Shirt, Tops Measurements Fit Guide - How to Get the Right Size

When you are buying clothing online, how do you know if it will fit? Clothing sizes have changed over the years and manufacturer sizing varies. This makes buying online a challenge, especially when purchasing vintage clothing. This guide to how we measure a shirt, blouse or top will help.

We give you the tag size, if available, but we will often also give a "fits like" size based on fairly standard current sizing. More important than tag size are the measurements.

To get an accurate fit, we suggest that you measure a shirt or top, in the same style, that fits you nicely and then compare those measurements to the ones in the product listing.

In the pictures below, we show you exactly how we measure so that you can do the same. All measurements are taken with the garment laid flat for accuracy. You can click on any of these images to enlarge for better viewing.

First is the Shoulder to Shoulder measurement:

As you can see, we measure at the top from seam to seam where the arms and shoulders meet. The measurement here is 18".

Next we measure Armpit to Armpit:

This is measured from underarm seam to underarm seam. In this case, it measures 22 inches.

Then to the Sleeve Length:

We measure from the top of the shoulder seam to the end of the cuff. This sleeve is 25 inches long.

Overall Length may be measured for both front and back:

In the front view, we measure from the top of the collar to the shirt's hem. This shirt is 30 inches long.

If the shirt tails are longer than the front, we give an Overall Length for the back. This is also measured from the top of the collar to the hem. This shirt has a back length of 31 inches.

Neck Size:

The neck is measured from the center of the buttonhole to the center of the button. The measurement here is 15 1/4 inches but we would call it 15" to be safe.

Finally, we didn't take pictures of measuring Waist Size but the rule of thumb for a man's shirt is that the waist is generally measured below the 5th button. The number is then multiplied by 2. So a measurement of 25 inches would be doubled to 50 inches. Keep in mind that a loose fitting shirt, such as a Hawaiian shirt, will have a waist size much larger than your true waist size for pants.

We hope this size guide helps and please Contact Us if you have questions. You can use the Contact Form at the top of the page in the left sidebar.