How to measure your shoulder width

Shoulder width is measured across the back, from one shoulder point to the other, following the seam across the top of the back of a shirt that fits you well. The starting point is the shoulder bone, where the arm begins. At Swann, a Parisian made-to-measure shirt house, we show you how to find this point and take the measurement, on video.

How to take the measurement

One of the essential steps in getting the right measurements for your men's shirt is taking your shoulder width.

To measure your shoulder width, find the point on the shoulder where the arm begins. You should be able to feel the shoulder bone there. Finding this starting point on the slope of the shoulder can be tricky. To help, lay both hands flat and straight, one along the shoulder and the other along the arm. The point where your two hands meet marks the spot.

Then measure the shoulder width from this point at the end of your left shoulder to the opposite end of your right shoulder, following the seam across the top of the back of the shirt. If in doubt, you can always measure the shoulder width of your favourite shirt, from one sleeve seam to the other.

Tips

A few more pointers to get it right

Take care to keep a natural posture in your back and shoulders so as not to distort the measurement
Put on a shirt that already fits you well across the shoulders: it makes the job much easier, especially for finding the ends of your shoulders. The shoulder width is then the distance between the left shoulder seam and the right shoulder seam. Adjust this measurement to improve on it if needed.

Frequently asked questions about shoulder width

What is the shoulder width of a shirt?

It is the distance between the end of the left shoulder and the end of the right shoulder, measured across the back, where the sleeves are sewn to the body of the shirt.

How do I find the end of the shoulder?

Feel for the shoulder bone, where the arm begins. To help, lay both hands flat and straight, one on the shoulder and the other on the arm: the point where they meet marks the starting point of the measurement.

Can I measure the shoulder width on a shirt?

Yes. Take a shirt that fits you well across the shoulders, lay it flat and measure from one sleeve seam to the other, across the top of the back. Then adjust by a centimetre or two if that shirt has a flaw.