How big do the collars come up? I am normally a 18 on a cheapo primark/tesco shirt but am going to spend a few quid on work clothes as they haven’t found me out yet.

Go to one of their shops and try them on?

It also depends on what you call ‘normlly an 18’ as well. I see so many people wearing shirts with collars far too big for them. I found Lewins come up about right for me.

Lewin is bang on always, Trywhitt sizing is all over the place but generally on the larger side.

I was always a 15 in Debenhams/ M&S etc, went to Lewin a couple of years back to try them and I’m a 15.5 in theirs. But they fit bang on. Sleeves lengths are varied at Lewin too which is good for short sods like me!

I get Lewins fitted shirts for work, I gone down from a 16.5 to a 16 but find the sleeves are now longer on a smaller shirt – from 34 to 35.

I find Trywhitt sleeves an odd length even with the adjustable double cuff

I’ve a Tyrwhitt in the wardrobe, very comfortable and very hard wearing (I reckon it’s at least 12 years old)

I’d advise you get measured properly, I have no idea what clothes companies use to measure for “standard” shirts but I usually find that only one from

[list][*]Collar[/*]
[*]shoulders[/*]
[*]chest[/*]
[*]arms[/*][/list]

are actually the right size on any given shirt – if the chest fits, I cna’t fasten the collar, if the collar fits it feels like I’m wearing a tent etc. Tyrwhitt can do different sizes in those things IIRC

Never had a Primark or Tesco shirt, but I can tell you that Tyrwhitt collars tend to be pretty bang on – they have a bit of room but aren’t massive.

As for the rest of the fit, once you’re up to 17″ and 18″ collars, the only sane option is to go for a slim fit shirt, unless you have some kind of incredible beer belly. If you’re reasonably fit and have any abdominal muscle, you don’t want the standard one.

My advice is to take a shirt you already have and fits well, then measure it up to find out what you want – that gave me a sleeve length about 2″ longer than what the bloke in Lewin’s reckoned, and meant my cuffs weren’t always around my elbows.

Tyrwhitt is streets ahead of Lewin IMO. The Lewin shirts I had were absolutely unironable, worse than some cheap’n’nasty Next shirts I had. Took them back under Lewin’s no quibble guarantee and bought Tyrwhitt’s non-iron ones. You still have to iron them if you want to look right, but it’s a pretty trivial job.

Neither make is really what I’d call super high quality – you’re certainly not getting an £80 shirt for £20 like they make out. The more expensive Osbourne shirts in Debenhams are made of good quality fabric, particularly the Pima ones, and are often knocked down to £20 or so.

A third option is M&S made to measure. IIRC they’re about £30, the collar came up a bit small, but the fit is very good. The standard fabric is relatively run of the mill.

I’ve tried Lewin, Marks and Spencer and Tyrwhitt and I’m convinced that Tyrwhitt are the best. They’re so good that I no longer bother going anywhere else to be honest. Great company to deal with as well, quick delivery, no quibble returns (in fact the whole return business is v v simple). Take a look here for the sizing and you won’t go wrong. Their standard poplin shirts are the best for the money. I’ve bought their most expensive sea island cotton shirts and, although they have a very luxurious – almost silk like – feel to them, they are more “see through” and not worth the extra, in my opinion. The other thing to point out (and this applies to the other brands too) is that cotton shirts shrink a little after a few washes, so don’t worry if they feel a little generous in fit when you first put them on (and Tyrwhitt take this into account). They also have nice long tails, so don’t keep riding out of the back of your trousers like a lot of other shirts. Some good deals at the moment too. However,

you’re certainly not getting an £80 shirt for £20 like they make out

I agree

I only bother with Tyrwhitt shirts now. Good quality and fit well. Collar size seems spot on. If you are in reasonable shape you will probably want to go for slim fit as the classic fit is rather generously capacious

Thanks folks;Especially for the slim fit tip.

after a thread on here a few months back I decided to try out Tyrwhitts on one of their offers.

I won’t buy from anywhere else now. Have worn one of the ones I bought almost continuously since and they are still box fresh in terms of how they’ve taken to repeat washing and ironing.

Sizing for me is spot on – and echo what was said about getting the slim fit ones. They’re not skintight by any means but don’t have acres of spare fabric billowing about despite my figure being more suited to the XL end of the rack…..

Lewins have gone down the pan, no longer buy their shirts, the cotton they use is pants and they crease very easily and looks shabby quickly
.
as above, I’ve been buying Tyrwhitts (despite not being able to pronounce it) recently as they are good quality, don’t crease badly and if they do the creases fall out quite easily, and they fit me. as others have said, unless you’ve got a big gut then the slim fit are the ones to go for, the tailored fit is even narrower but not overly so. they’ve got a sale on too at the moment so lots of shirts for £18-20. only downside is their choice of patterns are a bit brash and there aren’t many plain shirts.

Lewins have gone down the pan, no longer buy their shirts

I bought 5 Lewin shirts before Christmas…they are almost unusable. Even after ironing they look like rags. Never again.

If you are an 18″ collar, I would suggest that Lewins are not the ideal fit for your (Assumed) size. (They’re also as others have said, utter pish these days. Which is a shame)

I would recommend that you look at Roderick Charles as their cuts are far better for the larger built chap. Lovely folk in their Jermyn Street branch as well. They do some of my suits. 🙂

I’ve been buying Tyrwhitts (despite not being able to pronounce it)

“Tirrit”

according to my wife who bought me some silver collar stiffeners by phone for my anniversary (truly the man who has everything now…..) that’s how the man on the phone pronounced it.

CFH,unlike you I don’t have a commision in the Royal Flying Corps to fund my suits 😀 Jermyn St indeed!

Not all of Jermyn Street is expensive, old chap. After all, Tyrwhitt’s have a shop there as well!

Have a look at their stuff, though – http://www.roderickcharles.com/c/Shirts.htm#Double Cuff – Any 3 Shirts For %C2%A390.00

3 shirts for £90. Tidy.