5'10" Shirt: What Size Fits Best and How to Choose
When you see 5'10" shirt, a shirt sized for someone around five feet ten inches tall. Also known as medium or regular fit, it's not just about height—it's about shoulder width, sleeve length, and torso proportion. Most brands design a 5'10" shirt to fit someone with an average build, but that doesn’t mean it’ll fit everyone at that height. Body shape matters more than the number on the tag.
Shirt sizing isn’t standardized across brands. A 5'10" shirt from one label might have sleeves that are too short, while another’s collar could feel tight even if the length looks right. That’s why you need to look at chest measurement, the distance across the chest just under the armpits, not just height. A 5'10" man with broad shoulders might need a large, while someone slimmer might fit a medium. Sleeve length is another key factor—anything under 33 inches often feels too short, and anything over 35 can look sloppy. The ideal sleeve ends just above the wrist bone.
Then there’s torso length, how far the shirt falls from the base of the neck to the hem. If your shirt bunches up when you raise your arms, the torso is too short. If it hangs past your hips, it’s too long. Most 5'10" shirts are designed to hit at the top of the hip bone—that’s the sweet spot for tucking or leaving untucked. And don’t ignore the collar. A collar that gapes open or digs into your neck means the neck size is wrong, even if the rest fits.
What you wear matters too. A slim-fit shirt for 5'10" will hug your frame differently than a classic or relaxed cut. If you’re building muscle or have a broader chest, you might need to size up even if your height is average. On the flip side, if you’re lean and tall, you might need a longer sleeve than what’s labeled for your height. It’s not about following rules—it’s about finding what works for your body.
You’ll find plenty of guides online that say "5'10" = medium," but real fit isn’t that simple. That’s why the posts below dig into real-world examples: what shirts actually look like on someone 5'10", how different fabrics stretch or shrink, and why some brands get it right while others don’t. Whether you’re shopping for dress shirts, casual button-downs, or even hoodies, the right fit starts with understanding what those numbers really mean.
