Over the past few centuries, the shirts have gone from being an undergarment to apparel that is stylish finding itself a place in men’s wardrobe. Shirts are the most commonly bought item on the Internet. Many international brands and online exclusive brands have their stores online. Shirts are also known as dress shirts in few countries, which are basically, button up with long sleeves. Men’s dress shirts are available in a wide variety of styles, cut, designs, weaves, prices and colors. Fit of the shirts and the quality are the two most important aspects that one should consider while buying any apparel. Shirts should compliment your body type and flatter the body. For formal occasion, white and blue are the most sought after shade. This is because white is a universal color as it matches with other garments – be it trousers, chinos, khakis and even fashion accessories like tie. For interviews, the best color to pick is to go with the lighter tones of blue. If you want to play safe, gray is also the one that you can add to your wardrobe collection. For the fashionistas willing to experiment, shirts in pink are the shade that you should try. Though they are widely available, when buying shirts for either you or for someone else, selecting them is always complicated than what we really think. Each brand has their own sizing and hence the same size number may not fit you well in other brands. To make shirts shopping easier, below are the important things that you need to consider while buying men’s shirts.
1. Neck Size
To get the best-fit shirts, it’s very much important that you know your neck size. The best way to do this is to measure your neck with the help of the measurement tape. Measure around your neck (across the Adam’s apple) and note the neck size. In most of the brands, the neck size is the one that is on the size label.
2. Sleeves
The sleeves of the shirts should be neither too big nor too small. The shirts’ sleeve length should touch the starting point of the thumb when the cuff is unbuttoned. It’s advisable to know your sleeve length by measuring it with the help of the tape. However, if you decide to buy them from the retail stores, it’s best to ask the sales personnel to check the sleeve length. Though many shirt brands do not stock sizes in different sleeve length variations, few brands do – brooks brothers, gap, peprismine, Charles Tyrwhitt stock them. For those men who opt for online shopping, find the web stores that display the chart sizes.
3. Chest
It is not the color of the shirts that make men look sharper; it is the fit that you wear. In most cases, slim fit or the tailored fit shirts are slightly tighter around the chest and give you a flattering look. A regular fit dress shirt is slightly baggy and ideal for a more relaxed wear. Ultra slim fit shirts hug the body and are generally referred to as body fit shirts.
4. Shirt Length
As a rule, for tucking in, the shirts’ length should be about 6-7 inches from the point where you wear the belt. If the shirt length is smaller than this, then the shirt will un-tuck every time there is even a slightest body movement. A simple test is to raise your arms and check if the shirt tails aren’t coming out of your trousers.
