Articles on: Adjusting your Shirt
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Adjusting the back length of a shirt

The ideal back length of a shirt


Casual shirt worn outside the trousers

Formal shirt worn inside the trousers

A casual shirt should hide your stomach even when you raise your arms. It must not be too long either, to avoid the “skirt” effect. Seen from the side, it hangs about 8 cm below the top of the belt; in front it reaches mid-fly.

A formal shirt must be long enough to stay tucked when you move. The cloth should extend about 15 cm below the belt. In the back, the shirt reaches the base of the seat; in front it comes to the lower end of the fly.



LE CHEMISEUR® tips


🤏 Allow for shrinkage

Wash the shirt 2–3 times before deciding on any adjustements, or leave an extra 1 or 2 cm. The AI compensates for the shrinkage of each fabric.


📏 Adjusting for height

Tall clients often add a little length for balance; shorter clients remove a little to keep proportions.


🐘 Prominent stomach

A slightly longer back prevents the shirt from popping out of the trousers. If your collar measures 48 cm or more, you automatically benefit from our Big-&-Tall cut which gives extra length in front for the same back length.


If you shorten the back, the hips sit higher and can usually be narrowed. Conversely, lengthening the back drops the hips lower and often means they should be widened.


How to measure back length on a shirt

Measure the back length on a buttoned shirt laid flat, from the collar seam down to the hem.



Tolerance : A deviation of ± 1 cm between your measurement and your Fit Key is normal.

Updated on: 08/10/2025