Man dress shirt

How to iron a dress shirt ?

2006-10-07
Iron Shirt You want to iron your dress shirt painless!
Read these instructions:

Set the fabric dial of your iron to the appropriate setting (in general 'cotton' for dress shirt)
1- Start ironing the back of the collar, then the front. Start at the points and move inward.
2- Lay one shoulder over the narrow edge of the board and iron it, shifted your shirt as needed. Iron the second shoulder at the same.
2- Open cuffs fully and iron inside first and then outside.
3- Lay flat one sleeve and iron it. Start with the back side, front side second and take extra care on armhole seams.
4- Hang shirt over board so that one front panel of the shirt can be extended flat. Iron from shoulder to shirttail.
5- Rotate shirt over board so that you iron the back next, and the other front panel last.
6- Hang your shirt immediatly on a hanger to avoid wrinkles.

If your shirt is exceptionally wrinkled, you can spray some water onto the part of the shirt that is about to beironed.

What are the different fabric textures for dress shirts ?

2006-10-08
Most dress shirts are made of cotton. You can also find some in linen, polyester or silk.
Cotton shirts can have a variety of fabric textures, most common are :

Poplin fabric - poplin: the fabric is wrap lighter than its weft, which makes the fabric smooth and delicate. Very light, poplin dress shirts do not have any patterns in the material.

Twill fabric - twill: the fabric has a unique weft with diagonal stripes. Twill dress shirt are heavier than popelin ones.

- oxford: the fabric has a thread of weft every two threads of wrap, it gives a soft elevated pattern. Oxford dress shirt are heavier but strong cloth.

Pinpoint fabric - pinpoint: the fabric is quite like an oxford fabric but it is weaven lighter ans smoother.

Various collars for your dress shirts !

2006-10-08
A variety of collars is available for your dress shirts:

Regular collar - Regular: it is a narrow collar, also called the straight collar, the most standard of men's collars.

Cutaway collar - Cut-away: it is a spread collar , there is a large visible space between collar tips. There is a variety of spread distances.

Button down collar - Button-down: it is a narrow collar with buttonholes on the points to fasten it to the body of the shirt. Better for casual shirt, not really suitable for formal occasions. An advice: Never wear the collar unbuttoned.

You can also find some collars with a small snap-tab connecting the two collar sides together. The tab goes behind the necktie. It makes your collar perfectly fit your neck.

The point in having so many collars is that you get to choose one that suits you.
It's often said that men with narrow faces should choose collars that are wider, to help broaden their faces; conversely, men with wider faces should choose collars that are narrower, to help lengthen their faces.
Personal style is really the best route, though: don't choose a collar that isn't you!

Which size for you dress shirts ?

2006-10-08
When you buy a dress shirt, the most important thing to know is your size.
It means knowing the length of your arms and the girth of your neck. Start wrapping yourself with measuring tape, and memorize your sizing!

When looking at dress shirt size the first number on the size tag refers to the neck size, the second number to the sleeve length.
As an example a shirt marked ''15 - 33'' would mean the shirt has a 15 inch neck size and a 33 inch sleeve length.

Shirt sizing Neck size:
Measure the circumference of your neck at the point where you would normally close the top button of your shirt (just under your Adam's Apple) placing an index finger between the tape measure and your neck.
If the measurement is between two sizes, select the larger size.

Sleeve Length:
Keeping your arm straight, have someone measure from the middle of the back of your neck, along your shoulder and down the outside of your arm to the start of your thumb (the first knuckle).
If your measurement is between two sizes, select the longer length.

Standard shirts are now frequently seen with average sizes, as 16- 16 1/2. In this example, it means that the shirt fit for people with a neck size of 16 or 16 1/2.
Standard shirts can also be categorized with sizes as small, medium, large, XL, XXL. But pay attention, the sizing can vary between manufacturers.

How to wear dress shirt ?

2006-10-08
Wear shirt A shirt must be ironed free of wrinkles.
For more smoothness and stiffness you can treat you shirt with starch.
For formal occasion, tuck the hem inside the waistband of your trousers.
If you wear a necktie, you must button the dress shirt to the top. While the shirt is buttoned, you should be able to slide two fingers between your neck and collar.
For informal usage, you can leave the top button unfastened.
When you bend your arm, sleeves should be long enough so that cuffs do not ride up your wrist when you move your arm.
Don't be afraid to roll your sleeves up when necessary.
In general, a shirt will last two years. Chili parties, leaky pens, sip-tops, the world is full of ways to ruin good fabrics!

Standard shirt or custom made shirt ?

