The Smart Shirt Guide: Choosing the Best Shirt for Your Shape and Fit Goals

When was the last time you bought a shirt that fit perfectly—no gaping at the buttons, no tight shoulders, no excess fabric bunching at the back? For most, it’s rare. Shirts are among the hardest garments to get right, not because your body is the problem—but because the fashion industry lacks standardisation. One brand’s size 12 may fit like a 10 in another. Add bust shape, shoulder width, posture, and fabric behaviour to the mix, and the wrong choice becomes almost inevitable—unless you're using data.

That’s where Tellar.co.uk comes in. As the UK’s leading free sizing tool, we match your real measurements to 1,500+ brands and styles—giving you exact shirt size recommendations based on your body shape and the technical specifications of each label. Below, we break down the best shirt types for every body shape, and offer brand-specific fit advice, technical shirt construction tips, and expert-backed links to help you shop smarter.

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🧭 Why Most Shirts Don’t Fit Properly—and How to Fix It

Shirts demand structural precision:

• Bust-to-waist shaping affects gaping

• Armhole and sleeve pitch affect mobility

• Shoulder seam alignment controls the upper silhouette

• Fabric elasticity determines comfort and wearability

According to our Tellar.co.uk sizing consistency analysis, over 40% of women experience return-worthy fit issues with shirts due to poor bust accommodation and rigid, unforgiving fabrics.

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👤 Know Your Body Shape Before Choosing Your Shirt

A shirt that flatters your figure must work with your body’s proportions—not against them.

📎 Get measured and profiled for free with our Tellar printable tape measure and size-matching profile creator.

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🔄 Hourglass: Emphasise Structure, Maintain Balance

✅ Wear:

• Darted cotton shirts (Reiss, Hobbs, L.K. Bennett)

• Wrap tops and stretch silk (Ghost, ME+EM, Rixo)

• Tailored peplum blouses (Ted Baker, Sézane)

❌ Avoid:

• Oversized, straight-cut shirts with no waist suppression

• Boxy linen blends that hide your frame

🧵 Fit Tips:

• Prioritise shirts with bust darts or side panels

• Use stretch cotton sateen or blended viscose to reduce gaping

• Princess seams are essential for hourglass shaping

📌 More help: How to Fix Shirt Gaping for Larger Busts📌 Sizing info: Find your best brand match

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🍐 Pear: Build Visual Volume Above the Waist

✅ Wear:

• Structured shoulders or puff sleeves (GANNI, & Other Stories, Phase Eight)

• Bold prints or statement collars (Kitri, Anthropologie)

• Cropped or semi-fitted shirts (Mango, Oasis)

❌ Avoid:

• Longline cuts that cling to hips

• Lightweight clingy knits with zero shaping

🧵 Fit Tips:

• Look for raglan sleeves to widen the upper frame

• Use high-shine fabrics or embellishment to shift attention upward

• End hem above hip line or below thigh—avoid hip-across fits

📎 Explore: Pear Shape Styling Essentials📎 Backed by data: Best Brands for Curvier Lower Halves

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🍎 Apple: Skim the Middle, Elongate the Line

✅ Wear:

• V-necks and soft button-ups (Baukjen, Thought, Kin)

• Relaxed fit longline tunics (Arket, Toast)

• Empire waist blouses (Sézane, Nobody’s Child)

❌ Avoid:

• Rigid shirts with no stretch or side vents

• Overly cinched waists that constrict midsection

🧵 Fit Tips:

• Seek split hems and vented sides to allow movement

• Avoid front breast pockets that add volume

• Use fabrics with fluid drape like lyocell, modal or viscose

📎 Fit clarity: Apple Body Shape Guide📎 Sizing insight: Bust-to-Waist Fit Analysis

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➖ Rectangle: Add Curve Through Detail and Shape

✅ Wear:

• Tie-waist wrap shirts or peplums (Ghost, Mango, M&S Autograph)

• Contrast panel button-downs (River Island, COS)

• High-low hem or asymmetric silhouettes (Whistles, Kitri)

❌ Avoid:

• Flat-fronted, long boxy shirts

• Very straight styles in stiff cotton with no shaping

🧵 Fit Tips:

• Emphasise visual shaping through belts, pleats, or ruching

• Choose prints with movement or curved lines

• Wear shirts that layer under fitted knits to break up the silhouette

📎 Learn more: Rectangle Styling Explained📎 Pair with jackets: Blazers for Your Body Shape

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🔺 Inverted Triangle: Balance Width with Lower Volume

✅ Wear:

• Dolman sleeve shirts or raglan cuts (Kin, Toast, ME+EM)

• Dropped shoulders or cowl necks (Massimo Dutti, Finisterre)

• Soft V-necks and split hems (COS, Hush)

❌ Avoid:

• Epaulettes, military collars, and shoulder pads

• Boxy crops that widen the chest visually

🧵 Fit Tips:

• Look for shirts with no shoulder seams, or soft-cut dropped shoulders

• Prioritise A-line shirt cuts or shirt dresses that create balance

• Avoid shiny or rigid fabrics near the neckline

📎 Fit science: Inverted Triangle Shape Explained📎 Complementary picks: Coats for Body Shape

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🧵 Fabric Fit Guide (By Shirt Type)

📎 Need help reading material labels? See our guide: What Shirt Fabrics Really Mean

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📏 Fit Accuracy Checklist

Before you hit "Add to Basket", check the following:

• ✓ Shoulder seams land perfectly at your shoulder tip

• ✓ No gaping or pulling at the bust when buttoned

• ✓ Hem ends above or below your widest point—never at it

• **✓ Armholes don’t restrict movement when lifting arms

• ✓ Fabric skims the body without clinging

📎 Use Tellar’s size-matching tool to check these criteria by brand before buying.

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🚀 Call to Action: Use Tellar.co.uk for Smarter Shirt Shopping

Too many shoppers rely on size labels that don’t reflect real body data. With Tellar.co.uk, you get:

✅ Precision sizing across 1,500+ shirt brands✅ Shape-specific guidance that updates with every measurement✅ Fabric and cut analysis matched to your real dimensions

🎯 Create your Tellar profile📏 Download the free measuring tape🔎 See your size in any brand

Find your size in 1,500+ brands real-time. It’s free & easy.

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