Tailor Shop Shirt Design

How to Measure your body for the perfect custom fit shirt

Taking a measurement for your perfect custom fit shirt can be tricky. So here is a quick guide on how you should go about it. After reading this guide you should be able to take near perfect measurements of yourself when getting a shirt tailored.

Neck Around

You will start off by placing the measuring tape around the neck, at the height where your collar would normally rest, just below your Adam’s apple. Stand relaxed, do not stretch your neck out or squeeze your chin down. The measuring tape should be resting lightly on the skin, not squeezing it. Hold one finger under the tape measure to ensure some room for comfort.
Please note: Do not try to account for shrinkage by adding extra here. We will do that for you.

Sleeve Length

You will require a partner when measuring your sleeve length. Call a mate in for help.
Now ask your friend to place one end of the measuring tape at the base of the centre of the back of the neck. Then ask him/her to run the measuring tape over your shoulder, and let it hang down to your hand. Measure till the centre of the meaty part of your palm.
Alternatively, if you don’t have a partner, measure a shirt with sleeves that are the right length.
Please note: Do not adjust for shrinkage. We will do that for you.

Shoulder Width

You will require a partner when measuring your shoulder width length. Call a mate in for help.
Ask your friend to start the end of the tape on the outside edge of the shoulder where you want the yoke of the shirt to start. This is where the horizontal part of the shoulder meets the vertical part of the arm. Measure up over the curve of the shoulders and to outside edge of the other shoulder.
Alternatively, if you don’t have a partner, measure a shirt directly. Either way, it’s helpful to refer to a shirt that fits well in the shoulders.

Chest Around

Run the measuring tape around the fullest part of your chest, hold the tape tight up under your armpits and over the shoulder blades. Let your arms hang down in a relaxed, natural pose. Do not puff out your chest or arch your back in any sort of pose that isn’t natural or sustainable.

Waist Around

Please note: The waist measurement for shirts is slightly different to when buying pants, so don’t assume you know this.
Also note: It’s important to stand in a relaxed, normal position. Do NOT suck in your stomach and hold your breath.
Run the tape around the fullest part of the belly. This is usually around the level of the belly button. The measuring tape should be snug on the skin, but not squeezing in.

Shirt Length

Put the first end of the measuring tape at the base of the back of your neck and measure down your back to the point where you’d want the shirt to be. This point is usually the bottom of the buttocks, although you may want to go slightly longer if you plan to always tuck the shirt in, or slightly shorter if you plan to wear the shirt un-tucked.

Bicep Around

Start of by flexing that bicep. Now that you are done, let’s start measuring.
With your arm hanging at your side and relaxed, measure around your bicep at its fullest point. This is probably pretty close to your armpit. Make sure the tape measure is not too tight. Round up to the nearest half-inch.

Wrist Around

Measure around your wrist around the wrist bone. Hold the tape measure tight to your skin, but do not squeeze your wrist. Round up to the nearest quarter inch.
Please note: We will add 2 inches to this measurement when we calculate your cuff circumference.

Type of Fit

If you are unable to select which fit will serve you best. We suggest starting with our standard shirt. This is an office appropriate shirt and will be nicely fitted to you, yet still comfortable and not too tight.

If you prefer a particularly tight fit, dislike any excess fabric around the chest, waist and arms, and are not bothered by slight tightness or limited range of motion, consider the slim fit.

If you appreciate a generous, roomy fit that does not hug your body, then select the classic fit. This will be looser around the chest and arms and boxier through the stomach.