You might think that creating a T-shirt size chart is a straightforward task, nevertheless you need to keep in mind several aspects: first of all, you need to define if the measurements you are going to use are body measurements or finished garment measurements. Your typical shoppers will most likely take into consideration their own body measurements when purchasing online, therefore you will need to specify which ones are used in the size chart.
Another aspect to consider is the country your ecommerce store serves. Since each region has its own sizing system, you will need to provide the shopper with accurate size conversion charts for each item in your fashion store.
Last but not least, not all t-shirts are created equal!
If you sell anything that goes beyond the classic round-neck T-shaped shirt, you will need to specify different measurements. For example, for a boat-neck shirt or a V-neck shirt for women, you need to clarify the depth and the width of the neckline, to make sure the customer clearly understands how the t-shirt will look on them before purchasing it.
In this article, we will explain how to create a t-shirt size chart for men, women and children, the different types of fit a T-shirt can have and how to take measurements correctly.
Men’s T-Shirt Size Chart
Let’s start with the simplest one, the t-shirt size chart for men. In this case, the basic measurements are the following ones:
Chest circumference: circumference of the chest taken with a measurement tape parallel to the floor at the point of maximum width of the chest.
Waist circumference: again taken with the tape parallel to the floor, at the narrowest point of the trunk.
Women’s T-Shirt Size chart
The basic measurements for a women’s T-Shirt are the same as for the men’s, with the obvious difference in terms of waist/chest ratio. Here an overview of the standard measurements – keep in mind that Petite and Plus-Size will of course require different proportions.
Children’s T-Shirt Size chart
When creating a size chart for children, you can add different measurements on top of chest and waist circumference, for example the age of the child. Some manufacturers also specify its height and weight. Here an example of a children’s t-shirt size chart, built with Sizefox.
T-Shirt Fit Style
Also t-shirts, just like dressed shirts, can have different fit styles. Let’s see which are the most common ones.
Classic fit: standard and straight cut that does not follow the silhouette of the body, but goes straight down on the hips. Laid on a table, the garment will appear square and abundant in length. It is a garment with exceptional wearability, which can be worn by any physical type.
Slim Fit: this cut describes a garment with narrow armholes and shorter bottom. It follows the silhouette of the body without necessarily resorting to the aid of stretch fabrics. The garment fits best when worn by a person with balanced proportions.
Regular fit: this is a middle point between the regular and the slim fit. It fits slightly tighter than the regular, but not as tight as the slim fit. These are the kind of shirts that are comfortable without looking sloppy, and can be matched with jackets and trousers for a smart-casual look.
How to Measure a T-Shirt for a Size Chart
Since online shoppers tend to consider body measurements, we suggest you also input those in your size chart. You can refer to this article if you need details on how to take body measurements for a t-shirt.
If, nevertheless, you need to use finished garment measurements, here is an overview of the measurements you might want to take into consideration.
A: chest width
B: bottom width
C: shoulder length
D: t-shirt total length
E: sleeve lenght
F: armhole length
G: sleeve width
H: sleeve opening width
I: collar width
J: collar depth
Tips for creating a size chart
- Specify if the measurements are expressed in inches or centimeters, and if you are using body measurements or finished garment measurements.
- If you are selling on different markets make sure to add a unit conversion size chart to simplify the user experience.
- Try to add as many measurements as possible. The more indications you give to your shoppers the more likely they are to purchase the correct size and avoid returning the item.
Creating a size chart with Sizefox
With Sizefox you can create sleek Shopify size charts or add a size recommender to your product pages, supporting your website visitors in getting the right t-shirt size.
Distributed free of charge, Sizefox has an intuitive interface and a 15-minutes integration time.
Try Sizefox for free
