How to ensure your formal shirt fits perfectly

After buying the perfect men’s shirt, the next task is to make sure that it fits perfectly. This means it should hang correctly, and be of the right length and width on every area of the body, from chest and neck to torso. Read on for tips on how to ensure your formal shirt fits perfectly.

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The perfect collar

The collar should be not too tight and not too loose. The perfect collar means the shirt looks well balanced. You should be able to fit two fingers between your neck and the collar – if you can’t do this, the collar is too tight. However, if the collar doesn’t touch your skin, it is too loose.

The shoulder seam

The shoulders are easy to get to fit. The simple test is that the shoulder seam should sit on the tip of your shoulder bone. If it is closer to the neck, then the shoulder is too tight, while draping off your shoulders means the shoulder is too loose.

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Sleeves and cuffs

The sleeves of your formal shirt should be wider at the bicep and taper down towards the cuff. There should not be lots of slack material and the cuff should end at the base of your palm. Cuffs should fit closely, but you should be able to pull the shirt on and off without unbuttoning the cuffs. For example, high quality Farah Shirts, such as those available from https://www.ejmenswear.com/men/farah, should fit close to the body while still maintaining space for movement.

Fitting the torso

The torso of the shirt needs to hang correctly to look good. If the buttons are bulging, then the torso is too tight. However, if you can pull out three inches of fabric, the torso is too loose. Having a toned torso will make it easier to get your shirt to fit perfectly, as there will be no big bulges at the stomach. Simple torso toning exercises, such as these from The Guardian lifestyle pages, should help to get your body ready for the perfect shirt.

The length of the shirt should be a couple of inches beyond the beltline, while the shirt should always stay tucked in when you lift your arms and move around. If the shirt comes out of your waistband when you lean over, it is too short.