2006-10-08
Standard shirt or custom made shirt For dress shirts, you’ll either buy them off the rack or have them made for you.
While the latter is the preferable method, it’s also usually the most expensive.
No shirt, unless it’s made-to-measure, is worth more than $150. If you’re going to spend more than that, have it made for your body.
Let us note, before going further, that the experience of having good shirts made for your body, with all of your preferences in mind – style, collar, cuff – is a wonderful, expensive indulgence.
If you decide to go down this path, make sure you work with a good tailor.

Some easy process make it simple and convenient to order custom shirt online. From London to Hong Kong fancy clothiers are using the Internet to take their custom-made shirts to the masses.
The idea: you punch in your measurements, pick your fabrics and details, and a few weeks later you've ot a shirt fit for yourself.
The process is not always simple but it is amusing to create your special shirt. Online tailoring is growing thanks to the attractive prices proposed in Europe and in Asia.

Which color for my dress shirt ?

2006-10-08
color of your dress shirt For the color of your shirt, there is no standard.
White and blue shirts are the most common.
But men are no longer limited to the standard white dress shirt. While it remains a classic choice, options have expanded to include many more colors and styles. So try new colors, to inject some fun in your daily life!

Nevertheless, it is sometimes useful to wear traditional conservative colors that are acceptable in nearly any circumstances. Here is two tips:
- a plain light-blue shirt with a navy-blue tie,
- or a shirt with blue and white bengal stripes and a red- or wine-coloured tie.

What is a dress shirt ?

2006-10-08
What is a dress shirt ? A dress shirt is a men's shirt which a collar and a full length opening fastened closed with buttons.
In general you will find seven buttons on the front of a button-down.
The shirt part with buttonholes is called the placket (on the wearer's left side for men, on the other side for women dress shirts or blouses).
There are usually pleats on the center of the back and on the sleeves just above the cuffs.
The most formal type of shirt will have no pockets, but the standard dress shirt has a single discreet pocket on the wearer's left side.
The best shirts have removable stays, which hold the collar's points and keep them in place.
In striped shirts, check how stripes are aligned. They should match making a straight line. The design of the fabric should match where any two pieces of fabrics meet.

What is a two-ply dress shirt ?

2006-10-08
Two ply
Finer dress shirts are made of two-ply, not single-ply.
Two-ply shirts are usually designated as such on the label, while single-ply shirts will probably not mention ply at all.
Two-ply fabrics feel silkier and make a comfortable shirt because two individual threads are twisted together to make one yarn and tightly woven creating a very smooth, strong fabric.

Cotton fabrics : the must for your dress shirts

2006-10-08
Cotton fabric Cotton is the principal clothing fiber of the world. It is appreciated because it is a soft, confortable and breathable textile.
Cotton is a soft fiber that grows around the seeds of the cotton plant.
Cotton can retain 25 times its own weight in water. This absorbent fiber is stronger when wet than dry.
This fiber absorbs and releases perspiration quickly, thus allowing the fabric to "breathe".
Cotton can stand high temperatures and takes dyes easily: the perfect fiber for all our colored and ironed clothes.

How to take care of your dress shirts ?

2006-10-13
Dry Cleaner Here is some tips to extand the life of your dress shirts:
- machine wash your dress shirts using a gentle cycle with luke-warm water in order to preserve the fabric.
- Never dry-clean your shirts because the chemicals can distroy the fabric.
- To avoid antiperspirant stains, spray your deodorant on your body and wait for it to dry before wearing the dress shirt.
- To avoid lifting the color of your shirts, separate them before laundering into three categories: whites, colors and darks. You can use an appropriate bleach to fix colors.
- Check if there is any stain before pressing because the heat from an iron can fix permanently the stain into the fabric.
- It's easier and better for the fabric, to iron a dress shirt when it is damp. It will also make it easier to get out all the wrinckles.
- Hang your shirt after you iron it on hangers with firm shoulders (avoid wire hangers which can distroy the shape of your dress shirt).

Which dress shirts for your neckties ?

2006-10-13
Tie shirt Solid color dress shirts can match easily with most neckties.
On the contrary, patterned shirts, such as plaid, striped and checkered, can be difficult to match with your neckties.
For a classic look, prefer a solid white or a pale blue dress shirt.
Here is some tips to match perfectly your dress shirts with your other clothes:
- you can wear a striped shirt with a striped tie as long as the stripes aren't identical in size. You can have a pattern on pattern when one pattern is much bolder than the other.
- Make sure at least one color in your tie matches either your suit, shirt, or your belt and shoes.
- Avoid wearing a striped shirt with a striped tie and a pinstriped suit. Matching three similar patterns together is rarely a winning combination. in general, avoid pairing three similar patterns.

Short-Sleeved Shirts: nerdy or fashion ?

