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Men’s Shirt Size Chart: Neck Size in Inches, cm & S–XXL

Updated

Measure round the base of your neck and add half an inch to get your collar size, so a 15-inch neck takes a 15½ collar, which is an EU 39 and usually a medium. On a men’s shirt size chart, a label such as 16/34 means a 16-inch collar and a 34-inch sleeve.

Your conversion appears here. The full chart is below.

Men's shirt neck sizes
Neck (US/UK)Collar (EU cm)Letter
14"36XS
14½"37S
15"38M
15½"39M
16"41L
16½"42L
17"43XL
17½"44XL
18"46XXL
18½"47XXL
19"483XL

How to measure your neck for a shirt

  1. Stand up straight and look ahead, not down.
  2. Wrap a soft tape measure round the base of your neck, where the collar of a buttoned shirt would sit.
  3. Keep the tape snug against the skin. Don’t slip a finger underneath: the calculator already adds half an inch (about one finger) for comfort.
  4. Read the measurement in inches or centimetres and enter it above. The calculator rounds up to the next half inch after adding the allowance.
  5. To check against a shirt you own, unbutton the collar, lay it flat and measure from the centre of the top button to the far end of the buttonhole. That is the collar size of the shirt.
  6. For the sleeve, measure from the centre of the back of your neck, over the shoulder and down to the wrist bone, with your arm hanging naturally.

How shirt sizes work in the US, UK and Europe

Formal shirts, called dress shirts in the US, are sold by collar size. The UK and US use the same inch sizes in half-inch steps, from 14 up to 19 on this chart. European shirts give the collar in centimetres instead, so a 15 is a 38, a 15½ is a 39 and a 16 is a 41.

Casual shirts are usually sold in letter sizes. On this chart, a 14½ collar is a small, 15 to 15½ is a medium, 16 to 16½ is a large, 17 to 17½ is an extra large, and 18 to 18½ is XXL. Letter sizes vary between brands, so if a casual shirt matters to you, check the chest measurement in the brand’s chart as well.

What does 16/34 mean on a shirt?

US shirt labels often give two numbers. The first is the collar in inches and the second is the sleeve length in inches, measured from the centre back of the neck to the wrist. A 16/34 shirt has a 16-inch collar and a 34-inch sleeve. Some shirts are sold with a sleeve range instead of a single length, to cover more arm lengths with one size.

Fit names such as slim, regular or classic describe the body of the shirt, not the collar. A slim-fit 16 has the same collar as a regular-fit 16, with less fabric through the chest and waist.

Quick answers

FAQs

What size shirt is a 15.5 neck?

If 15½ is your collar size, it is an EU 39 and usually a medium. If 15½ inches is your bare neck measurement, the calculator adds the comfort allowance and suggests a 16 collar (EU 41).

Is a 16 collar a large?

On this chart, yes. Collars of 16 and 16½ inches are listed as large (EU 41 and 42). Letter sizes are less consistent than collar sizes, so check the brand.

Should I add a finger when measuring my neck?

Not if you use this calculator, because it adds half an inch for you. If you are reading a brand’s chart instead, check whether its figures are body measurements or finished collar sizes.

Are UK and US shirt sizes the same?

Yes, for collar sizes. Both use inches, so a UK 15½ is a US 15½. Only European sizes switch to centimetres.

What if my neck is between two sizes?

Go up. A collar that is slightly loose can be hidden by a tie, but one that is tight will be uncomfortable all day.

For jackets, T-shirts and knitwear, the men’s clothing size converter works from your chest measurement. The full list of tools is in the size guide.

EU collar sizes are the neck size in centimetres, listed against inch sizes in half-inch steps. The calculator adds half an inch to your neck measurement as a comfort allowance and rounds up to the next half inch. Letter sizes are typical groupings and vary by brand. The 16/34 explanation describes common US labelling; this tool does not calculate sleeve length.

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