Americans spend about $250 billion on fashion every year.
Clearly, people across the country are willing to pay top dollar to look and feel fantastic!
For many, fashion is a way of life. Men and women alike take pride in their appearance and go out of their way to find the perfect clothes to match their style.
However, that’s often easier said than done! Men, in particular, can find it difficult to find the ideal clothing for their size and shape. The struggle is never felt more keenly than in the hunt for a fitted shirt.
Get it right, and you look buff, stylish and on point all around. Unfortunately, it’s all too easy to get wrong! We wanted to help.
On the hunt for the perfect shirt?
Keep reading to discover some top tips for finding the best fitted shirts for your build.
1. Understand Your Body Type
The first step is getting real with yourself.
Step back and take a long hard look in the mirror. Literally. Do it now!
What sort of body type do you see staring back at you? Tall and thin? Broad shoulders with a narrow waist? Heavyset? Big-boned? Hugely muscular? In terms of fashion, at least, it doesn’t matter. There’s always something that’ll look fantastic.
Finding the perfect clothing is an art form. But it follows very logical rules that anyone can learn.
Your unique size and shape directly impact the fit that looks best. You have to know yours. Just as you choose glasses based on your eyesight, you should select clothing based on your body type.
Don’t worry if you’re unsure. We’ll go into more detail in the tips to come.
2. Do the Collar Test
Numerous shirt elements make a difference in terms of fit.
The first that we’ll discuss here is the collar. Your collar size is crucial to the overall look of your shirt.
We all know this intuitively. Looking around the office at work, you can tell who’s shirt collar fits well and who’s doesn’t. Neck bulges and redness are the hallmarks of an overtight collar. Saggy fabric, giant gaps, and ill-fitting neckties are the remit of oversized ones.
Realistically you don’t actually have to know your collar size. Sure, it helps. But a quick test can show you if you’ve chosen correctly. Start by buttoning up the collar.
You should be able to easily slip two fingers between your neck and the shirt collar. Can’t do it? It’s too tight. Get your whole fist down there? It’s too large.
3. Watch the Shoulders
Shoulders are the next element of a properly fitting shirt to think about.
There’s nothing worse than getting this wrong.
Of course, you’re looking for a fitted shirt. By its very nature, it’ll be a little tighter than others. However, too tight and it can genuinely restrict your movement.
You won’t be able to lift your arms up without untucking your shirt. The shirt buttons around your chest may pop off. You’ll feel constricted and constrained and generally uncomfortable.
Too large and you can feel a little lost in the material. It’s like when Amazon package your item in a ridiculously oversized cardboard box. There’s too much room for maneuver.
Get it right by aligning the seams with the very edge of your shoulders. A seam that falls over the edge means the shirt’s too large. If it’s up towards your neck, then it’s too small.
4. Take the Torso into Account
Your torso is the final crucial element to get right.
Again, keep comfort in mind. Both over tight and over loose fits around the torso are problematic.
This is where body type really comes into play. Skinnier men should opt for tighter fitting shirts. That doesn’t necessarily mean skin-tight. However, anything too large and you’ll effectively disappear. As a rough rule of thumb: less fabric is more when you’re choosing your shirt.
Conversely, larger men should avoid overtight shirts. They’ll hug your body in all the wrong places and generally be unflattering. Opt for slightly more fabric around the torso to adjust accordingly.
Likewise, muscled men can look epic in the right shirt. But their bulk can make finding the right fit difficult. Again, opt for sufficient fabric to meet the challenge (here are some style tips for bodybuilders that might help too).
Shirts that are too small around the torso are fairly obvious. The fabric will be pulled tight around the buttons (especially around the chest and stomach area). Go up a size if that’s happening.
Likewise, if you notice any billowing effect around the sides and arms, then it’s too large.
5. Beware the Sleeves
Sleeves are a challenge to get exactly right.
Everything else about the shirt might seem perfect. But if the sleeves fall short or overhang, then it’s all for nothing! Sure, you could roll them up. But remember, we’re looking for perfection.
Here’s what to look for in the sleeve:
It should end about one inch beyond the bumpy bone of your wrist! In other words, where your wrist first meets the palm of your hand.
6. Find the Right Fabric
Fit and fabric are almost equally important shirt attributes!
Finding a great fit is always awesome. Having it shrink after the first wash is not.
Be sure to take the material into consideration when choosing your shirt. People have their personal preferences here. However, cotton is always a safe bet. 100% cotton varieties lend themselves to breathability, softness, and strength.
That’s good news for fitted shirts. After all, they hug the body! Let’s face it, there’s nothing worse than sweat patches. Any additional breathability will be a bonus.
Time to Find the Best Fitted Shirts
There you have it: essential tips for finding the best fitted shirts for your build.
People take fashion seriously all over the world and spend huge sums of money on it in the process! We can’t blame them. All sorts of positive effects come from looking and feeling fabulous.
There’s nothing more satisfying than finding the ideal set of clothes.
For many men that can be easier said than done though. With a huge variety of sizes and shapes, finding the right fit can be a challenge. As we’ve seen, that can be particularly true of shirts.
Hopefully, this post has solved the problem! Keep these tips in mind and you’ll be sporting the perfect shirts in no time.
Want more articles like this? Head to the ‘Men’s Style’ section now!
