The elegant, long sleeve, men’s dress shirt is back!  For several years, this must have in every well dressed gentleman’s wardrobe took a back seat to the more casual, relaxed shirt, but no more.  With a wide range of luxurious fabrics in either solids or patterns and many collar and cuff styles, the dress shirt is the frame for your face and the canvas for your jacket, necktie, braces, or pocket squares.  So, how do you choose which shirt is right for you?

We suggest you consider:

1. COLLAR STYLE:   The collar frames the face.  Therefore, the collar height and spread of collar points should complement the size and shape of your face.  Think about  it this way.  A three inch long, straight point collar will lengthen a wide face while a tab collar has height that will shorten a long neck.  The collar must fit comfortably.  How do you know?  Button the top button and then slide two fingers between your neck and the collar.  You really do need that much room because most shirts are made for minimum shrinkage.

2.  CUFFS:  Your shirt’s cuff should fit snugly around your wrist whether you choose buttons or French cuffs.   There should be enough length so that you can extend your arm in any direction without it pulling away from your wrist.   French cuffs, a staple of the European wardrobe, have long been considered a more dressy look, but are showing up today in a less formal way with the American male.  Many men see cufflinks as another way in which a man can accent his wardrobe and show his personality.

3. FABRIC: High quality fabric is a must.  The most comfortable fabric is two-ply 100 percent cotton.  A true two-ply fabric uses a vertical warp and a horizontal weft that is made of two fibers long enough to twist around each other.  The finer the yarn, the higher its thread-per-inch counts.  Two ply fabrics start at 80/2 (two represents two ply) and progresses to 220/2.  Many of these cotton fabrics are of such high quality they actually feel like silk but wear like cotton.  Fabric choices range from the smoother and more lustrous ones which are primarily found in dressier shirts to the broadcloths, oxfords, or pinpoint oxfords.

4. COLOR:   Almost every man looks good is some shade of blue so do not overlook the blues.   But do not neglect the patterned dress shirt either.  Whether you choose a blue and white-striped, a dressy mini check, or a stripe with red or gold accents there is still an air of sophistication about these patterned shirts.  Medium green stripes or green graphs on white grounds are always stylish.   There are endless possibilities of color so make several choices to compliment your suit or jacket.

5.  WORKMANSHIP:  The better dress shirts have some details of workmanship that are easily evaluated.  Begin with the side seams.  They should be single needle construction that seems to disappear in the minute lines that trace the body. The shirt should also have a button sleeve placket.  The horizontal buttonhole is proof of the attention to detail found in better shirts.

All of these criteria should help you make a wise choice.  So, choose your shirt or shirts and begin to appreciate the feel of wearing a custom made dress shirt, the compliments you will receive and the confidence of being a well dressed gentleman.

Find more style advice commentary at The Executives Closet

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