On October 3rd, 2023, we made changes to how we applied adjustments for shirt shoulder slope as well as the height of the shirt yoke. This page explains how those changes work.
Legacy Shoulder Slope and Yoke Height (Prior to October 3, 2023)
Shirt Shoulder Slope Adjustment Method
Prior to October 3rd, the shirt shoulder slope adjustment would raise (square) or lower (sloping) the top of the shoulder where the shoulder seam meets the top of the sleeve. This changed the slope of the shoulder line from the back of collar to the top of sleeve. However, with this legacy adjustment method the bottom of the armhole did not move.
Since the bottom of the armpit was not moving with the top of the shoulder, and the total circumference of the armhole was not being changed, when a legacy shoulder slope setting was applied the armhole would compress or stretch vertically. For a sloped shoulder adjustment this would make for a wider, shorter armhole shape.
Not moving the bottom of the armpits with a shoulder slope adjustment had advantages because it meant that the chest-point of the shirt didn’t move up or down (for example, lowering the chest-point of the shirt can cause the shirt to feel looser, even though the chest width is not changing, which can be unexpected and confusing).
Overall, this legacy method kept the shoulder slope adjustment isolated to the top of the shoulders, simple to understand, and worked well for small adjustments. However, for larger slope adjustments, we found that this compression of the armhole shape was causing the adjustment to be less effective or cause other unintended consequences. Furthermore, not lowering the armpit height left tightness in the armpit for customers with very sloping shoulders.
Shirt Shoulder Slope Options
Prior to October 3, 2023 the shoulder slope options were titled: Very Very Square Shoulders, Very Square Shoulders, Square Shoulders, Standard, Sloping Shoulders, Very Sloping Shoulders, and Very Very Sloping Shoulders.
Legacy Shirt Yoke Height
Prior to October 3, 2023 the shirt yoke measured 2.5” inches at the center height from back of collar to bottom of yoke.
New Shoulder Slope and Yoke Height (Effective October 3, 2023)
Shirt Shoulder Slope Adjustment Method
The new method for applying the shirt shoulder slope adjustment changes the angle of the shoulder seam, raising or lowering the top of the shoulder point, as well as raising or lowering the bottom of the armpit. With this new method, the overall shape of the armhole does not change.
Additionally, with this new method of adjustment, the chest point of the shirt (measured from armpit to armpit) will move up or down with the shoulder slope, lowering on the body with a Lowered Shoulders adjustment and rising on the body with a Raised Shoulders adjustment.
New Shirt Yoke Height
With the updates made on October 3, 2023, the shirt yoke height is increased from 2.5” to 3.25”. The taller yoke makes for a slightly different look at the back of the shirt but will not impact the fit of the shirt. This change will be applied to all shirts ordered after October 3, 2023 (regardless of shoulder slope).
New Shirt Shoulder Options
As of October 3rd, 2023 the Shoulder Slope options will have new names, designed to better describe what change is being made to the shirt pattern. These new options are: Raised Shoulders +0.4”, Raised Shoulders +0.2”, Standard, Lowered Shoulders -0.2″, Lowered Shoulders -0.6”, and Lowered Shoulders -1.0”. The measurement component of these names indicates how much the armhole is being raised or lowered relative to Standard.
Updating from Legacy to New Shoulder Slope Options
To simplify and streamline the customer experience, we have automatically updated all saved sizes and order histories that had legacy Shoulder Slope settings to the best match of our new Shoulder Slope settings. How we have mapped the legacy to new options is detailed in this table below. Because the new adjustment is applied differently, it is not an exact apples-to-apples mapping, and in some cases, multiple legacy options are being assigned the same new setting.
| Legacy Shoulder Slope Setting | Corresponding New Shoulder Slope Setting |
|---|---|
| Very Very Square Shoulders | Raised Shoulders +0.4” |
| Very Square Shoulders | Raised Shoulders +0.4” |
| Square Shoulders | Raised Shoulders +0.2” |
| Standard | Standard |
| Sloping Shoulders | Lowered Shoulders -0.2” |
| Very Sloping Shoulders | Lowered Shoulders -0.2” |
| Very Very Sloping Shoulders | Lowered Shoulders -0.6” |
| Lowered Shoulders -1.0” |
Note that the new option for Lowered Shoulders -1.0” is a larger adjustment than the most extreme adjustment we had before and no legacy settings are automatically assigned this value.
What to Expect When Using the New Shoulder Slope Settings
If you have been ordering shirts with one of the legacy shoulder slope settings, and you order a new shirt using the same saved size, the corresponding new shoulder slope setting will automatically be applied and this will cause the new shirt to fit slightly different than your previous shirts.
For example, if you had ordered shirts with Very Sloping Shoulders in the past, your saved sizes will automatically be updated to have the Lowered Shoulders -0.2” setting. Shirts made with this new setting, will have very subtle changes to the shirt pattern from before. You may not even notice them, but the armpits of the new shirt will be 0.2” lower than before. This will give you a little more room in the armpits and allow the front of your shirt to drape smoother through the chest and torso. With the chest point of the shirt lowering only 0.2” you will not likely notice anything notable in the chest.
If you have sloping shoulders, and have been struggling to get a good fit on your shirt, even when applying Very Sloping or Very Very Sloping adjustments, these new changes should enable you to achieve a better fit. Simply using the new corresponding adjustment will likely cause some improvement, but if further adjustment is necessary, the more extreme Lowered Shoulders 1.0” adjustment may be what you need. Please note that, when applying the more extreme Lowered Shoulder settings, the chest-point will be lowered on the body and can cause the same chest width to feel looser – so some small adjustments to chest width may also be necessary.
Note: if you have been ordering shirts with “Standard” shoulder slope, then there will be precisely zero changes to the the fit of your shirt – with the exception that the you will receive the new taller yoke height of 3.25”.
Read more about how to choose the optimal shirt shoulder slope setting here.