How to Size Boys' Dress Shirts

There are two important measurements to take when sizing for a dres shirt.

Sizing a boy's dress shirt requires taking two critical measurements in order to find the right fit. You must take the neck measurement and the sleeve measurement to ensure comfort. Outside of the size of the shirt, there are a few other considerations to keep in mind. Consider the cut of the shirt. Some manufacturers produce shirts that are slim fit or are athletic cut. Slim fit is a more narrow cut while athletic cut is wider near the shoulders and narrow near the waist. Also consider the style of the collar; the three most basic kinds of collars are point turndown, cutaway and buttondown.

Things You'll Need

• Cloth tape measure

Instructions

1. Measure the largest part of the boy's neck. This area will be near the base of the neck around where the collar buttons. The measurement you get will be the boy's neck size. It is important to add at least a 1/2 inch to that measurement to ensure that the collar fits comfortably. If you want the collar to be loose fitting you can add a full inch. When taking the measurement of the neck, always round up. For example if your neck measures 14 1/8 inches round up to 14 1/2 not down to 14 inches.

2. Measure the boy's sleeve length. This is done by standing up straight with your arms at your side. Keep one arm slightly bent. With the cloth tape have someone measure from the middle of the back of the neck, across the back to the shoulder, and down the arm to the wrist bone. Add an additional inch to your measurement to get the sleeve length. The additional inch of length that is added to the sleeve is to ensure that it will show when wearing a sport jacket over top of the dress shirt. Ideally, one should have an inch of dress shirt showing.

3. Have the boy try on a dress shirt in which he feels comfortable. The easiest way to size a boy's dress shirt may be by using the measurements of a previously worn dress shirt that fit well. When reading the tag of a dress shirt, the first number is the neck measurement and the second number is the sleeve length. Knowing what your approximate measurements will help to determine the current size needed.

Tips & Warnings

• Once you know your measurements you can purchase a dress shirt online that is your size.

• Measuring sleeve length without the elbow straight, instead of slightly bent, will lead to an inaccurate measurement.

References

• Galt Home: Finding Your Dress Shirt Size

Resources

• Calvin Klein