I don't go for the "two fingers rule" for exactly that reason. Whose fingers? Placed where? How?

Just make sure it fits. It's like shoes or pants. You should be able to know by feel. If you can use a word like heuristic, you can manage this.

 

Two parallel is right -- two will also be harder to get in than one because two fingers have greater volume than one. Try getting all four in.

 

Over the years, while I've used the two finger rule to initially assess the fit of a shirt collar, it really all boils down to the fully buttoned collar lying softly around the circumference of my neck without digging into it at any point. Ironically, while I may never leave a clothing store with a collar that is too tight, after repeated washings (and much to my dismay) the fit seems to shift a bit in the wrong direction!

 

I think eagle2250 is probably closer to right than a "two finger rule".

You can put TWO FINGERS into any sized collar. I can squeeze into a 15.5 and push two fingers in there and fool myself into wearing that collar shirt. But, I would just be uncomfortable and lightly choking myself all day.

You want a collar that doesn't gap around the neck and doesn't squeeze it. naturally you might get a gap when you bend over or jut your head forward, but in a normal position you shouldn't have any gaping, the collar shouldn't ride low, and you should feel comfortable.

On the tighter side, you don't want the shirt squeezing you to the point that it is pinching or creasing the skin and fat around your neck. As you get older you can more easily see this effect coming on from tighter collars, and it makes you look 10 years older/strangled.

 

If in doubt, buy a little on the big side.

 

Thanks

So, no magic insights, huh?!

I have shirts that are 19" necks and 20" necks. The 19"ers FEEL "tight" and make me want to take my tie off.

The 20"ers FEEL "loose" and I can wear my tie all day and into the evening. However, the 20"ers also LOOK "big," like I've lost weight. If someone were taller than me (I'm 6'2"), they could look down my collar in the front.

I imagine I should look into 19.5" collars. Unfortunately, once you get above 18", half-sizes are rare. Or I could look into custom-made shirts; but those are out of the price range--and brand image--of we clergy....

 

I like mine to be quite tight, so I go for a single finger rule. It's a comfort thing for me.

 

So, no magic insights, huh?!

Not yet. The only two things--look and feel.

Don't be uncomfortable and don't have a gap between collar and neck. A gap=fail.

 

You might try moving the top button a bit...tighter on the 20's and bigger on the 19's.

 

shirt fit

If in doubt, buy a little on the big side.

If you are going to wear it with a tie, then try it on with a tie. The shirt should have some play: two fingers feel, 1/2 inch look, etc. You don't want it tight enough to take your pulse, and you don't want it so loose that it looks like you just got out of the hospital or borrowed your dad's shirt.

If you are just going to wear it open collar, then I'd say to possibly go a 1/2 size smaller, so it sits around your neck better. Just my opinion. Best wishes!

 

Shirt collar fit is a real pain because so many people have necks that change size quite quickly with the addition or loss of a few pounds. personally I hate when a collar is too loose because you really do look like you have been sick and are just now recovering etc. With a too-large neck comes a too-large body often times as well.

another problem is that some people's neck to chest ratio isn't the industry standard so shirts cut for someone who has a 42 chest might need a 15 neck but can only find them in 16 so great - the body fits, now the neck is loose.

In the case that the collar is too tight your neck can spill over it making you look bloated but a quick fix for this is a collar expander which looks like a button on one end and a springy loop on the other, the loop goes over the existing button and you use the attached button to close the shirt collar and since its elastic you wont choke yourself to death. This only works with a tie however.

I dont use the "two-finger" test because I know what I am looking for - a collar that doesn't bind as I turn my head, that I can get a finger or two into like I was going to tug on my collar and one that stays up high in the front of my neck. I eye-ball it at this point and I know when its what I want.

If you are wearing a jacket over a shirt as long as the collar and sleeve length are good if the body of the shirt is a bit too full the jacket can conceal some of it but the neck is never concealed. Cuffs spilling onto the back of your hand is as bad as a bad neck fit and the two together scream "shirt too big!".

Short of custom shirts or MTM shirt programs you are reduced to hunting down shirts by brand that offer the neck size, sleeve length and body fit combo that works best, it however almost always requires some compromise.

The best you can do is try before you buy, maintain your weight plus or minus 5 pounds and take good care of your best fitting shirts.

Also note that a shirt that is almost right, maybe just a pinch on the big side, may fit just right after a few washings but dont expect too dramatic of a difference. It would be much more noticeable in sleeve length than in neck diameter. Conversely if the neck just barely fits brand new it could become even tighter after a few washings.

You want a "science of fit" answer but I think the only real answer is an "art of fit" answer, sorry...

 

Aha!?

I think I figured that "two fingers" rule of thumb out!

Are we supposed to be able to fit two fingers between our collar and neck--WITHOUT having to pull the collar out and WITHOUT having to cram our fingers against our neck? I.e., there is two fingers' worth of looseness in the collar.

Is that it?

 

both

I think I figured that "two fingers" rule of thumb out!

Are we supposed to be able to fit two fingers between our collar and neck--WITHOUT having to pull the collar out and WITHOUT having to cram our fingers against our neck? I.e., there is two fingers' worth of looseness in the collar.

Is that it?

Yes, and you can do a visual check. Again, if it looks like you've got about 1/2" to reach pulse taking tightness, then you're probably at the optimal point. But again, try it on with a tie and wander around a few minutes. If you start to feel the blood surging thru your neck... its too tight. If you keep feeling the urge to reach up and pull the shirt away from your neck, then it might be too tight. If so, grab another like shirt 1/2 size bigger and try that on with the same tie. See which feels better and still looks good. Like another mentioned, you don't want to look like your head is bulging because the neck is so tight, and you don't want to look like you just got over a death defying disease, because the gap in your collar is so big. It should be loose enough to allow circulation thru the gap in your collar. Your body heat needs to escape somehow, or you will trap bodyheat in your shirt, and begin prespiring at the slightest movement.