Effortless Style—Shirts
Episode #6 of the course Men’s guide to grooming and style by Eddy Larkson
Today, we’ll start talking about upgrading your style. In this lesson, we’ll cover a few basics for fool-proof stylish shirts.
Types of Shirts
Let’s explore the most common types of shirts guys wear, along with some current pattern trends.
Trend: Plaid. Plaid has made a notable comeback in the style world, so embrace the trend by wearing plaid-colored oxford dress shirts and a comfortable pair of slacks (or jeans, if your office allows it). The great thing about plaid is that there are so many different colored patterns, you can choose your favorite and feel confident at the same time.
Classic Dress Shirt. Usually, people refer to this kind of dress under the label of “business attire.” If you went to an event under the dress code of “semi-formal,” you could wear a dress shirt with a tie. For an extra formal look, try wearing it with a tie that contrasts the color of the shirt. When it comes to the dress shirt, try and get accurate and updated measurements of your waist, arms, and neck, so it looks tailored to your body shape.
Casual Dress Shirt. These shirts are also called a sport shirt. When going out on the town, you can still look dressed up but feel comfortable and confident by wearing a casual button-down shirt. They do not have very stiff collars, which is an easy way to identify a casual sport shirt. You usually will avoid wearing a tie with this kind of shirt and can wear it untucked. Many casual button-downs have more colors or patterns compared to the classic, formal dress shirts.
T-Shirt. T-shirts never go out of style, and they go great with virtually any kind of hoodie or jacket. Try to contrast the color of your t-shirt with your pants or jacket, so you don’t look like one solid color from head to toe.
Collared Polo. You can’t go wrong here. Many guys find these types of shirts work really well in transition months like spring or fall when it is not too hot. Bold solid collared shirts like dark navy, green, or even red, paired with some jeans and sneakers, make for a classic fool-proof look (we’ll cover this soon!).
Shirt Style Tips
Here are a few tips on how to take good care of your shirts.
• Try to get shirts that fit your body type. For example, if you are slimmer, try to get shirts that specifically say “slim fit” on them.
• Take good care of your clothes. Iron them and wash them frequently. Tip: Many guys hang their shirts up to dry so they don’t shrink.
• If you are layering your shirts with a hoodie or half-zip, try wearing a t-shirt instead of a collared shirt for extra comfort so the collar does not rub against your neck.
• Think about how you can mix and match your favorite ties, shirts, and pants to make more outfits easily without having to buy more clothes (we’ll cover this in more detail later).
• Keep an eye out for shirts with labels that say they don’t need to be ironed.
Key Takeaways
Taking care of your shirts is an easy way to look better. So, either hang up or iron your clothes often, or purchase clothes that are labeled as “wrinkle free.” Plus, plaid is back! A collared polo can be an easy way to look dressy without much effort. Wear a casual dress shirt for a semi-formal but still comfortable look when going out for a nice dinner or with friends.
Tomorrow, we will take a deeper look at identifying the perfect pants for any day.
Recommended reading
Men’s Button-Down vs. Point Collar: Man’s Guide to Shirt Collars
Recommended book
Dressing the Man: Mastering the Art of Permanent Fashion by Alan Flusser
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