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Adjusting the back length of a shirt

The ideal back length for your shirt

The length of your shirt depends on your size, and how you want to wear your shirt.

Casual Shirt, worn outside the trousers :	Formal Shirt, worn inside the trousers :

A casual shirt, worn outside the pants, should cover your stomach even when you raise your arms. It should not be too long either to avoid the "skirt effect". On the side, it extends about 10 cm below the belt. At the front, it reaches the middle of the fly.	A formal shirt must be long enough to stay in place inside the trousers when you move. On the side, the shirt should extend about 17 cm below the belt. At the back, the shirt should reach the base of the buttocks and at the front towards the bottom of the fly.

For a shirt of intermediate length, it is recommended to leave about 15 cm of fabric on the side relative to the belt.

LE CHEMISEUR® tips

🤏 Allow for shrinkage

Wash the shirt 2–3 times before deciding on any adjustments, or leave an extra 1 or 2 cm for the back length. Our 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 a given back length.

🔀 Back length and hip width link

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: 10/12/2025