Shirts: What Type Should I Buy for My Body Shape?

Shirts are deceptively simple—but getting the right one can make or break an outfit. Whether you’re layering under a blazer, styling casually with denim, or tucking into tailored trousers, a well-fitting shirt enhances your silhouette and elevates your look. The wrong shirt, on the other hand, can gap at the bust, drown your frame, or bunch uncomfortably around the shoulders.

If you’ve ever stood in a fitting room wondering why a classic white shirt still doesn’t look right, it might not be the shirt—it might be the cut vs your body shape.

In this technical guide, you’ll learn:

• Which shirt cuts suit different body types

• What to avoid based on your proportions

• How to buy smarter using Tellar.co.uk to match your body measurements to over 1,500 brands in real time

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🧠 Why Getting the Right Shirt Fit Is So Difficult

Most people assume shirt sizing is universal—S, M, L, or UK 10, 12, 14. But shirts are especially vulnerable to poor sizing because they interact with so many body points at once: shoulders, bust, waist, arms, and hips.

Even within one brand, you might find:

• Shirts gape across the bust

• Sleeves are too long or too short

• The shoulder seams sit too high or too far out

• The fabric billows at the waist, making you look boxy

The solution isn’t buying three sizes and hoping for the best. It’s using your exact measurements and matching them to individual brand sizing data.

🎯 Tellar.co.uk does just that—instantly.

🟩 Create your profile now and compare your fit across brands like Reiss, Zara, COS, Massimo Dutti, & Other Stories, and more.

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📏 Key Measurements That Matter for Shirt Shopping

• Chest/Bust circumference

• Waist circumference

• Hip width (especially for longline or oversized fits)

• Shoulder width

• Arm length and upper arm width

• Torso length (helps with shirt tuck and fit)

💡 Tellar’s free printable tape measure allows you to get accurate measurements at home. These fuel precise, brand-specific sizing matches on your profile.

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👚 Best Shirt Cuts for Each Body Shape

1. Hourglass Shape (Defined waist, balanced hips and bust)

Ideal styles:

• Darted or tailored shirts – follow your natural curve

• Wrap or tie-waist blouses – highlight the waist

• Soft materials with stretch – reduce gaping at the bust

Avoid:

• Straight-cut or oversized shirts that hide your silhouette

• Button-ups with stiff fabric that pull at the chest

Recommended brands:

• Massimo Dutti – Soft tailoring in natural fabrics

• Reiss – Premium stretch shirts with darted waists

• Boden – Subtle prints and belted blouse options

🔗 Compare your perfect size in Reiss and Boden here

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2. Pear Shape (Wider hips, narrower shoulders)

Ideal styles:

• Structured collars and shoulder details – draw the eye upward

• A-line shirts or trapeze shapes – skim over hips

• Bold prints or colour on top – balance proportions

Avoid:

• Longline shirts that cling to hips

• Slim-fit styles that restrict movement across the lower half

Recommended brands:

• Zara – On-trend poplin shirts with statement collars

• & Other Stories – Boxy cropped shirts that balance lower body

• COS – Architectural shapes with added volume at the top

📎 Find your best size instantly at Tellar.co.uk

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3. Apple Shape (Fuller midsection, slim legs and hips)

Ideal styles:

• V-neck blouses – break up the chest area

• Flowing button-front shirts – add vertical length

• Empire waist or swing blouses – float over the midsection

Avoid:

• Cropped lengths or high-neck collars that add bulk

• Fitted waists that cling at the wrong spot

Recommended brands:

• H&M Premium – Soft crepe blouses with elongating lines

• Baukjen – Organic cotton and modal fabrics in relaxed fits

• Me+Em – Longline, structured shirts that define verticals

🧵 Tellar.co.uk automatically adjusts for bust and waist-to-hip balance, so you get a shirt that flows—not fights.

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4. Rectangle Shape (Minimal waist definition)

Ideal styles:

• Belted shirts or tie waists – create curves

• Puff sleeves or pleated shoulders – add volume up top

• Peplum shapes – suggest hourglass silhouette

Avoid:

• Boxy shirts with no waist shaping

• Oversized shirts with no detail—they flatten the figure

Recommended brands:

• Whistles – Feminine yet structured pieces

• COS – Volume sleeves and nipped-in waists

• Arket – Simple shirts with belt or pleat detailing

📏 Compare COS vs Whistles fits with Tellar

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5. Inverted Triangle (Broad shoulders, slim hips)

Ideal styles:

• Drape-front blouses – soften upper half

• Rounded hems or peplum styles – add visual width to hips

• Dropped shoulders – reduce sharpness

Avoid:

• Stiff collars, shoulder pads, or puff sleeves

• High-contrast prints that emphasise the chest/shoulders

Recommended brands:

• French Connection – Collarless designs and flared hems

• River Island – Rounded, flowing shirt styles

• & Other Stories – Relaxed cuts with hip flaring

📐 Use Tellar.co.uk to prioritise shoulder fit, which is the most difficult area to alter in shirts.

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🔬 Shirt Construction: What to Assess Before Buying

🧠 Tip: Stretch cotton or viscose blends offer movement without compromising shape.

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🧬 How Tellar.co.uk Removes Sizing Errors

Most returns from online shirt orders are due to:

• Bust gaping

• Shoulder pinching

• Too-long or too-short sleeves

• Confusion between brands that run large or small

Tellar.co.uk prevents this by:

✅ Matching your exact measurements to brand sizing
✅ Showing fit outcomes based on chest, waist, and hips
✅ Offering unit toggling in CM or Inches
✅ Using brand-specific data from over 1,500 retailers

🟨 Try the Store Size Lookup
🟩 Create your free profile now

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📣 Follow Tellar.co.uk for More Size + Style Intelligence

We post brand-specific shirt guides, bust fit warnings, petite fit insights and more:

• Instagram: @Tellarsizing

• Pinterest: TellarUK

• Facebook: TellarSizing

• Twitter (X): @Tellar100

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✅ Final Word: A Shirt Should Fit You, Not the Label

Perfecting your shirt game is about more than style—it’s about shape, proportion, and smart data. You shouldn’t have to guess whether you’re a UK 12 in Zara or a Medium in COS. You shouldn’t have to return three shirts to find one that fits. And you definitely shouldn’t have to compromise on comfort to achieve style.

Let Tellar.co.uk do the sizing. You focus on the styling.

🟩 Find your size in 1,500+ brands real-time. It’s free & easy
🟨 Start with the shirt that flatters your shape—and fits perfectly the first time.