The Right Fitting Dress Shirt For Men
If you’re looking for a dress shirt that looks good and is just the right fit for you, then we’ve got you covered in every way possible on that, both figuratively and literally. Of course, we could just reference FROutlet and be done with it, but it wouldn’t be practical now would it?
Here are the following elements to keep in mind when picking a well-encompassing shirt:
1. Shoulders
Ensure that the seam where the seam is attached to the body of a fitted dress shirt is close to the top of your shoulders. Most brands usually cut their shirts too large just so it can fit more people, which is why you’ll often see the seam sliding down onto the arm. And if the shoulder seam is riding up too much around your neck, that means the shirt is too tight and also because of the armhole’s shape.
2. Chest
A proper fitting dress shirt must fit comfortably around the chest, across the upper back, and under the armpits, granting you complete freedom of motion. Rather than feeling tight, a fitted shirt comes on snuggly. The chest has to “fill out” the shirt in a way where the body is distinguishable under the fabric. Also note that if the buttons pull when you’re standing still with your arms down, it means the shirt is tight.
3. Collar (Neck)
The collar size should be measured in inches when laid flat from buttonhole to button. That measurement is often between 14″ and 18″ (think of “pencil neck” and “linebacker,” respectively). The collar should be buttoned with ease in that it allows two fingers to fit in – any further and it’ll be loose, any less and it’ll be tight. Also, know that the collar size could be a bit smaller or larger than your true size if you hardly wear any ties or button the top button of your shirt. In short, don’t worry about the collar size if you’re not using the top button.
4. Body/Waist
A man’s dress shirt should taper from the chest to the waist, which follows the contours of the body and create a line (no excess fabric) between the shirt and pants, even when tucked in. A proper fitting shirt often has two vertical back darts that are centered over the small area of your back, which then allows the shirt to taper over the waist.
5. Armhole
A dress shirt’s armhole, such as its shape and size, defines how a shirt will fit in the shoulder, chest, and armpit. Most brands with Small-Medium-Large sizing cut their armholes big, in order to fit a number of body types. Like when your fabric hangs under your arm, then that’s not good. The armhole has to be countered in a that makes a tapered feel under your arm, yet still provides complete freedom of motion.
6. Length
The hem of the shirt needs to be long enough for you to comfortably wear the shirt tucked or untucked. There are two ways to go about this. First, if you’re wearing a shirt that’s buttoned and untucked, the tail of the shirt should fall just past the back pockets of your pants. The other way of knowing you have the right length is to tuck in the shirt. After that, raise your arms above your head and see if the shirt’s tails pop out of your pants. If this does happen, then the shirt is too small.
7. Sleeves
Fitted shirts must have a high armhole, which results in a tapered sleeve that follows the shape of your arms, minus the excess fabric. When it’s buttoned, the cuff has to fall right at the base of the thumb. Like your chest, the arms have to fill out the sleeves of your shirt so that it doesn’t leave room for excess fabric as it will often fold and billow, giving an unflattering look.
As our second lead editor, Anna C. Mackinno provides guidance on the stories Great Lakes Ledger reporters cover. She has been instrumental in making sure the content on the site is clear and accurate for our readers. If you see a particularly clever title, you can likely thank Anna. Anna received a BA and and MA from Fordham University.
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