How confident you feel in your clothes isn’t always about what size or shape you are, it’s about how your clothes fit and feel. A good-fitting item of clothing (no matter what price you paid) is the ultimate wardrobe essential. It makes you feel great, it makes you look great, and you’ll be confident wearing it all day long.
But what are the ingredients for a perfect fitting t-shirt? And how can you ensure you pick the ideal t-shirt for you?
We’ll discuss some of our key factors into the fit equation below…
Don’t always rely on ‘sizing’
Sizes aren’t always reliable as a gauge to what will fit. Remember that different brands size things differently, and there isn’t a ‘one-size-fits-all’ way of measuring clothing. The best way to figure out if something fits well, if to try it on. Don’t be scared of sizing up or down from your regular size choice. It’s just a number!
Decide whether or not you want stretch
Stretch is a big factor to many t-shirt garments, and depending on the kind of material (or the kind of blend) you’ll find different levels of stretch. For some people, stretch is a comforting extra to have in a t-shirt, it allows a little more ‘give’ and lets you breathe easier, without worrying about stretched seams or hem lines. For others, they would rather size up in a non-stretch, and have a non-stretchy but roomier item. It’s all personal taste, but it’ll definitely affect the kind of fit you end up with and how happy you are with the garment.
How thin do you want your t-shirt to be?
Another factor in finding the perfect fit and how comfortable you feel in a t-shirt, is how thick the item of clothing is. Materials come in different thicknesses, and cotton (and cotton blends) can be thin and airy, or thicker with more of a stiff texture. Different people prefer different textures to their t shirts, so picking the right kind of material is a good place to start. For example, if you live in a hot country, you might want to go for a thinner blend, that is light and airy and fits in a floaty fashion.
Feel the fit on your arms
One of the things people notice the most on t shirts that don’t fit them properly, is arm space. Checking the sleeve size for your arm space is crucial if you want a t-shirt you can be flexible and move around in (especially important for exercising!). You can usually check the sleeve measurements on most retailers or product listings, so it’s usually easy to check if a t-shirt will be well fitting for your body.
Flex those shoulders!
Another thing we recommend doing when trying on a t-shirt is flexing your shoulders – give your arms a stretch upwards, outwards and to the side. If a t-shirt is too tight on your shoulders, the chances are you’ll feel restricted when you wear them – so make sure you give these things a test and a trial. You want the t-shirt to feel flexible to your movements, but not overly loose (unless that’s the look you’re going for).
Do you have a standard or long torso?
Next up, check the length of your torso. Most of us who have long torsos are well aware of the fact. If you have a long torso, you’ll have probably already known the struggle or ordering a t-shirt, and have it arrived looking more like a crop top. If you know you have a long torso, look for ‘long length’ t-shirt, or t shirts with extra length at the back. For people who are shorter, or who have shorter torsos, look for petite t shirts (as they will keep proper dimensions of a t-shirt, but just in a smaller ratio).
Look at specialist cut t shirts
For both men and women’s t shirts, you’ll find specialist cut t shirts, designed for specific body shapes. For example, for men – you can often find slim-fit and muscle-fit t shirts. If you’re unsure on all the other things, looking for these key descriptive terms is a good place to start. For women, you’ll find a variation of necklines (v-neck, scoop neck, etc) which can alter the fit of a t-shirt greatly because of how women’s bodies vary to mens.
