chris902
Active Member
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- Apr 15, 2008
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I haven't posted here in literally a decade and a half (and I forgot I had an account. Wild that it wasn't deleted), but I used this thread to try to find sizing info on the Spier and MacKay chore coats and while what people have shared was super helpful, I would have loved more details (so much info on their shirts, trousers and tailoring, less so on everything else). Now that I have owned two of them for a bit I thought I'd add some more thoughts to help other people. Keep in mind that I wear them much more like work/streetwear rather than as an alternative to a sport coat.
This post ended up being way too long but my two big takeaways is that these jackets are awesome, but the way they fit and wear in (assuming you wear them hard) makes them casual/work/street wear and not slightly-less-dressy-tailoring and that you probably want to either size up or go true to size. But this is limited to a sample size of two jackets/fabrics.
I am 6'1 and about 190lb. Long torso and slightly shorter than normal arms/legs for my height. I am a 40r jacket but sit kind of weirdly between 38r and 40r as I have a slim chest and arms. I own two of them in different sizes, both from last spring/summer's models. The indigo blue herringbone and the blue linen - I washed and hang dried both of them. I think these thoughts should apply to this year's models and to different fabrics, but I have no way of knowing for sure.
The indigo herringbone is in size large (42) so I can wear layers under it and because I like the slouchier fit. It isn't tight in the chest, even when buttoned, but it also isn't sloppy. It fits pretty straight through the body and there's excellent range of motion even when buttoned. The fit is somewhat closer to a modern work jacket or even a field coat, and depending on the fabric it might even be kind of flowy. It was warm washed/soaked before wear and it shrunk a fair bit horizontally but very little vertically.
The arms are extremely long. Unless I am wearing a very heavy sweater and mittens I always have them folded up in the cuff as they are in this photo. The leap in arm length between medium and large is massive.
Notes on fabric and design:
- The indigo herringbone fabric is extremely nice. It came a fairly dark indigo blue and broke a bit lighter on the one wash/soak, the pattern is hard to see from a distance but clear from up close. It is medium weight (much lighter than most denim jackets but much heavier than almost all denim shirting) and isn't super warm, but it is tightly weaved enough to be very good at blocking the wind (attached photo was on an insanely windy day). It is dense enough to feel very durable but soft enough to be very comfortable. I wear it almost every day for commuting, work, etc. and also use it for gardening, yard work and woodworking.
- Even with the wash and wear it still has a slight sheen to it, particularly in bright sun light.
- The buttons have an annoying spier and mackay text on them but you can't notice it up close. The rivet pattern is a bit weird including on rivet for the inner chest pocket that is almost in the arm pit, but the flat side inside the jacket so you don't feel it.
- I think the jacket will break in extremely well. I think the jacket will wear in extremely well, but it's unclear so far how the indigo will fade, or or how the buttons will age.
- The wrists have a single button (metal, denim style. Nickle, I think) and single button hole.
- Despite the colour and buttons/rivets it usually doesn't look like a jean jacket, in my opinion. The fabric looks softer and less harsh and drapes/moves in a way that is obviously not denim. (Normal human beings may just think it looks like denim, I dunno.)
I have the blue linen in size medium (40) so it is more of the short and stout chore coat look and can also be worn as a layer under other coats. It was cold washed once and hang dried and it shrank a small amount and more-or-less equally both horizontally and vertically.
At size medium it fits much more like a traditional, chopped and square french chore coat (my jeans in this photo are sitting above him hip bone, almost at my waist) but it is not slim by any stretch of the imagination.
As you can see, the cuff on these isn't folded up and it hits just a bit below my wrist bone. The arms length difference between medium and large is massive - this also may be fabric shrinkage and "factory tolerance" related.
A few notes on design and fabric:
- The linen is white on the warp, light greyish blue on the weft. It looks very light and a bit greyish in person, particularly indoors.
- It is a very slubby, uneven fabric with varying yarn thicknesses and lots of imperfections. I like fabric in general, and linen in particular this way, but it may drive some people totally nuts.
- The fabric was very stiff initially but soften up considerably after wearing it a dozen times or so.
- It shed a fair bit of fabric in the pockets during washing, but nothing looks to have weakened the seams.
- The linen is very thick, but the weave is extremely open so it breathes very well. It is a summer weight jacket (or spring/fall if you're somewhere much warmer than the east coast of Canada) that offers minimal warmth.
- If you want that softer, more artist in the studio take on workwear these linen chore coats seem like a good fit, particularly with non-denim pants or shorts.
- Here's a photo of a the difference between the jacket fabric and the fabric from a linen shirt (also from Spier and MacKay, by coincidence). This means that you can wear it with linen shirts without looking like you're wearing a linen shirt on top of you linen shirt.
- The cuffs have one button hole but two buttons so you can adjust the cuff size. The cuff on both jackets is quite pointed, rather that squared or rounded off.
