Standard Shirts

This page covers Standard Shirts and the different sizes available. [Disclosure: Standard Shirt contacted me and sent me a shirt to try. They don’t have an affiliate program, so I don’t receive any commission or any financial benefit if you buy one of their shirts.] I spoke with Sung Jo of Standard Shirt about the company and their plans. The interview is at the bottom of the page.

Standard shirts – fits available

Standard Shirts are one of the few retailers who offer quarter inch collar sizes with the 15.75 inch collar. They only have one fit at the moment – a slim fit, and one colour – white. The Standard Shirts cut is a little wider than the Brooks Brothers Milano Fit in the chest, but slimmer through the waist.

In the table below all measurements are in inches. The difference between your chest measurement and garment chest measurement should be four inches if you want to  a relatively tight fitting shirt.  Add five inches for a more typical fit and six inches for a more relaxed comfortable fit.

Standard Shirt sizes

Collar SizeSleeve Lengths AvailableChest Size - Garment MeasurementWaist Size - Garment Measurement
15.031.75, 33.342.538.0
15.533.75, 35.544.039.5
15.834, 35.545.541.0
16.035, 36.547.042.5
16.535, 36.549.044.0
17.035.25, 36.750.545.5


Can’t find what you’re looking for? Try the Shirt Search Engine to find a shirt that fits you.

Interview with Sung Jo of Standard Shirts

I spoke with Sung Jo, one of the co-founders of Standard Shirt, about their shirts and business plans. https://www.standardshirt.com/

A summary of our discussion is below.

Shirtdetective [SD]: Can you give a history of Standard Shirt?

Sung Jo [SJ]:  Standard Shirt has three co-founder. I have  background in marketing, particularly digital marketing. My brother works in finance and a friend worked in consultancy, working with start ups. In addition, my father has been working in the textile industry for 30 years, supplying textiles to large US chain stores. He has the logistics knowledge.

SD: How did you go about designing the shirts?

SJ: We were all unsatisified with what we could find off-the-rack, and bespoke options were over-priced. We decided to offer something better and all had a role in designing the shirts. We started by buying different brands of shirts that we liked, or shirts where we liked a particular aspect. For example, if we liked the collar, or the cut of the shirt. We bought many of the common brands, including Brooks Brothers, Charles Tyrwhitt and Thomas Pink.  We learnt a lot from that.

For sizing, we wanted a slimmer fit as that’s what we wanted to wear and that’s the way the market is going. We also did some testing with friends.

SD:  You offer quarter inch neck sizes.  That’s not something I’ve seen elsewhere.

SJ: We are aiming for a consumer who is considering buying a made to measure shirt. Offering the quarter inch collar sizes makes our offer attractive to those kinds of consumers. Our typical customer is someone who educated about shirts and knows what they like and don’t like.

SD:  You also have a successful sizing guide. I find it strange that on forums individuals will give a height and weight and then ask for a shirt that fits. For me you have to give at least a collar and arm size.  However, that said, your sizing engine worked well for me.  It’s based on t-shirt size, a question about slim fit shirts, and a height question. How does it work?

SJ:  The T-shirt size question gives the starting point and helps with collar size.  The slim cut question also helps with the sizing and the collar size. The height question helps with the arm length, as people above 5’10 tend to have a certain arm length proportions and those below 5’10 a different proportion.  Some customers complain that it doesn’t work them. For most, including you, it works well.

SD: And the material?

SJ: The types of cotton and the weave was one of the things we looked at in other shirts.  For us, the 80 thread count is the best trade-off. The 100 thread count was too expensive and the 80 looked a felt better than the 100 thread count.

SD: What about the construction, specifically the collars?

SJ:  We went for a fused collar, but the placquets aren’t fused.

SD: And Non-Iron?

SJ: We decided not to go non-iron as they are all chemically treated. The consumers buying our shirts appreciate the benefits of a good shirt, rather than just pulling something out of the dryer and putting it straight on.

SD: The range is restricted at the moment, with just one colour and cut, with two different collars.  Are you looking to expand the range?

SJ:  At the moment we’re focussing on continually improving the shirts.  We’re still learning and get feedback from customers. Our aim is to become the standard white shirt which men purchase for both work and play.  After we have nailed that then we’ll start to think about expanding the range.  We get feedback from customers and bloggers who say they like the shirt, but we don’t have their size.

SD: In which areas would you think to expand?

SJ: The first step would be to add to the colours, probably expanding the range to blue and pink.  Then we’d look at expanding the range of cuts.

SD:  Sounds like you have things well thought out. Which others shirt makers do you think are taking the right approach?

SJ:  I like the way Kamakura operate.  They are offering a good quality shirt, with slim sizing, and doing a good range of colours and patterns. Other firms doing it right are Hugh and Crye and Combatant Gentlemen.

SD:  Thanks, I was aware of those Kamakura, but not Hugh and Crye or Combatant Gentlemen. I’ll take a look.  Thanks for taking the time to talk to me.

SJ: No problem. Good luck with the website.