Getting to Know the Dress Shirt

The characteristics of the dress shirt rely primarily on 3 things: front buttons, collar, and long sleeves. As opposed to a sport shirt, the dress shirt is meant to be worn with a closed neck and tie. The dress shirt is constructed in such a manner that it requires a coat and tie but in some occasions it is acceptable to wear without a coat or tie.

Different shirt styles can accompany the suit jacket with various collars and cuffs to match depending on the occasion or formality of the event. The dress shirt has become an essential garment in menswear and the reason why it is available in a lot of colors than the basic white. In turn, white cuffed shirts have become a status symbol for working class men. Nowadays, shirts are an important component whether you’re formally dressed or casually stylish, since they are considerably more affordable than suits, shoes or other men’s accessories.

The dress shirt should always fit well, no matter what you’re pairing it with. In which case, if you’re wearing a jacket over it, you should still be comfortable wearing it. The shirt functions to protect the jacket from sweat in as much as an undershirt protects the dress shirt from sweat as well. However, most men would rather wear the dress shirt only without the undershirt.

One thing you will notice about the dress shirt is the color then the pattern and eventually the type of fabric it’s made of. The common colors for men’s shirts are blue and white but nowadays the variety is endless. Now you can have various hues of reds, blues, and greens with an equally wide selection of patterns. The perfect shirt to go with your suit can enhance your look and turn a dull outfit into something exceptional.

The type of fabric to use depends on your personal style and preference. Of all the types of cotton, pure sea island has the priciest fibers. Man-made and pima cotton fibers will complement and blend with the most discerning budgets. These fabrics can be made into exceptional clothing and your selection depends on what you need and the material’s properties.

There are several things to consider when it comes to the styles of the dress shirts: collar, cuffs, back of the shirt, pockets, or the monogram of choice. A dress shirt with turned down collar, french cuffs, and without breast pocket signal the shirt’s formality but a button down collar, single-button cuffs, and with a breast pocket at the left side signal’s the casual style of the shirt.

The tailored shirt’s attraction relies on its customizable features that can suit any occasion to enhance your features. The beauty of a custom shirt is that you can design the shirt's style not only for the occasion but also to complement your physical features.

For the beginners, if choosing your shirt collection requires variety, remember to consider value for money. In this sense, you should be able to wear any dress shirt and pair it with most of your wardrobe. Don’t try and experiment with your wardrobe if you’re not comfortable with it yet. Slowly but surely, you will get the hang of what colors or patterns suit you most. When you’re ready with this, you can confidently wear any style you prefer.