Bomber Jacket Size Guide for Men: How to Measure and Get the Fit Right

Quick Answer

A bomber jacket should sit close through the chest with about two inches of room, end at your waistband, and have the shoulder seam land exactly where your shoulder ends. To find your size, measure your chest, shoulder width, sleeve length, and jacket length, then compare those numbers to the size chart. Most genuine leather bomber jackets run true to size, but leather doesn't stretch across the back the way fabric does. If you're between two sizes, size up.

Picture this: you bought a leather jacket online. It looked right on the hanger. Then you put it on, reached for your keys, and felt the back seam pull tight across your shoulder blades, and you kept thinking about whether you'd bought the right size. 

Nothing about the chest measurement was wrong. He'd ordered his usual size. The problem was that a bomber jacket for men isn't sized the way a shirt is, and with leather you have to be extra careful, since you don't want to pull at the leather stitches.

This guide covers how a real leather bomber jacket should fit, and what to do when you land between two sizes.

How Should a Bomber Jacket Fit?

A bomber jacket should fit close without restricting movement. Here are 5 checks you should make to get your right fit. 

Shoulders

The seam should sit where your collarbone ends, and your shoulder starts. Anything over or under can cost you an expensive alteration,

Chest. 

You should be able to zip it fully over a T-shirt or light knit and still fit a flat hand between the jacket and your chest, leaving around two inches of extra room.

Length. 

A bomber should sit at your waist; if it covers your back pockets, it is too long.

Sleeves. 

The cuff ends at your wrist bone. Ribbed cuffs sit slightly higher than a straight cuff would, which is normal for the style.

Movement. 

Cross your arms in front of you. You should feel the leather, but you shouldn't feel the seams straining or the stitches showing.

However, if four of the five are right and the shoulders are wrong, it's the wrong jacket. Every other issue can be worked around, but the shoulders.

New to the style? Start with our guide to bomber jackets.

How to Measure for a Bomber Jacket

You just need 4 measurements. Use a soft measuring tape and a jacket you already own that fits well, lay it flat on a table rather than measuring your body. Measure the,

Chest. Measure across the jacket from armpit seam to armpit seam, then double it. That's your chest circumference.

Shoulder width. Measure across the back from one shoulder seam to the other, in a straight line.

Sleeve length. From the shoulder seam to the end of the cuff, following the curve of the sleeve.

Body length. From the base of the collar at the back down to the bottom of the hem.

Write all four down before you shop. Chest size alone is the single most common reason men order the wrong men's bomber jacket size.

If you're measuring your body instead, keep the tape level and don't pull it tight. Measure your chest at the fullest point with your arms down, and add two inches for layering room.

Bomber Jacket Size Chart

All measurements are flat garment measurements and not body measurements. Compare them against your recorded measurements.

Tight or Loose? How to Decide the Right Fit 

A bomber leather jacket should fit tight enough to hold its shape and loose enough to layer over a sweatshirt.

It's too tight if it shows up as horizontal pulling across the chest when zipped, shoulder seams sitting inside your natural shoulder line, or a hem that rides up when you raise your arms. 

It's too loose if it shows up as shoulder seams drooping onto your upper arm, excess fabric bunching at the sides when zipped, or sleeves that swallow your wrist.

The style is meant to sit close. That cropped, structured silhouette is the entire point of the cut, and an oversized bomber loses it.

When Should You Size Up or Size Down?

Size up if: you're between two sizes, you have broad shoulders relative to your chest, you plan to wear it over hoodies or thick knits, or you're buying a stiffer cowhide that breaks in slowly.

Size down if: you're between sizes with a slim build, you'll wear it mostly over t-shirts, or you want a sharper, closer silhouette.

Stay true to size if: your chest and shoulder measurements both land cleanly within one size on the chart.

If you land between two sizes, then size up. A jacket slightly too large can be taken in at the side seams by any tailor for a small cost. A jacket too tight through the shoulders cannot be tailored loose, because there is no seam allowance to work with. 

Related Guide: How should US Men style you bomber jacket

Fit by Body Type

Here is how to find the right fit from your body type. With, 

Broad shoulders, slimmer waist. Size to your shoulders and have the body taken in at the sides. Ordering to your chest measurement will leave you straining across the back.

Fuller midsection. Look for a size that zips comfortably at the waist without pulling. A bomber's ribbed hem naturally draws in, so check that the rib sits flat rather than stretched.

Slim build. Stay true to size or go down. An oversized bomber overwhelms a narrower frame, and the cropped length exaggerates the effect.

Taller than 6'2". Check the body length figure carefully. A standard bomber hem may sit above your waistband, which looks unintentional. A leather coat or longer cut may serve you better.

Shorter than 5'7". The cropped length works in your favor. Watch sleeve length, which is the most common alteration needed.

6 Sizing Mistakes to Avoid

Before making your final decision, here are 6 mistakes you can avoid that save your time, money, and effort. 

1. Ordering by chest measurement alone. Shoulders decide the fit. Chest is secondary.

2. Comparing against a fabric jacket. Cotton and wool give across the back. Leather does not.

3. Trying it on over a t-shirt when you'll wear it over a hoodie. Test with the heaviest layer you actually plan to use.

4. Assuming it'll stretch. Leather softens and molds slightly at the elbows and cuffs. It doesn't gain width across the shoulders.

5. Buying a size up "for comfort." A loose bomber reads sloppy, not relaxed. The cut depends on sitting close.

6. Ignoring sleeve length. It's the cheapest alteration on the jacket, and the one most people skip, then live with.

See how we process our jackets.

How Leather Changes With Wear

A genuine leather bomber jacket for men loosens up with each wear but not in the way most people expect.

Lambskin softens fastest and molds to your frame within a few weeks. Cowhide takes months and stays structured. Goatskin sits between the two.

What actually changes: the elbows soften and form creases, the cuffs relax slightly, and the leather takes on the shape of your posture. 

What doesn't change: shoulder width, chest circumference, or overall length. 

That is why it is suggested to buy keeping your shoulder measurements in mind.

Our Recommendation

Take the four measurements before you order. It takes five minutes and prevents the most common reason men return a premium leather bomber jacket.

If your numbers land between sizes, order the larger one and budget for a side-seam alteration. Tailoring a jacket down is routine work. Letting one out is often impossible.

Browse the full range of men's leather bomber jackets with garment measurements listed on every product page.

Find Your Size

Every Marco Enzolani bomber jacket lists full garment measurements on the product page, so you can compare against your own numbers before you order.

Shop men's leather bomber jackets or browse the wider men's leather jacket collection.