T-Shirt Size Calculator: Find Your Exact Fit

T-shirt sizing at a glance

• Measure your body chest at the fullest point, level, on a normal breath out.
• Unisex tees run larger than women's fit tees; most women go one size down in unisex.
• Oversized styles already include extra room, so take your usual size.
• 100% cotton can shrink in length; wash cool and hang to dry.
• If you're between sizes, size up for room or cotton, down for stretch or a close fit.
• Check the brand's own chart when it has one, and the model's height and size.

How to use the t-shirt size calculator

Enter your chest measurement, and the calculator matches it to a t-shirt size. That's really all a t-shirt needs, because a tee is cut around the chest: if the chest fits, the shoulders and length usually follow. Below the calculator you'll find the chart it uses, plus everything that changes how a t-shirt fits in real life, from fit styles to fabric to the dryer.

The quick version: measure your chest, find your row in the chart, then adjust for the fit you like. If you want a closer fit, stay at the lower end of your range. If you want something relaxed, go up a size or choose a style sold as "oversized."

How to measure your chest for a t-shirt

You need a soft tape measure. Over a thin shirt or bare skin:

1. Wrap the tape around the fullest part of your chest, under your armpits and across your shoulder blades.
2. Keep it level all the way round. Check in a mirror that it hasn't dropped at the back.
3. Breathe out normally and read the number. Don't puff your chest out or pull the tape tight.
4. Round to the nearest half inch (or centimetre).

That's your body chest measurement, the number the calculator and chart use. Our guide on how to measure your chest for a shirt has photos of each step.

Unisex t-shirt size chart

Most unisex and men's t-shirts follow a chart like this. It's the same reference our unisex t-shirt size chart uses.

Body length is measured from the highest point of the shoulder down to the hem. Sleeve length on a t-shirt is usually measured from the shoulder seam to the end of the sleeve. Brands vary by an inch or so either way, so if a brand publishes its own chart, use that.

Unisex vs women's t-shirts

This trips up a lot of people, especially when buying merch or print-on-demand shirts.

• Unisex tees are cut on a men's pattern: straighter through the body, wider at the shoulders, longer, with longer sleeves.
• Women's fit tees are shaped: narrower shoulders, more room at the bust relative to the waist, a shorter body, and often shorter sleeves.

So a woman who wears a Medium in women's tops often wears a Small in unisex. If your bust is in the Medium range on a women's chart, start one size down in unisex and check the chest measurement. Our women's shirt size chart covers women's sizing, and what number size is a Medium explains how letter sizes map to numbers.

Fit styles: slim, classic, relaxed and oversized

Two Mediums can be very different shirts. The fit name tells you how much room the brand has built in.

If a product page says "oversized fit, we recommend your usual size," believe it. The extra room is already in the pattern.

Fabric, weight and stretch

The same chest measurement can feel different depending on what the tee is made of.

• 100% cotton has very little stretch. A snug cotton tee stays snug.
• Cotton blends with polyester are softer, keep their shape better, and tend to shrink less.
• Tees with elastane (often 3 to 5%) stretch and recover, so a closer fit is still comfortable.
• Fabric weight is often given in grams per square metre (GSM). Lighter fabrics drape and cling; heavier ones hold their shape and look boxier.

Our explainer on the best fabric for t-shirts goes into weights and blends.

Shrinkage: plan for the wash

Cotton t-shirts can shrink, mostly in length, especially in a hot wash or a hot tumble dryer. Many brands sell "pre-shrunk" tees, which have been treated to reduce this, but some shrinkage is still possible. To keep a t-shirt the size you bought it:

• Wash at a cool or warm temperature, not hot.
• Hang it to dry, or tumble on low.
• If a 100% cotton tee is exactly the right length in the shop and you like it long, consider the next size up or a "tall" version.

Between two sizes?

If your chest falls on the line between two sizes:

• Size up if you like room, have broad shoulders, or the shirt is 100% cotton that might shrink.
• Size down if you like a close fit, the shirt has stretch, or it's an oversized style.
• Check the length. If you're tall, the bigger size may be the better choice just for length. If you're shorter, the smaller size may stop the hem bunching.

T-shirts for tall, petite and plus-size bodies

• Tall: look for "tall" sizes (labelled LT, XLT) that add body length without extra width. See what tall sizing means.
• Petite: women's petite tees shorten the body and sleeve. See what petite sizing means.
• Plus size: many unisex ranges run to 3XL, 4XL or beyond. Check the chest measurement for each size rather than assuming the steps are even.

How a t-shirt should fit: five quick checks

Once it arrives, put it on and check:

1. Shoulder seams sit at the edge of your shoulders, not halfway down your arms (unless it's a dropped-shoulder oversized style).
2. Chest lies flat without pulling across the front. You should be able to pinch an inch or two of fabric at the side.
3. Length covers your waistband when you lift your arms, and ends around mid-fly on trousers if you wear it untucked.
4. Sleeves end around mid-bicep for a classic look, a little higher for a slim fit.
5. Neckline sits flat without stretching open or choking.

If the chest and shoulders fit but the length doesn't, you need a tall or petite version, not a different size.

Kids' and youth t-shirts

Children's t-shirts are usually sized by age or by numeric size (4, 6, 8 and so on), with youth sizes running XS to XL for older children. Youth XL is often close to an adult Small. Go by the child's chest and height rather than age, and allow a little room for growth, as children can go up a size within a year. Our kids' clothing size chart and kids' clothing size calculator cover the ranges.

Converting t-shirt sizes between countries

Letter sizes (S, M, L) are generally the same in the US and UK for unisex tees. European and Asian brands can differ:

• European brands often size a little smaller and may use numbers (46, 48, 50) for men's tops.
• Asian brands frequently cut a Medium closer to a US Small. Check the chest measurement in centimetres.

The international size converter and the Asian size to US size converter help translate.

If you sell t-shirts online

T-shirts look simple, but they're one of the most returned items for fit, because shoppers guess from the letter. A few product-page details cut those returns:

• Show garment measurements (chest flat width, body length) as well as the body chart.
• Say which fit it is and whether it's unisex or women's.
• Show model height and size worn.
• Note the fabric and whether it's pre-shrunk.

If you print on demand, our print-on-demand size chart guide covers matching your supplier's blank, and the free t-shirt size chart generator makes a branded chart image in a minute.