2006-10-13
Short sleeves shirt Little wonder the short-sleeved dress shirt can't get any respect. It is considered as the Dilbert or the Homer Simson of men's wear.
But when summer comes, the shirt is rolling up its invisible sleeves to get into the fashion fray.
Short-sleeved shirts are really looking cool again according to designers who see this kind of shirts as an indispensable part of a man wardrobe.
Even if you will never going to be chic in it, you can look very cool.
In the past the sleeves, shortened versions of long sleeves, were big and blousy. Nowadays, designers have trimmed the arms and cut the torso close to the body for a sharper fit.
Sleeves don't make the price of a shirt, short sleeved shirts are almost as expensive as normal shirts.

Shirts are getting even more trendy

2006-10-13
Trendy Shirt It's time to to revive the all-too-quiet dress-shirt area. Dress shirts designers have well understood that. There's no question that the basic white-and-pastel-tone shirt business is eroding. Shirts manufacturers have to show more fashion.
That's why the infusion of color that's ignited the men's neckwear business has spread to the colar and cuff of your dress shirts.
Today, shirts designers try to blur the line between casual and dress shirts.

How many open buttons are appropriate ?

2006-10-24
Button open Wearing one’s shirt open too much is okay if you’re Brad Pitt.
For those of us who favor discreet sexiness, here is some basic rules to know about how many buttons should be unbuttoned at the top of your shirt.
Zero button: please, if you really need to button at the top your shirt, wear a necktie or you will look like a classic nerd.
One button: Average, simple. You’re not offending anyone; you’re making nobody wonder.
Two buttons: Some will say that the shirt hangs naturally with two buttons open. But select the occasion to slip the second button, it is not always acceptable.
Three or more buttons: We are not at the beach, moreover you also might take your degree of thoracic hirsuteness into consideration.

Stains on my shirt ! what should I do ?

2006-10-24
Stain When you make stains on your dress shirts, it is important to act immediately before the substance has time to penetrate into the fibres, and become fixed.
Always use hot water on fatty stains to dissolve the fat.
You will find bellow some tips for main stains:

Red wine: Eliminate the excess and rinse well with cold water.

Sauces: Rinse with hot water and scrub with hard soap. If stains remain, soak the dress shirt in warm water with a small amount of vinegar.

Mud: Let the mud dry and then brush it off. Rinse with cold water and rubb a little to remove the dirt.

Blood: Rinse with cold salty water and then apply cold soapy water.

Ink: Ink stains need a chemical treatment so bring your shirt to a dry cleaner.

What is a custom dress shirt ?

2006-11-21
Custom Dress Shirt In the age of mass production, many fashion lovers refuse to give up on custom made shirts.
Even if it is the best solution for getting a perfect fit shirt, it is also an original way to be different from the others, thanks to the variety of collars, cuffs, fabrics proposed by shirtmakers.

A custom dress shirt, is not a shirt that have a few custom measurements, it must be fully customized to fit you in the best way.
You will find in public shop some pseudo custom shirts with custom sleeve lengh and neck sizes, but the body of a man is much more than these two measures. Considering these kind of shirts as custom-tailored is misleading to shirts buyers.
To get the best shirt that fit your body, you need to be measured.
You will find out that one of your arm is longer than the other. Or that your left shoulder is lower than the other.
Take your measures, is not only take your collar size or sleeve lengh, it is also taking more than twenty measurements on you, from your wrist size to your neck height. Then you will be sure that you will wear a dress shirt that will perfectly fit you.

When you make tailored your dress shirts you can asked for details, as personnalize you shirts with a monogram on it. Nearly every shirtmakers propose to embroidering your initials. American people put it on one of their cuffs. on the contrary, European people prefer something discreet just below the rib cage.

Custom dress shirt is a perfect solution for tall, short, big or athletic built men who can afford to look good in standard shirts.
Shirtmakers propose now large shirts combinations encompassing every color imaginable with different fabric swatches. You will not be bound to wear a traditionnal solid blue dress shirt.

Different types of cuffs

2006-11-21
The button cuff: it is a traditional cuff with built-in buttons. Functionnal and modern, the button cuff is right for normal office days but not too dressy.

The double cuff: this cuff is folded back with holes to be fastenned with cufflinks (instead of buttons). The most dress-up choice, the french cuff is best for showing a quarter inch of shirt cuff from underneath your jacket sleeve.

The turnback cuff: popularized by Sean Connery in the first James Bond, Dr No., the turnback cuff combines the elegance of a a french cuff with the ease of buttons.

The big and tall dress shirts market

2006-11-23
Big and tall market When you are tall or big it is not that easy to find dress shirts that perfectly fit you.
Standard dress shirts have either the sleeves too short or the neck too big. The shirt is always baggy in the body, and it makes look bigger than the reality.
But the good news is that a lot of men are carrying extra weight: the market will be bound to bring more extra sizes dress shirts.

