How To Measure A Man’S Shirt Size

Taking measurements for a man’s shirt size can be a time-consuming process, but once you have them, choosing the right size will no longer be hit-or-miss. In order to measure a man’s shirt size, you will need to have a soft fabric measuring tape and either a helper or a well-fitting shirt to ensure the accuracy of your measurements. When measuring, remember to hold the measuring tape tightly but not so much that it stands away from the man’s body, and always round up to the nearest half inch if you are in-between sizes.

Arm Length

Standing straight, find the largest vertebra at the bottom of the neck, right about where a t-shirt collar would hit the body. Keeping one hand on your hip, place the end of the measuring tape at this point on your neck, and ask your helper to run the measuring tape from the neck to the shoulder, down the bent arm, straight to the center of your wrist. Make sure you take measurements on both sides as measurements can differ from arm to arm. You can also place a dress shirt flat to obtain this measurement. Standard shirts often have a size range of 32- to 38-inch sleeve lengths.

Neck Size

Ask your helper to hold the measuring tape under the Adam’s apple in order to calculate neck size. From there, wrap the measuring tape around the neck where the shoulders and neck meet. Try to wrap it in a way that mimics a collar, but make sure that the measuring tape is not too tight or too loose. You could also measure from the middle of the button hole to the center of the button on the opposite side of the collar if you have a well-fitting dress shirt nearby. Most shirts range in neck size from 14 to 19 ½ inches.

Shoulder and Chest Width

Wrap the tape under your arms and around your back to calculate chest width. Stand tall and keep both arms at your sides while the measuring tape is snug under both armpits. You may need to ask your helper to ensure that the tape is tight. You could also take the measurement from armpit to armpit on one of your dress shirts and double the number to calculate chest width. For shoulders, place the measuring tape at the top of your shoulder bone and measure the distance to the same point on the opposite shoulder. The same measurement can be found from one seam to another on the back of any dress shirt.