A few general thoughts on sizing/quality:
- Despite what some of the talk in this thread is and how big the listed measurements are, I would not size down in these jackets. That's both because I think chore jackets should fit a bit looser/slouchier with lots of range of movement (and because I think you should wash them) but also because they just don't wear as large as the measurements suggest they will. If you see them as replacement for a tailored sport coat you may have a differing view on this.
- Without taking it to a tailor, I don't think most people can easily get a fit in these that is slim/form fitting without it being extremely short and very tight in the upper arms.
- The quality, design and styling of them is really, really good. Far better than anything else that I have found in a similar price range (particularly when you can grab them on sale). The fabrics are particularly impressive.
- It's hard to tell from the website descriptions and photos but the pocket layout is: 1 outside left patch chest pocket (which sits a bit lower than most jacket or coat pockets), 2 patch hip pockets which are large enough to fit a paper back or gardening tools in, 2 hidden hand-warming pockets located between the body of the jacket and the hip pockets (they are cut straight so you can't reliably put things in them), 1 inside patch chest pocket located on the right hand side, 1 inside hip pocket located on the left side.
- The pocket layout and sizing is dope and I can carry all my **** in there easily. Particularly useful as a dad of a toddler who needs to store a lot of snacks, hair bands, things thrown on the ground, etc. in there. Also great for gardening, working in a shop, etc. Having hand warming pockets to jam my hands in while the main pockets have my stuff in them is also great when its cold.
- The stitching for both inside pockets is slightly visible from the outside due to the lack of lining. This will be more or less obvious depending on the fabric (the riveted ones also have a weird rivet visible from the inside chest pocket)
- The hip pockets both bellow out/sag a bit due to stretching from holding things, the design of the hidden hand warming pockets and because of how it shrinks when washed - the top edge is folded over abut an inch and stitched for durability so it didn't shrink as much as the main body of the jacket. This means it looks worn in and almost a bit sloppy, which I like but you might not. I think this will happen with most of their non-denim fabrics, but that's just a guess.
- The upper arms are loose enough for me to have a lot of movement but I do not have large biceps/triceps. Gym people or husky guys may find them too tight, particularly with layers. Consider sizing up if this is a concern, but you may need to just skip this altogether... don't buy final sale if this is you.
- The sleeve placket open/surgeon's cuffs are too long or cut too wide or something and can sometimes billow out and look a bit weird, even with the cuff folded up. I honestly don't know why I need an opening here, but if it is there the opening should be shorter or there should be an extra button and button hole to keep it closed or something. I am considering just putting a temporary hand-stitch there to keep it closed.
- The website photos make the collars look massive. This is not the case in person, particularly after they're warn and washed. The collars on both of the ones I have are unlined/unfused, and don't have enough rigidity to stand fully up on their own for long (they will stand up reasonably well with a scarf or thick, high necked sweater underneath and the top button done up).
Sorry this is so long! 15 years to make up for in one post, I guess.
This post ended up being way too long but my two big takeaways is that these jackets are awesome, but the way they fit and wear in (assuming you wear them hard) makes them casual/work/street wear and not slightly-less-dressy-tailoring and that you probably want to either size up or go true to size. But this is limited to a sample size of two jackets/fabrics.
I am 6'1 and about 190lb. Long torso and slightly shorter than normal arms/legs for my height. I am a 40r jacket but sit kind of weirdly between 38r and 40r as I have a slim chest and arms. I own two of them in different sizes, both from last spring/summer's models. The indigo blue herringbone and the blue linen - I washed and hang dried both of them. I think these thoughts should apply to this year's models and to different fabrics, but I have no way of knowing for sure.
The indigo herringbone is in size large (42) so I can wear layers under it and because I like the slouchier fit. It isn't tight in the chest, even when buttoned, but it also isn't sloppy. It fits pretty straight through the body and there's excellent range of motion even when buttoned. The fit is somewhat closer to a modern work jacket or even a field coat, and depending on the fabric it might even be kind of flowy. It was warm washed/soaked before wear and it shrunk a fair bit horizontally but very little vertically.
The arms are extremely long. Unless I am wearing a very heavy sweater and mittens I always have them folded up in the cuff as they are in this photo. The leap in arm length between medium and large is massive.
Notes on fabric and design:
- The indigo herringbone fabric is extremely nice. It came a fairly dark indigo blue and broke a bit lighter on the one wash/soak, the pattern is hard to see from a distance but clear from up close. It is medium weight (much lighter than most denim jackets but much heavier than almost all denim shirting) and isn't super warm, but it is tightly weaved enough to be very good at blocking the wind (attached photo was on an insanely windy day). It is dense enough to feel very durable but soft enough to be very comfortable. I wear it almost every day for commuting, work, etc. and also use it for gardening, yard work and woodworking.
- Even with the wash and wear it still has a slight sheen to it, particularly in bright sun light.
- The buttons have an annoying spier and mackay text on them but you can't notice it up close. The rivet pattern is a bit weird including on rivet for the inner chest pocket that is almost in the arm pit, but the flat side inside the jacket so you don't feel it.
- I think the jacket will break in extremely well. I think the jacket will wear in extremely well, but it's unclear so far how the indigo will fade, or or how the buttons will age.
