Body Sizing vs. Neck Sizing
When buying a shirt, I believe the size of a man’s body should determine the size of his shirt, not the size of his neck (there are exceptions that I’ll discuss at the bottom of this article).
Certainly a proper fitting neck is important, whether you’re wearing a tie or not. However most of us are wearing our shirts (even dress shirts) without a tie and we’re paying closer attention to how our shirts fit through the body and shoulders.
We choose to size our shirts by body (M, L, etc) instead of the neck (16, 16 ½, etc) to improve the fit through the body and shoulders. Our neck measurements are standard in relation to body size. Our neck measurements tend to offer a little extra room for comfort, see our sizing chart
Notice a proper fitting neck when worn with a tie.
An ‘Real-Life’ Example of Body Sizing vs. Neck Sizing
Two of my friends both believe they have a size 16 1/2″ neck and both are completely different body sizes. James is 5′ 7″, 165 lbs. Doug is 6′, over 200 lbs. Should they compromise a great body fit for an exacting neck? I don’t think so. James wears our M/L and Doug wears our L/XL. Their Todd Shelton shirts give them both a good fit neck through the neck and a great fit through the body. If both were to buy a 16 1/2″ neck from another brand, the fit through the body would be less than desirable – and the neck may not fit any better than the Todd Shelton shirt.
When Neck Size is More Important Than Body Size
If you have an average size neck, our body sizing will fit your neck adequately. But here is the exception: if you have a small neck for your body size and you plan on wearing a tie with the shirt more often than not, I advise selecting a neck size. If you have a neck size 15” or smaller and you are particularly interested in an exacting neck, our neck sizing may not be your best option. See our sizing chart
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