Articles on: Adjusting your Shirt

Adjusting the collar of a shirt

How your shirt collar should fit


The collar should close comfortably around your neck without feeling tight and without creating visible gaps on the sides. Getting the collar size right is important, even if you usually wear your shirt open without a tie. The collar size influences the overall balance of the shirt and helps ensure a clean fit across the shoulders, chest and armholes. A properly fitted collar should feel comfortable throughout the day while maintaining an elegant shape.


LE CHEMISEUR® tips


🤏 Allow for shrinkage

The collar will typically shrink by approximately 1 cm over time.

We recommend washing your shirt two or three times before deciding whether any adjustment is necessary. Alternatively, you can simply allow an extra 1 cm from the start.

Our AI already compensates for the expected shrinkage of each fabric.


🦍 The collar feels tight / you have a thick neck

Fasten the collar at the level you find comfortable and measure the gap between the centre of the button and the end of the buttonhole.

Add this measurement to your collar size to obtain a more comfortable fit.


🦒 The collar feels loose / you have a slim neck

If the collar only gaps slightly, reducing the collar size by 1 cm is usually sufficient.

If you can pinch excess fabric at the side of the neck when the collar is closed, you may reduce the collar size by 2 to 3 cm.

Avoid making the collar too tight. A collar that feels comfortable for a few minutes may become uncomfortable after several hours of wear, especially in warm weather.


How to measure the collar on a shirt


Lay the shirt flat. The collar measurement is the distance between the centre of the button and the outer edge of the buttonhole.

Updated on: 10/06/2026