- The wrists have a single button (metal, denim style. Nickle, I think) and single button hole.
- Despite the colour and buttons/rivets it usually doesn't look like a jean jacket, in my opinion. The fabric looks softer and less harsh and drapes/moves in a way that is obviously not denim. (Normal human beings may just think it looks like denim, I dunno.)
I have the blue linen in size medium (40) so it is more of the short and stout chore coat look and can also be worn as a layer under other coats. It was cold washed once and hang dried and it shrank a small amount and more-or-less equally both horizontally and vertically.
At size medium it fits much more like a traditional, chopped and square french chore coat (my jeans in this photo are sitting above him hip bone, almost at my waist) but it is not slim by any stretch of the imagination.
As you can see, the cuff on these isn't folded up and it hits just a bit below my wrist bone. The arms length difference between medium and large is massive - this also may be fabric shrinkage and "factory tolerance" related.
A few notes on design and fabric:
- The linen is white on the warp, light greyish blue on the weft. It looks very light and a bit greyish in person, particularly indoors.
- It is a very slubby, uneven fabric with varying yarn thicknesses and lots of imperfections. I like fabric in general, and linen in particular this way, but it may drive some people totally nuts.
- The fabric was very stiff initially but soften up considerably after wearing it a dozen times or so.
- It shed a fair bit of fabric in the pockets during washing, but nothing looks to have weakened the seams.
- The linen is very thick, but the weave is extremely open so it breathes very well. It is a summer weight jacket (or spring/fall if you're somewhere much warmer than the east coast of Canada) that offers minimal warmth.
- If you want that softer, more artist in the studio take on workwear these linen chore coats seem like a good fit, particularly with non-denim pants or shorts.
- Here's a photo of a the difference between the jacket fabric and the fabric from a linen shirt (also from Spier and MacKay, by coincidence). This means that you can wear it with linen shirts without looking like you're wearing a linen shirt on top of you linen shirt.
- The cuffs have one button hole but two buttons so you can adjust the cuff size. The cuff on both jackets is quite pointed, rather that squared or rounded off.
A few general thoughts on sizing/quality:
- Despite what some of the talk in this thread is and how big the listed measurements are, I would not size down in these jackets. That's both because I think chore jackets should fit a bit looser/slouchier with lots of range of movement (and because I think you should wash them) but also because they just don't wear as large as the measurements suggest they will. If you see them as replacement for a tailored sport coat you may have a differing view on this.
- Without taking it to a tailor, I don't think most people can easily get a fit in these that is slim/form fitting without it being extremely short and very tight in the upper arms.
- The quality, design and styling of them is really, really good. Far better than anything else that I have found in a similar price range (particularly when you can grab them on sale). The fabrics are particularly impressive.
- It's hard to tell from the website descriptions and photos but the pocket layout is: 1 outside left patch chest pocket (which sits a bit lower than most jacket or coat pockets), 2 patch hip pockets which are large enough to fit a paper back or gardening tools in, 2 hidden hand-warming pockets located between the body of the jacket and the hip pockets (they are cut straight so you can't reliably put things in them), 1 inside patch chest pocket located on the right hand side, 1 inside hip pocket located on the left side.
- The pocket layout and sizing is dope and I can carry all my **** in there easily. Particularly useful as a dad of a toddler who needs to store a lot of snacks, hair bands, things thrown on the ground, etc. in there. Also great for gardening, working in a shop, etc. Having hand warming pockets to jam my hands in while the main pockets have my stuff in them is also great when its cold.
- The stitching for both inside pockets is slightly visible from the outside due to the lack of lining. This will be more or less obvious depending on the fabric (the riveted ones also have a weird rivet visible from the inside chest pocket)
- The hip pockets both bellow out/sag a bit due to stretching from holding things, the design of the hidden hand warming pockets and because of how it shrinks when washed - the top edge is folded over abut an inch and stitched for durability so it didn't shrink as much as the main body of the jacket. This means it looks worn in and almost a bit sloppy, which I like but you might not. I think this will happen with most of their non-denim fabrics, but that's just a guess.
- The upper arms are loose enough for me to have a lot of movement but I do not have large biceps/triceps. Gym people or husky guys may find them too tight, particularly with layers. Consider sizing up if this is a concern, but you may need to just skip this altogether... don't buy final sale if this is you.
- The sleeve placket open/surgeon's cuffs are too long or cut too wide or something and can sometimes billow out and look a bit weird, even with the cuff folded up. I honestly don't know why I need an opening here, but if it is there the opening should be shorter or there should be an extra button and button hole to keep it closed or something. I am considering just putting a temporary hand-stitch there to keep it closed.
- The website photos make the collars look massive. This is not the case in person, particularly after they're warn and washed. The collars on both of the ones I have are unlined/unfused, and don't have enough rigidity to stand fully up on their own for long (they will stand up reasonably well with a scarf or thick, high necked sweater underneath and the top button done up).
Sorry this is so long! 15 years to make up for in one post, I guess.
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