What is a dress shirt ?

2006-10-08
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.