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If you're planning on buying a dress shirt for yourself or a male friend, it is important to get the right neck and sleeve measurements. They are easy to find, and result in an attractive and well-fitting shirt. Use these steps to determine your measurements as well as the proper shirt size.
Things You Should Know
- Take your neck measurement at the bottom of your Adam's apple. Remember to add .5 inches (1.27 cm) to get your dress shirt size.
- For sleeves, measure from the base of your neck to your shoulder. Then, add that to the length from your shirt's stitching to your wristbone.
- Use a ready-to-wear shirt size graph and compare it to the measurements you already took. That's how you find a fitting shirt.
Steps
Start your measurement. Wrap the measuring tape around the neck, beginning at about one inch from the meeting of your neck and shoulders. This may also coincide with the bottom part of your Adam's apple.[1]
Hold the tape tight. Come fully around the neck, leaving no dangling space in between the neck and the tape. Don't pull too tightly so as to create unnecessary tension, just enough so that you are getting a true measurement. Make sure the tape is level and not being held at an angle.Advertisement
Note the measured number. This is the actual neck size. The dress shirt size will be half an inch bigger.[2] For example, if you measure your neck to be exactly 15 inches (38 cm) around, then your dress shirt size will be 15½ inches (39.5 cm).- If you measured on a 1/4 inch/centimeter, then round up to the nearest 1/2 inch/centimeter. For example, if your neck size was 16.25, round up to 16.5.
- Your neck size should range between about 14 - 19 inches or 35.5 - 48.3 centimeters.
Get in the proper stance. Before you begin measuring, stand still with your arms at your sides. Hold your arms slightly bent, with your fingers tucked into your front pockets.
Take your first measurement. Measure the length from the middle of the upper back to the stitching located at the shoulder of the shirt. Write this measurement down, as you will need it later.
Take your second measurement. Measure the length from the top stitching on the shoulder to the bottom of the wrist. Aim for hitting your wrist bone with the measuring tape. Be careful not to measure too high above the wrist, or the dress shirt's sleeves will come to be too short.[5]
Using your measurements. Men's shirt sizes come in a two-part number. The first number listed on the tag of the shirt is the neck measurement, and the second one is the sleeve measurement. For example, a shirt may be sized as 16/34. Use both your neck and sleeve measurements to find the right size.
Find a ready-to-wear size. If the shirts you are browsing don't offer an exact measurement but rather the traditional "small," "medium," or "large," options, you can use your measurements to find the equivalent in this style of sizing. Use the table in the image above to determine the best size of shirt for you.
Expert Q&A
- QuestionWhere is sleeve length measured from?
David PewDavid Pew is a Professional Tailor and the Owner of Sew Generously based in Seattle, Washington. With over a decade of experience, David specializes in bespoke tailoring and alterations. He uses his experiences, skills, and eye for detail to produce the highest quality of products.
Professional TailorStart your measurement from the nape of your neck, down across the point of your shoulder, and to where you want the sleeve to end on your arm. - QuestionWhat do I do if my neck is too big for my XL shirts, but XXL is too large for my body?
Community AnswerChoose a different fit, such as slim, so that the body is not so large and the sleeves not so voluminous. - QuestionHow do I cut a female shirt?Community AnswerIt depends on the fabric. Google how to cut the specific fabric you have in mind. Generally, if the fabric isn't stretchy, you'd have to secure the edge.
Video
Tips
- If you are at a retailer, have a salesperson measure your neck size and sleeve length for you!Thanks
- When purchasing a jacket to go over your shirt, the sleeves should be long enough that 1/2 inch of fabric shows beneath the cuffs.Thanks
- When trying on a dress shirt, your collar should feel comfortable around your neck, and not tight. You should be able to fit two fingers [one overlapping the other] into the shirt with ease.Thanks
References
- ↑ https://propercloth.com/reference/how-to-measure-your-body-neck-collar/
- ↑ http://www.dresstoachieve.com/menstips.htm
- ↑ David Pew. Professional Tailor. Expert Interview. 5 January 2021.
- ↑ https://propercloth.com/reference/how-to-measure-your-body-sleeve-length/
- ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JryPDbmeOpQ
- ↑ David Pew. Professional Tailor. Expert Interview. 5 January 2021.
- ↑ http://www.askmen.com/fashion/fashiontip_300/397_fashion_advice.html
About This Article
To measure your neck size and sleeve length, start by wrapping a measuring tape around your neck so it's 1 inch above the base of your neck. Then, write down the measurement. Next, find your first sleeve measurement by placing the end of the measuring tape right below the nape of your neck and measuring from that point to the stitching at the shoulder. Finally, take your second sleeve measurement by measuring the length from the top stitching on your shoulder to the bottom of your wrist. To learn how to use your measurements to find your shirt size, keep reading!
Reader Success Stories
"I need to measure my husband's size for flannel shirts, and am hoping this will help, even though these instructions are for dress shirts. He was a medium-tall, but seems large-tall may be a better fit. He's 6"1' and has long arms, slender build."..." more
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