Dress Shirt Size Calculator
Work out your shirt size before you buy another shirt.
Put in four measurements. You'll get your collar, sleeve and fit, plus where off-the-rack shirts are going to give you trouble.
How to measure for a dress shirt
- Neck: around the base where a collar sits, one finger under the tape. Enter your body number. We add the collar room.
- Chest: under the arms, around the fullest part.
- Waist: around your natural waist at the navel, not where your trousers sit.
- Sleeve: from the center back of your neck, over the shoulder point, down to the wrist bone, with your arm slightly bent.
- Shoulder: across your back, from shoulder point to shoulder point.
Dress shirt size chart
Find your collar, then check that your chest falls in the range for the fit you want. If it doesn't, that fit won't sit right on you in any size.
| Collar | Your chest, by fit (inches) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US | EU (cm) | Classic | Slim | Extra slim |
| 14 | 36 | 34–36 | 32–34 | 31–33 |
| 14.5 | 37 | 36–38 | 34–36 | 33–35 |
| 15 | 38 | 38–40 | 36–38 | 35–37 |
| 15.5 | 39 | 40–42 | 38–40 | 37–39 |
| 16 | 40–41 | 42–44 | 40–42 | 39–41 |
| 16.5 | 42 | 44–46 | 42–44 | 41–43 |
| 17 | 43 | 46–48 | 44–46 | 43–45 |
| 17.5 | 44 | 48–50 | 46–48 | 45–47 |
| 18 | 45–46 | 50–52 | 48–50 | 47–49 |
| 18.5 | 47 | 52–54 | 50–52 | 49–51 |
Sleeve sizes
Store-bought shirts usually cover two sleeve lengths with one size. Find your arm length to see which size fits.
| Sleeve size | Your arm (in) | Your arm (cm) |
|---|---|---|
| 32/33 | 32" to 33" | 81–84 cm |
| 34/35 | 34" to 35" | 86–89 cm |
| 36/37 | 36" to 37" | 91–94 cm |
Chest is your body measurement, not the shirt's. Ranges are typical for U.S. ready-to-wear brands and vary by maker.
How a dress shirt should fit
What our tailor (40 years at this) checks first when you put a shirt on, custom or store-bought.
- Collar: buttoned, you can slide two fingers in. Tighter chokes. Looser gaps under a tie.
- Shoulders: the seam sits right on your shoulder bone, not past it or inside it.
- Chest: the buttons lie flat when you reach forward, with no pulling into an X.
- Waist: tucked in, there's room to move but no extra fabric billowing above your belt.
- Sleeves: the cuff ends at your wrist bone, so a quarter to half inch shows past your jacket sleeve.
- Length: the shirt stays tucked in when you raise your arms.
Fit guides
If the calculator flagged a problem, here's what to do about it.
Dress shirt sizing questions
How do I find my dress shirt size?
Measure around the base of your neck and add half an inch for your collar size. Then measure from the center back of your neck, over the shoulder, to your wrist for your sleeve length. A shirt labeled 15.5 / 34-35 has a 15.5" collar and fits a 34" or 35" sleeve.
What does 34/35 sleeve mean?
Most store-bought shirts cover two sleeve lengths with one size. A 34/35 sleeve is cut between the two, so it fits someone with a 34" or 35" arm, just not perfectly.
What is a 15.5 collar in European sizes?
A 15.5" collar is a 39 cm collar. European and Italian shirts are labeled by collar size in centimeters, roughly your inch size times 2.54.
What is the difference between classic, slim and extra slim fit?
They share the same collar and sleeve, but cut the body differently. Classic fit leaves room through the chest and waist. Slim fit takes about 2" out of the chest and tapers more at the waist. Extra slim takes out about 3" and tapers the most.
Why don't dress shirts fit me?
Store shirts are sized by collar and sleeve, and the chest and waist are assumed from there. If your chest or waist doesn't match what your collar predicts, no stock size fits everywhere at once.
Do you make custom dress shirts?
Yes. We make custom dress shirts in our Dallas showroom near the Galleria, cut from your measurements. They take three to four weeks from measurement, and many clients order one to match their custom suit.
We cut your shirt so the collar, chest, waist and sleeves all fit at once.
We make custom dress shirts and suits from your measurements. Consultations are free, by appointment.