The importance of a shirt to a man is self-evident.
Whether on campus or in the workplace, in any formal occasion, a clean and crisp shirt can make a great impression.So, what are the basic shirts men need? How do you choose a well-fitting shirt? And how should shirts be styled for everyday life?
One article solves all your problems!Formal shirts, also known as business shirts, are generally used in more formal occasions, such as the workplace, job interviews, and meetings . Naturally, the choice of color and style should be relatively conservative. And white shirts are one of the most common choices .
In addition, a shirt is essential when wearing formal attire . It is recommended that every man have at least one basic dress shirt to wear under a suit, so as not to appear too sloppy when attending formal occasions.When choosing a dress shirt, consider the following aspects:A well- tailored A good fit means the shirt conforms to your body shape—neither too tight nor too loose . Specifically, when choosing a well-tailored shirt, you can check the following aspects:
After buttoning the top button, there should be enough space between the collar and your neck to fit one finger. The collar should not turn with your neck, which means it is too tight. It should not be too loose either, as that would look sloppy.The shoulder line should be slightly below the shoulder, which makes the person look energetic . If the shoulder line is close to the neck, the person will look cramped and tense; while if it is too low, like a dropped shoulder sleeve, it loses the "formal" feel of a dress shirt.Generally, you should choose a size that is about 5-7 centimeters larger than your chest and waist measurements. This will not only better flatter your figure but also make you more comfortable to wear and less prone to wrinkles during daily wear. On the other hand, a shirt that is too tight will wrinkle easily with daily activities, especially when tucked into pants, and the surface will hardly be able to smooth out .The right side of the image below shows how the clothes are so form-fitting that even when standing upright, the wrinkles are very noticeable. The left side, however, shows only slight wrinkles, even when the wearer is turned to the side.The sleeves should reach just to the wrist. When wearing formal attire and with your arms hanging naturally at your sides, the shirt cuffs should show about 1 cm of skin.In addition, the sleeves need to be the right size and length. After fastening the cuffs, the arms should not feel tight when bent and should not bunch up. If that means you bought the wrong size.After putting on the shirt, let your arms hang naturally. The ideal position is when the hem of the shirt is near your wrists. A better, more shapely hem also creates a more tailored look.The collar is the first impression a shirt gives, so it's important to choose one that suits you.Generally speaking, there are three common collar styles: pointed collar, Windsor collar, and button-down collar.A pointed collar refers to a shirt collar with an angle of less than 120 degrees.In terms of style selection, pointed collars can elongate the neckline, making the person look more upright and elegant.The pointed collar is currently the most common, easiest to match, and least likely to go wrong with a shirt collar. It can be used in all business occasions and paired with almost all types of suits. Its practicality is outstanding.Especially when paired with solid-color suits, it exudes a sophisticated and professional vibe. It can be easily styled in various ways, including striped suits, solid-color sets, and three-piece sets.The Windsor collar, named after the legendary Duke of Windsor, refers to shirts with a collar angle between 120 and 180 degrees.In the realm of 20th-century men's fashion, the Duke of Windsor practically set the trend for men.At that time, he was fond of a symmetrical, square, and wide tie knot, also known as the Windsor knot, which traditional narrow-collar shirts obviously could not show off well. Thus, this wide-angle shirt collar style came into being.Note: Windsor collars must be paired with a tie. Furthermore, due to the wide angle of the collar, they are best suited for wide ties to highlight a vintage feel.A button-down collar shirt is a shirt with two buttonholes at the two corners, which can be fastened together with the two buttons on the front of the shirt.This design was originally intended to make shirt collars flatter.Many shirts made of soft materials tend to have their collars curl up after being worn for a long time, affecting their appearance. This button-down design perfectly solves this problem.Therefore, this type of design mostly appears on shirts made of softer fabrics, such as cotton, linen, and Oxford cloth .Button-down collar shirts have a strong American style, are popular in Ivy League schools, and are suitable for any setting, whether on campus or in the workplace.An Oxford shirt is a shirt made of Oxford cloth fabric. Oxford cloth fabric does not refer to the material itself, but rather to a fabric weaving technique ; similar fabrics are called chambray, denim, flannel, etc.
Oxford cloth fabric is made by interlacing fine combed high-count yarns as double warp with coarser weft yarns in a weft-weighted plain weave. The surface is slightly rougher than other fabrics, with a soft color, a soft body, good breathability, comfortable wear, and easy washing and quick drying.Oxford cloth is a casual fabric designed for sports, so it is not suitable for very formal occasions.Dense oxford and regular oxford are woven in the same way, but dense oxford uses finer yarns and is woven more tightly. Dense oxford is more formal than regular oxford , but less formal than dense plain weave fabric.Densely woven Oxford cloth is thicker and heavier than densely woven plain weave fabric, and is not suitable for light transmission, making it suitable for use as a dress shirt fabric.Although the name Royal Oxford cloth sounds similar to Oxford cloth, the fabric is completely different from Oxford cloth and tightly woven Oxford cloth. Royal Oxford cloth is a very luxurious and sophisticated fabric with a noticeable raised surface and a shiny, luxurious effect, making it an ideal fabric for formal shirts.Oxford shirts were designed for students from the very beginning, so they are more suitable for everyday life and school settings . They are simple to wear and exude youthful energy, making them an essential shirt style for spring and summer.Oxford shirts don't have as many formalities as dress shirts, so they can be more creative in terms of design.For example, striped styles:Of course, the more complex the colors and patterns, the more selective the person will be.As a basic item, a solid-color shirt is enough to cover all aspects of life.The style is right: the cut should fit well so that it can be worn perfectly inside the coat, creating a beautiful look both inside and out. The style of the collar and sleeves should be suitable for most occasions.
Comfortable fabric: Since it will be worn close to the skin, the fabric determines how comfortable the shirt will be. It's right to choose the best quality fabric within your budget, after all, it's about taking responsibility for your skin.Color Coordination: Try to match the colors worn by those around you; avoid colors that are too striking. Generally, white and light blue are the most common colors.If it's for business attire, then formal white is a must.
A white shirt can be worn under a formal suit, giving a polite and gentlemanly appearance in formal settings. For business professionals, a dark suit, white shirt, and tie are the typical look.
We previously wrote about "[How to Wear a Men's Trench Coat and Suit? Sun Honglei from 'Sweeping Away Black Storm' Teaches You How to Wear a Stylish and Refined Look]", and those who are interested can learn some tips on how to style trench coats and suits.A question many men have: Should men's shirts be tucked into their trousers or left untucked?Actually, it depends on both the length of the shirt and the occasion.If it's a casual shirt, the length shouldn't be too long. Choose a length that suits your body shape. In casual settings, you can leave the shirt untucked, as tucking it in would be too short and cause it to slip out.For everyday campus life or less formal workplaces, shirts offer more possibilities.For example, wearing a T-shirt under a shirt:A white T-shirt is a great partner for a shirt, especially a plain white T-shirt, which is the most versatile choice to match all kinds of shirts.Black T-shirts and striped T-shirts are also very versatile. In fact, as long as you grasp the core concept of "clean and neat ," you can look youthful and energetic in anything you wear.This summer's popular short-sleeved T-shirts can be worn as outerwear , adding a touch of trendiness to the milder early autumn weather.If the weather gets cooler, pair a solid-color shirt with a sweater or knitted vest for a refined, scholarly look.
