Your Ultimate Style Guide to choosing Dress Shirts

How To Find The Proper Fit?

A tailor dress shirt speaks volumes about its sartorial qualities when it fits perfectly. An ill-fitting shirt, no matter how expensive, will render all your efforts futile. Tip: Always get the right fit from the outset instead of getting alterations, since that will cost you more and waste your time. It’s best to get a shirt made-to-measure so that you know it’s going to fit perfectly.
Irrespective of which option you try, the style and fit you opt for will dramatically impact your final look. ‘The perfect fit’ isn’t an isolated standard but contains many elements starting from what look you prefer.

The Classic Fit

The classic fit white dress shirt is recognized by a traditional tailoring silhouette with a boxy shape that allows a comfortable fit. It’s probably what your father and grandfather wore, and would attest to its ease in mobility. It has a characteristic feature of two pleats in the back, located near the yoke. The one is right up your alley if you frequently wear jackets since it’s the comfiest and flatters rounder body shapes.

The Slim Fit

Let’s admit: we all want an original look that is different from our grandparents. And for the sake of the same purpose, we go for trendiest options like jackets. But because jackets have become optional, most men can choose to approach slim fit clothing. The slim fit accentuates your physique due to the elimination of excess fabric, and so, it’s most suited on lean frames.

The Modern Fit

The modern fit tailored casual shirts fall in the middle of the classic and the slim fit style. It optimally offers the best of both worlds in terms of style and comfort. A moderately tapered silhouette, combined with small back darts, creates a slimmer look than the classic fit and still looks fantastic without a jacket.

The Super-Slim/Skinny Fit

This option is for young men who think that tighter is better. Unless you’re skinny enough to pull this style off, it should be avoided.

Shirt Styling Details

Styling, of course, is very personal and should align with the details on a shirt. These guidelines can help you in finding a style statement that suits you down to a T.

Shirt Front: To Pocket Or Not To Pocket?

Depending on personal preference, some men like pockets, and some don’t. Historically, a pocketless shirt was considered less formal since everyone wore jackets, and the pocket would be useless.
● No pockets= formal
● 1 pocket= informal
● 2 pockets= very informal

Tuxedo And Formal Shirts For Special Occasions

A simple mens white dress shirt will simply not do for a formal black-tie event because it falls short on the elegance that personifies an authentic formal shirt. The many details that form a formal shirt are:
● Made of white cotton, either solid or micro-pattern
● Pleated or pique front bib
● Soft turndown collar with a classic spread
● Soft French cuffs

For a white tie event, the details are even more formal:

● Stiff single cuffs
● Detachable stiff collar
● Marcella or stiff bib front

Shirt Plackets

The placket’s central position automatically draws attention to itself and is one of the primary elements of a shirt’s front. Conventional dress shirts have a placket that extends from the collar to the hem, while other less formal options such as ¾ plackets are suited to casual shirts.

Back Of The Shirt

The back of the shirt doesn’t have many functional options except for pleats and darts. The center or shoulder pleats offer an extensive range of arm movement, but some men prefer them for their aesthetic sense as well. Back darts can produce a cinched effect on the waist, depending on the width, giving the illusion of a trimmer physique.

Collar

Although there are many collar types, the classic collar is timeless, and it avoids all extremes in that it is neither too small nor too large, too spread or too narrow. It is a go-to collar style for all occasions and every wardrobe.
Now you may have some insight into how men’s fitted dress shirts are not just a matter of fabric and details but depend heavily on personal choices. Buying off the rack removes all options, but custom made shirts can make you feel proud of your choice and your invested time in getting it done right!