Here’s How to Measure a Men’s Shirt Size
Posted on 29th November 2018 at 21:15
Getting a good fit for your shirt is a science but it’s not that complicated. Below you’ll find six areas of shirt fitting to consider with tips and advice on them all.
We’ve all seen men wearing shirts that don’t fit. Unfortunately people do judge on appearance and we consider badly fitting clothes a reflection of the person wearing them. If your shirt doesn’t fit then it won’t feel good against the body. If it’s too small you won’t feel comfortable. If it’s too loose you’ll feel bunched up with too much material; constantly having to adjust your shirt to relax.
A well-fitting shirt is often seen as a challenge and when you consider the many different shapes and sizes that men come in and in comparison the few shapes and size shirts come in then you can start to see why.
That said, it’s not an unreal expectation to get a great fit from an off-the-shelf shirt or to make a few minor adjustments to one to get it looking smart. As always, the best result is a made-to-measure, but there are a few areas you might want to explore first.
Getting a good fit for your shirt is a science but it’s not that complicated. Below you’ll find six areas of shirt fitting to consider with tips and advice on them all. You can of course come into a store like ours and we’ll help you get the best measurement and the perfect shirt for you.
Off-the shelf?
Buying a shirt off-the-shelf is easy but not always the route to the best fit. That said, you have a lot of options when you do and added to a good measurement you can and often will find a great shirt ‘off-the-peg’!
Measuring for this type of shirt needs attention in two main areas – the neck and the arms.
Measure the neck measurement if the shirt is formal and designed to be worn with a suit and tie.
Measure the chest if it’s a more casual style.
Simple.
Smart shirt?
If you’re looking for a smart shirt that’s not overly formal then change that neck measurement slightly to reflect it.
For a smart shirt we recommend that you measure around the neck where the shirt collar is to be worn and then add just half an inch to get the exact shirt size required for this style and fit of shirt.
Casual shirt?
If you’re looking for a casual shirt then you’ll need to change how you measure to reflect it.
Casual shirt collars can come up a little smaller than a smart or formal shirt as you tend to wear these open neck as opposed to the top button done up and a tie added.
To get a good fit with a casual shirt simply measure around the chest area under the arms, with both arms down by your side. Note that this measurement would be slightly larger on a correctly fitting shirt so that you get more room and a better fit.
A casual shirt is sized in standard sizes: small, medium, large, etc. So check the neck and chest sizes when you buy.
Sleeve length
When you’re buying a manufactured shirt you rarely get the choice of sleeve length and this can be an issue if you have a smaller chest size compared to the sleeve length needed.
The sleeve length and body length are set by the manufacturer to try to please all and for this reason might not always be the greatest fit for your specific shape. The best solution here is to get your neck and chest measurement spot on, then have the sleeve length adjusted at Heaphys - although you can obviously only shorten, not lengthen.
Body fit
One of the key areas to look at when buying a shirt from the shelf of a store or online is the body style. Most shirt manufacturers will offer you between three and five styles to choose from:
Comfort - for the larger man which doesn’t have too much tailoring to the sides of the shirt
Super slim - for the smaller frame and more figure hugging to avoid terribly baggy sides and lots of excess material to tuck in
Modern, which is more a contemporary tailored fit, sitting in between the two above.
Choosing the body fit to suit you is essential and coupled with the neck and chest measurement ensures you have a great fit right off the peg!
Made to measure?
As ever it’s best to start from the ground up, or in this case – from the neck down! Made to measure sounds like an unnecessary investment, but when you’ve worn a made to measure shirt we’re certain you won’t go back.
When you choose to have your shirt made from scratch you get lots more options:
Choice of cloth
Choice of collar style
Choice of trim detail inside the collar or cuff
Choice of body style
And you can choose whether you have a single cuff with button fastening or double cuff which requires a set of cufflinks.
There are also many measurements used for made to measure like chest, waist, seat, sleeve length.
Namely you’ll be measured for the following areas of your body. Here are a few pointers on what to measure for and why.
Neck: When measuring the neck, don’t measure too tight. A rule of thumb is to keep a finger inside the tape next to the neck.
Wrist: Around the wrist add a little more than you need. This is because a lot of men now wear large or chunky watches which the cuff needs to go over so as not to be restricted in the movement.
Body: The length of a shirt body is important. For example one option is a “shirt tail” which describes a shirt cut shorter on the sides so it can expose the skin when you reach up. This might not be to your liking, so it’s good to get a handle on your ideal fit and style.
A well-fitting shirt is within your reach!
Measuring up, like so much of our world, is essential to the best fit. We always start there. We are, after all, all unique and one shirt to one man is different to another. Measure for the shirt and the occasion and work out how you want to wear the shirt to base your measurements on.
If you need help, then please do come and see us in our Warwick menswear store. We’ll always measure you free of charge to make sure you get the best clothes and the best fit.
Questions, comments, or feedback?
We'd love to hear from you. You can use the form below to tell us what's on your mind.
Share this post: