Dress Shirts - All you need to know

The dress shirt, like most men's clothing items, has a lot less variety than women's clothing. Nevertheless, there is enough diversity that every man can create his own, personal style. You simply have to find the shirt type and style that works best for you.

Fit

Nothing ruins the look or comfort of a dress shirt faster than a bad fit. A long sleeve shirt uses two numbers: neck and sleeve -- a 16/35 shirt means a 16-inch circumference neck and 35-inch long sleeves. A short sleeve shirt is measured by collar alone, often with an SS (as in 16SS or 16/SS) to designate short sleeves. Waist measurements aren't included because shirts have plenty of room for most men.

Neck measurements change in 0.5-inch increments, sleeves usually in 2-inch increments. That's why they are often marked 16/34-35. When measuring your neck, look straight up, this old trick actually expands your neck to its fullest -- often boosting you up another size -- which means added comfort when you aren't counting ceiling tiles.

To measure the sleeves, you'll need help. Place a tape measure at the base of the neck over the spine, then lay it flat along the top of the back to the shoulder. From the shoulder, move along the arm around the bent elbow to the point where the thumb connects to the wrist. The total length (should be very close to half your height) is your proper sleeve length. For a slightly fancier look, give it an extra inch.

Men's dress shirts are made in three basic patterns: Regular-fit is the standard; it is cut full for best comfort. Big and tall shirts are designed 1.75 inches longer than regular and a little wider (how much varies by manufacturer. Trim-fit (also called athletic-, slim-, or tailored-fit) shirts are tapered in the chest (about 5 inches less than regular) and waist (about 6 inches less).

Parts

A long sleeve shirt usually has a barrel cuff, also called a button cuff, which closes with a button. Actually, two; if you wear a 35-inch sleeve and have 34-inch arms, using the second button should bring the shirt length closer to what you need. French cuffs are the fold up variety that needs cuff links. Both are excellent for the office, evenings out or social events. French cuffs are considered executive attire and a more elegant fashion statement. Many French cuffs (and the collars that go with them) are white, even on colored or patterned shirts, while a 'self-French' or 'self-button' cuff uses the same color or pattern.

Collars come in three basic styles: The turn down collar is the standard. Length and width of the tips vary by manufacturer and ebb or flow with the tides of fashion. Usually, they have stays sewn in to keep the shape. The button-down collar (erroneously called an Oxford collar) has no stays -- buttons keep the tips in place. Collarless dress shirts are a growing trend. At present, collarless shirts are generally limited to formal wear or causal tops, not for the office.

Fabrics

There are several options available, some of which deserve little consideration. Like wool in men's suits, cotton is king of dress shirt fabrics. Though less durable than man made fabrics, a cotton dress shirt breathes, making it more comfortable to wear and, with proper care, cotton shirts always look better.

Poplin

Originally a silk blend, modern poplins are usually 100 percent cotton. Smoother than Oxford, lighter than broadcloth, it is the most-often-used fabric for dress shirts and formal wear. Poplins do vary in weight, summer weights being very light and somewhat translucent; winter weights being heavier, but still thin compared to other weaves.

Oxford

Among the most popular dress shirt fabrics; Oxford is a softer, heavier cloth with a larger weave. Most have button-down collars -- it's a trademark. Oxford cloth shirts, all-cotton or cotton-blend, are very appropriate for business and casual wear in long sleeve or short. Pinpoint Oxfords, pinpoints for short, is a lighter, smoother material.

Twill

Heavier than poplin or pinpoint; lighter than broadcloth or Oxford; with a distinctive diagonal weave (including the famous herringbone twill) similar to Oxford. All-cotton or cotton-blend twills make great dress and casual shirts.

Broadcloth

Originally a woven wool, the heaviest common shirt fabric has also switched to cotton. Broadcloth can be smooth as poplin or have a twilled, almost ribbed texture. Weights do vary, as do weaves and textures. Broadcloth is a durable fabric for casual, dress and formal shirts.

Other materials

Man-made fibers (polyester, rayon, dacron, etc.) are very sturdy and very economical, but these petroleum based long-chain polymers don't breath well. They can be excellent imitations of natural fibers or they can look bad and feel awful. Blends with cotton, wool or other fabrics combine the strength of man-made with the comfort and appearance of naturals.
Linen is a classic which looks good and makes a great men's shirt if you want to have an ongoing, intimate affair with an ironing board.
Silk, the strongest natural fiber, is just spectacular for men's shirts or anything else -- warm, receptive to dyes and soft against the skin like nothing else. Unfortunately, it fades easily if not dry cleaned, tends to stretch out of shape and is the most expensive. Most men save it for ties or the most formal occasion shirts. Silk blends (often with wool or cotton) feature improved elasticity and affordability.

Care

The care tag on most dress shirts reads: Machine wash cold. Tumble dry. Press with a warm iron. Do not bleach. That tag is there to help you keep your shirt looking good, so read it and do whatever it says. Some cottons must be ironed after every wash to remove the wrinkles, but factory-treated cottons are now available that need minimal, if any, ironing. (Although, a quick touch-up is never out of order.) Don't be afraid to bleach white shirts; pick out one of the new color-safe bleaches for colored and patterned shirts.

If the collar has removable stays, as most designer shirts do, be sure to remove them before laundering -- they will get lost if you don't. If you can afford it, nothing looks better than a professionally laundered and pressed shirt.

Terms

Relatively new to the market are a variety of 100-percent cottons:

• '140 broadcloth' is the best, with high thread count and close weave for superior performance.
• '100 two-ply broadcloth' is also almost as good.
• '80 pinpoint Oxford' is a durable two-ply with a more pronounced weave than broadcloth.
• '50 broadcloth' is single-ply and lightweight but still durable.
• 'No-Iron' or 'Easy-Care' shirts are available in oxford or broadcloth and are wearable right out of the dryer.

Price

You can spend $500 on a quality men's dress shirt, but you'd be wasting a lot of money. Any national department store chain will have excellent shirts for $100 or less. If you buy from the clearance or close-out rack, or wait for end-of-season sales or hit the discount outlets, you will save even more. (and you'll be the only one who knows!)

Questions and Answers

When must I wear a white dress shirt?

The short answer is, when everyone else wears them. It's a must with tuxedo or dinner jacket. A few companies still have strict dress codes; following them is a key to corporate acceptance and advancement. Some men -- lawyers, bankers, politicians and senior executives, for example -- are silently expected to wear a pure white dress shirt or one with a minimal pattern. You'll also see many of these gentlemen favoring French-cuffs, if you look closely. That said, many companies and organizations have adopted very casual attire. Colored, striped, checked or other patterns on dress shirts are vastly more popular (read: 'socially acceptable') than they were just a generation ago.

What does business casual mean?

It doesn't mean wear your gym shorts to work (unless you work in a gym, of course). It means jacket and tie optional; casual shirts, jeans or even denim shirts may be acceptable. This makes the dress shirt a key to your style and look, if you choose to wear it to work. A dress shirt that fits well, looks good and stands out from the crowd a little can be valuable. After all, regardless of how good you are, if you are more noticeable, you are more promote-able.

What about pockets and monograms?

Dress shirts generally have one pocket, over the left breast; a few sport two or none, a few pockets have button-down flaps. Pockets are not there to use as a trunk or filing cabinet. Glasses, a pen or two, a few business cards or a name tag are all they can handle without detracting from the great look you are working so hard to achieve. Monograms are embroidered initials; some fashionistas say they must be just above the cuff of the right sleeve, others say they should be seen only atop the breast pocket. Most people think monograms are a waste of money.

The best?

It is a good idea to buy one dress shirt -- white, poplin, French cuffs, the whole nine yards. This shirt is to be worn only for weddings, funerals, court appearances, IRS audits and other serious occasions. Laundered professionally and pressed after every use, it is kept in a protective bag after each wearing.

The rest?

Now that you have new dress shirts, you may need a new suit to go with. Every man needs on good wool-flannel or wool-gabardine suit in black or gray (for the above named occasions) which you treat with the same care as that best shirt. You'll also need black dress shoes, black leather belt and a silk tie/pocket hanky set with a conservative pattern or stripe. This is the one where you buy the finest you can afford and don't look back -- when you wear this ensemble, you really do look spectacular.