How to Buy a Mens Dress Shirt
Do you know how to shop for and buy a mens dress shirt? Maybe you’re lining up job interviews following college graduation, or maybe you’ve just invited someone to your first prom. Regardless of the big things heading your way this spring, you’ll look and feel your best if you’re sharply dressed. This guide will explain what to look for in a mens dress shirt, so you can find the most flattering mens dress shirt for you.
How to Measure for a Mens Dress Shirt
The first thing you need to do before buying a mens dress shirt is to accurately measure yourself – you are moving beyond the world of small/medium/large and into a world where neck sizes matter! Grab a measuring tape, and wrap it around your neck, right across your Adam’s apple. Add a half-inch to whatever measurement is reflected there for ease of movement and breathing – you won’t wear your mens dress shirt if you’re choking every time you put it on.
Know Your Shirt Sleeve Length
The other measurement you’ll need before buying your mens dress shirt is your sleeve length. This is imperative to know before buying a long-sleeved mens dress shirt – nothing looks worse than an inch or two of wrist flopping out the bottom of your cuff! You’ll need someone to help you measure the distance from the middle of your back, over to the top of your shoulder, and from your shoulder down to your wrist. Add these measurements together, and you’ll have your sleeve length.
Mens Dress Shirt Cut Options
Once you’ve got your neck size and sleeve length written down, you can move on and begin looking at cut options. Mens dress shirts are usually styled in one of three different options. An athletic cut means the dress shirt is cut close to the body, without a lot of excess fabric under the arms or around the waist. This is a good choice for men who aren’t super-bulky through the chest and arms, or for wearing under a close-fitting suit. A regular cut means just what you’d think – it’s slightly looser than the athletic cut. The majority of mens dress shirts fall into this category. Finally, some shirts are full cut. Full cuts are usually found in the big and tall section, and provide extra length and width for men of larger stature.
Choose a Collar
Found a cut that’s great for you? Now it’s time to move on and choose a collar. Collars come in a range of sizes and styles, and it’s important to match the collar of your mens dress shirt to your face shape for visual consistency. If you have a rounder face, you should look for a straight-point collar, where points of the collar form a V at the bottom. This will help elongate your face and neck, which makes you look taller and slimmer. If you have a long neck already, you can choose either a tab or a club collar, which will show off your height and visually widen your shoulders.
As long as you’re prepared with these three bits of information – knowing your measurements, which style cut is flattering, and which collar to choose – picking out a mens dress shirt becomes a breeze. You’ll spend less time in the dressing room, and more time preparing for your big event, which is the way it should be!