In response to a growing population, shops propose even more special sizes. A real business has soared around the tall and big market. This business is highly specialized, and generally slower turning than traditional-sized goods. Big and tall business also delivers higher margins than average and greater profit.
As it is difficult to find dress shirts that fit big or tall guys, they are more inclined to buy them in multiples. Many specialists of the market agree that there is more product available now than ever before.

Men who wear larger sizes are still very under-represented in terms of fashion and brands even if big and tall men want to look good without sacrificing comfort. Some years ago, special sizes were treated as an afterthought, but now the business is growing. Many brands begin to introduce into their collections some plus sizes items.

Advices on big and tall dress shirts

2006-11-23
Big and tall dress shirts Big dress shirts are cut fuller in the waist than standard shirts. They are dedicated to full-waisted men of average height.
Tall dress shirts are for men over 6'2" who want a longer tail: shirt is longer in the body and sleeve than standard shirt.

For those who have some trouble to close the upper button of their dress shirts, you can use a button extender which add up to one-half size. Thanks to this button extender, you will lose a too tight collar.

You will find below some basic rules to turn a bigg and tall man into someone slimmer.
- To look slimmer, try to wear shirts with small vertical patterns. Large patterns, wide stripes or vertical design give the appearance of bulk.
- Dark colors as chocolate, black, navy blue offer a more slimming look.
- Shiny fabrics add weight: try to wear a cotton shirt than a satin one.
- Try to match your jacket with your dress shirt in similar shades.
- Don't wear cut-away collar if you have a round face. A regular collar with a V-shape will be better to slim your face.

Custom made clothing is a good solution to wear shirts that fit your frame. It is not that expensive, especially online.

Thomas Pink - Cross Hatch Pink Dress Shirt

2006-11-23
A cross hatch pink dress shirt made of 100% cotton.
This rich cross-hatch design creates a chunky weave and a very soft supple fabric.
With french cuffs, and a moderate spread collar
Shop: Thomas Pink
Website: http://www.thomaspink.co.uk

Thomas Pink - Angular Motifs Pink Dress Shirt

2006-11-23
A angular motifs pink dress shirt made of 100% cotton.
Fine angular textured motifs combined to form subtle stripes - a shirt with real depth and character.
With button cuffs, and a moderate spread collar
Shop: Thomas Pink
Website: http://www.thomaspink.co.uk

Thomas Pink - Blue and Brown Stripe Dress Shirt

2006-11-23
A blue and brown stripe dress shirt made of 100% cotton.
A striking shirt with subtle light blue herringbone weave and a bold brown confident stripe.
With button cuffs, and a moderate spread collar
Shop: Thomas Pink
Website: http://www.thomaspink.co.uk

Thomas Pink - Blue Dots Dark Dress Shirt

2006-11-23
Blue Dots Dark Dress Shirt A dark dress shirt with blue patterns made of 100% cotton.
An exclusive high-contrast design makes a bold statement.
With button cuffs, and a moderate spread collar
Shop: Thomas Pink
Website: http://www.thomaspink.co.uk

Charles Tyrwhitt - Navy Blue and Pink Stripe Dress Shirt

2006-11-23
A navy blue and pink stripe dress shirt made of 100% cotton.
A gorgeously soft and divine quality shirts.
With button cuffs, and a regular collar
Shop: Charles Tyrwhitt
Website: http://www.ctshirts.co.uk

Charles Tyrwhitt - Pink Stripe Light Blue Dress Shirt

2006-11-23
Pink Stripe Light Blue Dress Shirt A light blue dress shirt with pink stripes made of 100% cotton poplin.
With button cuffs, a slim fit and a regular collar
Shop: Charles Tyrwhitt
Website: http://www.ctshirts.co.uk

Charles Tyrwhitt - Multicolor Stripe Dress Shirt

2006-11-23
A multicolor stripe dress shirt made of 100% cotton.
This fabulous colours stripes shirt is inspired by Italian designers.
With button cuffs, and a regular collar.
Shop: Charles Tyrwhitt
Website: http://www.ctshirts.co.uk

Charles Tyrwhitt - Blue Floral Dress Shirt

2006-11-23
Blue Floral Dress Shirt A dark blue dress shirt with floral patterns made of 100% cotton.
This man dress shirt is designed for any and every occasion.
With button cuffs, and a regular collar
Shop: Charles Tyrwhitt
Website: http://www.ctshirts.co.uk

Alain Figaret - Raspberry Stripe White Dress Shirt

2006-11-23
Raspberry Stripe White Dress Shirt A white dress shirt with raspberry stripes made of 100% cotton.
You can match the dress shirt with a dark blue or a dark red tie.
With button cuffs, and a regular collar
Shop: Alain Figaret
Website: http://www.alain-figaret.com

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