Size Guide
Find your size in two minutes
Getting left out of the size range is its own old story, so we carry tees XS to 4XL, hoodies to 5XL and crewnecks to 4XL, and we publish the real numbers rather than a vague "runs true to size". Two ways to use this page — pick whichever is easier.
Method 1 — measure yourself (30 seconds)
Stand relaxed with your arms down. Run a soft tape around the fullest part of your chest, under the arms, keeping it level front to back. Don't pull it tight and don't hold your breath. Match that number to the Chest to fit chart below.
Method 2 — measure a shirt you already love (more accurate)
This is the one we'd recommend. Lay the shirt flat, front up, smoothed out — no wrinkles, no stretching.
- Width: measure straight across, one inch below the armhole seams. That's a half measurement, and it goes directly against the Width column in the flat-measurement charts.
- Length: from the highest point of the shoulder, where the shoulder seam meets the collar, straight down to the bottom hem.
Then find the row that matches. If you're between two, the larger one is almost always the right call.
T-shirts
Our tees are Bella+Canvas 3001 — a retail, side-seamed unisex cut with shoulder taping. Not boxy.
Chest to fit — measure your body
| Size | Your chest (circumference) |
|---|---|
| XS | 31" – 34" |
| S | 34" – 37" |
| M | 38" – 41" |
| L | 42" – 45" |
| XL | 46" – 49" |
| 2XL | 50" – 53" |
| 3XL | 54" – 57" |
| 4XL | 58" – 61" |
These are Bella+Canvas's own published bands. Yes, there's a one-inch gap between 34" and 38" — that gap is in their chart, and we've left it as printed rather than smoothing it over.
Flat measurements — measure a shirt you own
| Size | Width (laid flat, half chest) | Length (shoulder to hem) |
|---|---|---|
| XS | 16½" | 27" |
| S | 18" | 28" |
| M | 20" | 29" |
| L | 22" | 30" |
| XL | 24" | 31" |
| 2XL | 26" | 32" |
| 3XL | 28" | 33" |
| 4XL | 30" | 34" |
Width is half the shirt. Double it for the full chest measurement — so a Medium is 20" flat, which is 40" around.
Hoodies
Gildan 18500 Heavy Blend. Classic fit with room to move, double-lined hood, front pouch pocket.
| Size | Width (laid flat, half chest) | Length | Sleeve (center back to cuff) |
|---|---|---|---|
| S | 20" | 27" | 33½" |
| M | 22" | 28" | 34½" |
| L | 24" | 29" | 35½" |
| XL | 26" | 30" | 36½" |
| 2XL | 28" | 31" | 37½" |
| 3XL | 30" | 32" | 38½" |
| 4XL | 32" | 33" | 39½" |
| 5XL | 34" | 34" | 40½" |
Crewneck sweatshirts
Gildan 18000 Heavy Blend. Same body as the hoodie — ribbed collar instead, no hood and no drawcord, if that matters to you.
| Size | Width (laid flat, half chest) | Length | Sleeve (center back to cuff) |
|---|---|---|---|
| S | 20" | 27" | 33½" |
| M | 22" | 28" | 34½" |
| L | 24" | 29" | 35½" |
| XL | 26" | 30" | 36½" |
| 2XL | 28" | 31" | 37½" |
| 3XL | 30" | 32" | 38½" |
| 4XL | 32" | 33" | 39½" |
How much room should it have?
Take the flat width, double it, and subtract your body chest. That difference is called ease, and it's what decides how a shirt feels:
- 2" – 4" — fitted, close to the body
- 4" – 8" — standard, how most people wear a tee
- 8" and up — relaxed or oversized
Useful thing to know: each size step adds 2" of flat width — four inches of room around you — but only 1" of length. So sizing up for a looser fit barely changes how long the shirt is.
What the fabric is
| Garment | Fabric | Weight |
|---|---|---|
| T-shirts, solid colors | 100% Airlume combed and ring-spun cotton | 4.2 oz |
| T-shirts, Heather Prism colors | 99% cotton, 1% polyester | 4.2 oz |
| T-shirts, Athletic Heather | 90% cotton, 10% polyester | 4.2 oz |
| Hoodies & crewnecks, solid colors | 50% cotton, 50% polyester | 8.0 oz |
| Hoodies & crewnecks, heather colors | 40% cotton, 60% polyester | 8.0 oz |
Two honest caveats
Every garment varies a little. Gildan publishes a tolerance of plus or minus one inch on hoodies and crewnecks. Bella+Canvas doesn't publish a figure, but variance of up to about an inch and a half is normal on cut-and-sew tees. That's manufacturing, not a fault.
Cotton shrinks. Expect around 5% after the first wash. Wash cold and tumble dry low and you'll keep most of it — hot water and a hot dryer are what actually shrink a shirt.
Still not sure?
Email us at team@wearbrainwave.com with your usual size in a brand you already own and we'll tell you which of ours to pick. We'd rather spend two minutes on that than have you send a shirt back.
Measurements are the manufacturers' own published specifications — Bella+Canvas for tees, Gildan for hoodies and crewnecks.