Quote Originally Posted by Nanook View Post
Jackets can be made larger and can be made smaller.



If you are a 42Reg then I'd order a 42Reg. English sizes and U.S. sizes are the same. Italian too. If you have a large gut and 40"-41" chest then many Italian and English 42s won't fit. Many American made jackets (such as those from Oxxford) won't either. Going to a 44 is not the solution. Going to a tailor and looking to either made to measure or bespoke is the solution. A good tailor can tweak a ready to wear jacket to make it fit as if made to measure--- why some RTW jackets such as those from Brioni, Kiton or Oxxford are more highly regarded by top-tier tailors than many a bespoke--- but only if its a ballpark fit. I'd look to the fit of the chest, the waist and especially the sleeves.
Nonsense. Order the 44. I ran into the same problem. The 42, which is what all my American-made suits are, was too small. The 44 fits perfectly.