Best Shirts for Men with an Oval Body Shape

The right shirt is the right length, does not pull at the buttons, and follows a clean vertical line.

This guide is for the oval body shape: a waist at least 98% of the wider of chest and hips.

Look for

  • Regular or relaxed fits with a bit of room in the middle
  • Longer hems that cover the belt, or shirts made to be worn untucked
  • Dark or medium solid colours, or thin vertical stripes
  • Fabrics with weight and some structure, such as oxford and twill

Skip or adjust

  • Tight shirts that pull at the buttons or gape at the stomach
  • Big horizontal stripes and busy patterns across the middle
  • Very short or thin, clingy shirts that outline the stomach

More for the oval body shape

Shirts for other body shapes

These are starting points, not rules. If you love a style that isn’t listed, wear it.