Dress Shirt– The Reliable Foundation Of The Modern Man’s Attire
Dress shirts are one of the most essential articles in menswear. In fact, it’s the most versatile clothing piece a man can have.
This button-up shirt with long sleeves and a collar is designed to carry a tie and a jacket but you can wear it without one or the other or with neither. Different shirts with various sorts of fabrics, collars, colors, and patterns are appropriate for various ranges of outfits.
Do you want to know in detail about this classy piece of men’s clothing? Make sure you read the blog till the end!
When They First Came Onto the Scene…
The roots of the dress shirts can be traced back to the 16th C when shirts were seen as undergarments. Constructed out of wool or linen, these shirts were generally loose-fitting and designed for functionality.
In the 18th C, they changed from ‘’just practical clothing pieces’’ to a symbol of refinement and sophistication. They were primarily constructed out of linen, fine cotton, and silk, therefore emphasizing the luxurious taste of the era’s elite.
Important innovations were brought in the shirt design during the 19th C, especially around the collars. During this period, detachable collars gained huge popularity.
In the 20th C, no matter the background or position, every man could afford and own a formal dress shirt. They became more tailored and streamlined and came in many different colors, patterns, fits, and styles.
Today, needless to say, these shirts have reached the peak of tailored sophistication.
Different Kinds of Dress Shirt Collars
Straight-point Collar– The most iconic collar style is the straight-point collar. It causes a slimming effect with its elongated collar length. If you have a shorter neck or a rounder face, it’s ideal for you.
Cutaway Collar– A cutaway collar includes wider ends and a lessened collar length. This type of collar offers a more casual style.
Semi-spread Collar– The semi-spread collar is very much like the straight-point collar but it has a more casual look to it. It’s less stiff and great for tall men with longer necks.
Short Button-down Collar– The short button-down collar comes with a shortened length and offers a very casual and youthful look.
Long Button-down Collar– The long button-down collar, with buttons at the bottom of the collar points, offers the least formal look. It’s popular amongst younger men who wish to go for a less formal appearance.
Spread Collar– The spread collar can provide you with a very charming and modern look. It comes with a more proportioned point length and is a popular choice for men with elongated faces.
Wingtip Collar– The wingtip collar can offer you the most formal look as it’s primarily designed for wearing with a bow tie. It has very small points that are only placed at the front.
Band Collar– Displaying a single button that is done up just above the collarbone, the band collar is the most casual style.
Club Collar– Called versatile because of its shortened length while still giving a professional look to the wearer, the club collar is considered the most elite style.
Popular Dress Shirt Fabrics
Poplin– The poplin fabric is an amazing fabric that you can choose for your dress shirts. It comes with a very smooth and fine texture, which is why it’s pretty comfortable on the skin.
Oxford– One of the most popular fabrics for men’s dress shirts is the Oxford fabric. It’s quite durable in nature and resistant to wrinkles.
Broadcloth– The broadcloth fabric is another fabric that is quite well-known among men. It’s pretty smooth and lightweight.
Twill– The twill fabric is considered to be a great fabric for dress shirts. The diagonal weaving leads to a very rich texture of the shirt.
Linen– Light, breathable, comfortable, and soft, linen is taken to be one of the best fabrics for dress shirts. It dries pretty much faster than cotton.
Best Dress Shirt Colors: Based On Skin Tone
Fair Skin– Stick to lighter colors if you have a fair skin tone. Soft pinks and light blues are what you can opt for.
Medium Skin– You can go for a wider range of colors if you have a medium skin tone and this includes purples, greens, and dark blues. You can also experiment with bolder patterns and prints.
Dark Skin– You can pull off brighter, bolder colors like oranges and reds with ease if you have dark skin. Colors such as navy blue and black can offer a nice contrast against your skin tone.
Preferred Patterns In Men’s Dress Shirts
Checkered Pattern– Okay, checkered dress shirts aren’t the same as plaid. While plaid patterns show three or more shades, checkered patterns usually have just two colors. Checkered patterns showcase symmetrical rectangles or squares whereas the rectangles or squares depicted by plaid shirts may not be symmetrical.
Plaid Pattern– Plaid dress shirts have been there for many years and they look pretty classy when worn. It’s a fashionable, simple, and colorful pattern that works great for almost all dress shirt styles.
Polka-dot Pattern– Polka dot is quite a preferred pattern for men’s dress shirts. Typically, there will be hundreds of dots of the same size and color, featured on one single base color.
Tropical Pattern– There are dress shirts that feature a tropical pattern. These patterns are characterized by the use of floral or plant images and the use of bright colors.
What To Consider When Picking A Wedding Dress Shirt
Are you getting married soon? Want to look your best? If you wish to go for the perfect white dress shirt, there are certain things that you need to consider:
Length
A longer shirt is ideal if you intend to keep it tucked inside your pants the entire day or night. A longer dress shirt will stay tucked in better and will be especially great when it’s about taking your wedding pictures.
Thickness Of The Material
One of the most important things to consider is how opaque you want it to be. Thinner materials like poplin or broadcloth will be more sheer than thicker twills and pinpoints. If you opt for a more opaque and thicker white material, you can completely ditch an undershirt.
Cuff Style
When it’s about the cuff, it will depend on the formality of the wedding. Go with the French cuffs if you are going for a very fancy and formal wedding. It’s the best cuff choice if your outfit comprises a tuxedo and black tie. Barrel cuffs work well with suits and are less formal than French cuffs.
Remember, there is no place for a pocket on a wedding dress shirt.
Styling A Dress Shirt In A Chic, Classic Manner
If you want to look tip-top in a dress shirt, these are the tips that you need to follow:
- To balance your look, you can try wearing dress shirts in bright colors.
- If you want to dress it up, combine it with dress pants, a blazer, and cufflinks.
- Though dress shirts are most suitable for formal settings, they can work perfectly in a casual environment as well. To achieve an effortlessly casual look with it, all you have to do is combine it with jeans and a stylish pullover sweater.
- To bring personality and warmth to your attire, add layers to your dress shirt.
- Go for a cheeky print if you want to look more vibrant and cheerful.
Dress Shirt Trends Of This Year
- Get ready to embrace dynamic prints and rich bold shades. Fire-engine red, emerald green, sunny marigold, and burnt orange will add flair to both formal and casual outfits.
- Eco-conscious dress shirts constructed from low-impact dyes, recycled materials, and ethical production practices will be more in demand.
- Denim dress shirts in retro faded variations along with dark indigo washes will enter dressier spaces.
- Oversized dress shirts with breezy shapes will rule this year.
With almost every piece of information on these shirts, choosing the ones as per your taste and preferences, you can let them speak about your fashion sense and personality!
