Bureau of Fit
True to size
If you are true.
That is the last joke on this page. Sizing is the one thing here that can actually cost you something, so the rest of it is plain.
Four steps
- 1
Measure a shirt you already own
Not yourself. Take a shirt you like the fit of, lay it flat, and measure that. It is the single most reliable thing you can do and it takes a minute.
- 2
Chest: armpit to armpit, doubled
Lay the shirt flat, measure straight across from one underarm seam to the other, then double it. That is the chest measurement a size chart is quoting.
- 3
Length: top of the shoulder to the hem
Measure down the front, beside the collar, to the bottom edge. This is the number that decides whether a shirt sits where you expect it to.
- 4
Compare against the product page
Each item lists the blank it is printed on. The measurements for that specific garment are the ones that apply, not a house average, because there is no house average.
Why there is no single chart here
The catalogue is printed on several different garments, and they do not measure the same. A tee cut for a boxy fit and one cut for a longer body will both say “large” and will not be the same shirt.
Publishing one average chart would be tidier and would send a proportion of people the wrong size. Since every item is printed to order and cannot be exchanged for fit, that is not a trade worth making for neatness.
If you are between sizes
Size up. Cotton tees shrink slightly in a hot wash and a shirt that is a little roomy stays wearable in a way that a shirt that is a little tight does not.
A closing note from the Bureau
The Bureau holds no position on your measurements. The Bureau holds positions on a great many things and has elected not to hold one on this.
Thank you for your attention to this matter