacket (50 in European sizing) will be a 4/Medium, and then each size up is equivalent to two inches (42 is Large, 44 X-Large and so on).
The only complication with the Wax Walker is that you have a removable flannel liner, which you will sometimes use, sometimes not. If you find the jacket a little snug with the liner in, that’s OK, as some of the time you’ll take it out.
Also, like the English Tweed, the waist can be cinched (this time with an internal cord), so you can use that to make the coat a little smaller when you take the liner out – or wear it with a knit rather than a jacket. In the shop, people rarely realise this and we also make them try it cinched and uncinched.
Size I take: 5 (Large)
And this one is the hardest to fit. Basically, the Bridge Coat can look amazing because it is made with a slim waist and wide shoulders; if you’re slim it works really well. But if you’re not it can be tricky.
Most of the time we advise people to size up, and I do these days. I used to be able to get into a 4, and that’s what the original photos show, but I’m a little bigger now and prefer a little more space as well. Check the measurements, as always, but you’ll probably want a size up from your other coats.
Size I take: Medium/38
This is the opposite shape to the Bridge Coat: slightly narrow in the shoulders, big and A-line in the body. The mistake people often make in the pop-up shop, is they don’t use the belt to cinch the waist in the back. This is how you give the coat shape, and give it that lovely flattering silhouette.
Even with this cinch, I effectively size down, taking a 38, but we call this the Medium in order to align the sizes across the shop. The only reason I would say there is to size up, is if you will be only wearing it over a tailored jacket or suit.
Size I take: 4 (Medium)
The Court Jacket is a bomber or blouson-style shape. This means it’s big in the chest but gathered tight at the waist. So you get a great silhouette and lots of freedom of movement in the upper body.
The chest measurement looks large as as result, but that size in the medium is the intended style for someone of my size. Go up two inches for every size, roughly, as with the other coats.
Size I take: 4 (Medium)
This is another one where style is a factor. The traditional bomber jacket (and later the Valstarino and other flight jacket-inspired styles) was big in the body, to go over everything and allow layering. This is the style I prefer today, and I wear a Medium as a result.
But, the Valstarino jacket was most popular as a slim fit – something that was much cleaner than the traditional style. This is what I used to wear, 10 years ago, in that jacket, and for that look Small is the size. To try and illustrate this difference, the launch article had shots of me wearing both.
Size I take: Large
On to knitwear. This wardrobe classic has a fairly slim body and it’s not the kind of thing you want to be clingy, especially if you ever want to wear it over a shirt. So despite me being pictured in all the launch articles wearing a Medium, I actually wear a Large now.
Interestingly, historically I think a Medium would have been fine for me and it would have been the look I wanted – as with the slim Valstarino point above. It’s not a huge difference, but it’s a style choice between really showing how slim you are in the body, and emphasising the face, the shoulders, with comfort elsewhere. Fortunately these trends take about 20 years to change in menswear.
Size I take: Large
This is more straightforward, as I’ve always suggested a Large in these for me. They came up a little small when we made them – perhaps because of that double-thick cashmere – and I think they’re nicest when they’re comfy and roomy. So I take a Large and that’s definitely the right size.
Interestingly, another thing I say all the time in the pop-up shop is that this is the one PS piece that I think can go with everything from jogging bottoms to tailored trousers at the office. And actually smarten up most people’s office clothing as well. It’s the king of versatility. The only other piece that does anything like it is the cream/black Donegal.
The Indulgent Shawl-Collar Cardigan
Size I take: Medium
Few people appreciate how indulgent this one is until they try it on. You just want to wrap yourself up in it and fall asleep in the corner. Yet it’s not densely knitted, so it’s not that heavy.
I’ve included pictures of me wearing this in both a Medium and a Small, and both are OK. I think the biggest issue for most people is actually length (body and sleeves) rather than body. Don’t worry too much about the body fit, just make sure the sleeves and body aren’t too long on you when deciding between two sizes. It’s long already, and will grow a little bit rather than get any smaller.
Size I take: Medium
So, the question everyone always asks with the shirts is, do they all fit the same? Yes, they are made to fit the same, but the oxfords are the only ones with some shrinkage, so they are cut initially a little bit larger. After a couple of washes, they will be the same size as the Denims and the Chambray.
The steps between the sizes are fairly large, so we can cater to a lot of people across only four sizes. The fit is also relatively slim. My key piece of advice to everyone is, get the fit you like in the collar, the shoulders and the chest. Because everything from the armpit down can be easily altered by a tailor – using darts or by changing the side seams.
It’s not ideal to have to alter RTW things, but if you’re as attentive to fit as most PS readers are, no RTW is going to be perfect. And just like altering a RTW suit, it’s a small change for a big difference. We have ‘clothing resources’ articles on London and New York with lists of places we recommend for alterations.
