How Should a Short Sleeve Shirt Fit?

As an athlete, the short-sleeved shirts you buy in regular stores probably don’t fit you well. Because of your extra muscle mass and above-average physique, there are a few extra factors you have to take into account to get a short-sleeved shirt that fits.

We’re here with the answers for you—and solutions to your problem.

We know that the shirts you find in regular stores likely have some extra fabric in places you don’t want and too little fabric in places like your arms. You’re left sizing up and down, never knowing which size you should actually buy.

Luckily for you, we’ve created an entire range of clothing for people like you. We’re athletes too, and we know exactly what the problems are with regular clothing for guys like us.

What this article covers:

• Sleeve Length
• Finding the Right Body Fit
• Why Regular Shirts Won’t Work for You
• True Muscle Fit Shirts

Sleeve Length

Sleeves are a notorious problem for athletes when buying clothes in regular stores. Shirt sleeves should traditionally end between the middle and the bottom of your bicep. If you’d like a more modern fit, however, the sleeve should end about halfway down your bicep.

For a conservative short-sleeve look, such as one you’d wear to the office, go for a sleeve that ends at the bottom of your bicep. 

You should also avoid too much excess material on your sleeves. This can cause them to swing out, distorting your arm shape. The best sleeve fit is one that sits close to your skin but isn’t so tight that it restricts your movement.

We hear what you’re thinking, “how do I control where the sleeve ends if nobody makes clothing that fits my athletic body?”

We know it can be frustrating when you struggle to find well-fitting clothing, so stick with us for some options created for your body type.

Finding the Right Body Fit

When we talk about body fit, we mean the way the shirt fits your torso. This can either give you a defined silhouette or it can make you look much larger than you are.

Boxy fits aren’t a good choice because they don’t have much shape. This fit falls down flat at your sides, so it doesn’t accentuate any of the features you’ve worked hard to achieve. This fit is also typically cut shorter, which can make you appear shorter.

It’s best to choose fits that are more tailored. This means the material sits closer to your skin. The cut of the shirt should also follow the natural shape of your body, as opposed to being too loose and shapeless. 

 

Well-tailored shirts have side seams and back darts. This is what gives them that fitted, fresh look. 

We know that buying these from a regular store can mean the usual problem of sizing up to fit into the shirt, and then having excess fabric around your torso because the shirt doesn’t account for your leanness. 

Don’t worry about it. Like we said, TAILORED ATHLETE has solutions for you.

Why Regular Shirts Won’t Work for You

An athlete’s body is unique. When people don’t work out, their sizing remains pretty consistent across their bodies. This means that if they’re a medium on their torso, they’re probably going to be the same size on their arms.

Athletes, however, are generally smaller around the torso and have larger arms because of bigger biceps. This means that if you’re a size medium around your torso, you’re likely a size large around your arms. 

This is why buying regular clothing doesn’t work for athletes. You need clothing designed specifically for your body type so that you can ensure your clothing looks well-tailored and you look well put together.

So let’s go over some options thatwill work for you.

True Muscle Fit Shirts

We’ve crafted a range of exceptionally comfortable shirts - made by athletes, for athletes. 

TAILORED ATHLETE uses high-quality Performance Fabrics that give all our clothes 4-way stretch properties so they’re form-fitting without looking too tight. 

We make sure our clothing moves with your body, because we know that as an athlete, you’re the kind of person who’s always on the move. 

Here’s a glimpse into some of the garments we’ve created for your body type.

Dress Shirts

Our dress shirts are a traditional and stylish cut. Our signature is the True Muscle Fit, designed to accommodate an athlete’s body shape and type. 

It’s difficult to know how dress shirts should fit if you’re larger than the average Joe. To ensure a good fit for you, we made our shirts with a broader chest. This avoids that super tight and uncomfortable feeling you may get with regular clothing. Our added bit of stretch in the shirt gives it a tailored look without restricting any of your movement.

Additionally, we’ve tailored our shirts to accommodate bulkier arms. This means our shirts are slightly bigger than most in the arm area to accommodate for your biceps.

The waists, however, are tapered. This ensures that the shirt doesn’t drown you out in order to fit the broader upper parts of your torso while showing off all your hard work around your abdomen.

Essential T-Shirts

Our men’s athletic fit t-shirts are made in our custom True Muscle Fit, giving you many of the benefits of the dress shirts above. 

 

Our T-shirts, however, are less formal but don’t give you that lazy Sunday look you’d get from a badly-fitting regular T-shirt.

They’re available in a large variety of muted and bright colors so you can really fill your wardrobe with staples you know fit you well and look good on every occasion. They’re a great shirt that makes you look muscular by taking your extra mass into account and making an effort to highlight your best features.

The raglan cut sleeves ensure your muscles are shown off while wearing these shirts by getting the fit just right: not too loose, not too tight. This is how essential shirts should fit and it’s what makes our clothes such versatile items for your closet.

These shirts are made from a mix of microfiber, cotton, and elastane, giving them unrivaled durability so you can rest assured they’ll last you a long time. Because TAILORED ATHLETE uses high-end Performance Fabric, they’re super comfortable as well.

You can find a sizing chart in our store that you can use to determine which size is best for you. 

We recommend taking your measurements and using those as a guide - remember, these shirts are made specifically for athletes, so your sizing might be different than if you were to purchase a t-shirt in a regular store.

Polo Shirts

Another great option is our polo shirts for muscular men. These are similar to our T-shirts but they have the addition of a collar. They’re slightly more formal so you can wear them to the office or on a night out.

You’ll look good and have completely free range of motion, allowing you to really let loose. 

These shirts are made from the same blend of microfiber, cotton, and elastane, so you get all the same benefits as our other premium shirts. They’re great quality, easy to wash, and will last you many years. 

The check that the polo shirt’s collar fits properly, pay attention to the buttons. You’re not going to close the collar around your neck, so you don’t need to worry about that. However, if it’s too tight, there might be some stretching around the buttonholes when they’re closed.

Since they come in a variety of colors, you can have some fun mixing them with blazers and chinos of your choice and move away from having to wear whatever drab shirts you find that fit you.

Conclusion

Just because you’re bigger than everybody else doesn’t mean you should have to struggle to find clothes that fit. You want to stand out, and getting the right clothes is the first step.

We hope this sizing guide has given you the confidence to know what you’re looking for when you’re shopping for clothes, and we’re sure we’ve given you some good suggestions to get you started. If you’re looking for something more formal, check out our guide on how to fit a men’s button-up shirt.

Did you find our blog helpful? Then consider checking:

• Best Dress Shirts for Athletic Build
• Best Dress Shirts for Bodybuilders
• What Is the Difference Between Fitted and Athletic Fit Dress Shirts
• Modern Fit vs Slim Fit - which fit is right for your body?
• Slim vs Skinny Fit: Is There Even a Difference?
• Slim Fit vs Athletic Fit - a Battle of the Styles
• Slim Fit vs Regular Fit: Breaking Down the Clothing Fits
• Straight Fit vs Slim Fit: Differences in Styles & Material
• Traditional Fit vs Tailored Fit
• Contemporary vs Slim Fit: Which Is for Me?
• Sharp fit vs slim fit (Differences + Who should wear it)
• Extreme Slim Fit vs Slim Fit - What’s the Real Difference?
• Fitted vs Regular Fit: Which Is Best for Your Body?
• Comfort Fit vs Regular Fit
• Drop Shoulder vs Standard Fit - Which Is Right for Athletes?