Custom Tailored: Why Choosing the Right Shirt Makes All the Difference

Trying a bespoke suit for the first time can be a life-changing experience for our customers. There’s not much that compares to the “second skin” feeling of a professionally fitted suit made of fabrics from some of the best fabric mills in the world. But even though our custom suits are a deal-breaker, finding the perfect shirt to go with your suit is something that men rave about. 

In this article we will touch on what makes the perfect dress shirt, and how you can know what to look for whether you are going the ready-to-wear or custom shirts route. 

Why Men Want Better Shirts

When men get fitted for their first bespoke suit, they often don’t have as much to say about how they want it to fit. Personal style and customizations are the fun part, and they put trust in their suiting consultant to make their suit fit perfectly on their body.

But when it comes to shirts, men have much stronger opinions. Most men have negative memories associated with ill-fitting shirts. Billowing fabric around the waist, too-short cuffs, and painfully tight collars are all incredibly common complaints. 

It can be difficult to find shirt brands that fit perfectly, and this usually means making some sort of compromise. Thankfully, there are rules that you can follow to ensure that you make the right choice with your next shirt purchase. Doing this will save you money and discomfort down the line, and most importantly will help you appear confident and in control of your wardrobe. 

Shirt Fitting Fundamentals

First things first. You will need to have your measurements recorded before you shop for an off-the-rack shirt. This is best done by a suiting professional to avoid any unwelcome surprises. We would never recommend taking your own measurements. 

Now we will discuss how an ideal shirt should look and feel in some key areas.

Collar

Let’s start  with the bane of many men’s existence: the dress shirt collar. When the top button of your collar is done up, you should be able to fit two fingers in between the collar and your neck. This allows you to breathe while preventing unwelcome bunching of excess material.

Shoulders

Watch the seam connecting the arm of the shirt to the torso, and make sure that it stays relatively vertical. If it starts to slide off your shoulder, then the shirt is too wide. You will be able to feel it if your shoulder seam is too tight since it will ride up towards your neck and dig into your armpit.

Chest

A common problem with fitting a dress shirt to your chest is also easy to spot: the pulling of fabric at your buttons from a too-small shirt. Avoid any tension in this area, as it will make it near impossible to feel comfortable in your shirt unless you sit completely still. 

Waist

The taper of your shirt’s torso varies greatly depending on your body type. But above all, aim for a clean line between your shirt and pants, with as little excess fabric as possible.

Length

Your dress shirt should extend to be level with the bottom of the fly on your trousers. This ensures that you won’t have too much extra fabric and that your shirt won’t come untucked unexpectedly.

Sleeves

Your sleeve should fall at the base of the thumb, and your cuffs should button with enough clearance for your watch. Are you a fan of showing off a larger watch? No problem, a custom shirt can be tailored to allow this. Keep in mind that a bit of excess fabric throughout the sleeve is fine since you need to account for the articulation of your arms.

Guide to Dress Shirt Style

Now that we have straightened out common fit concerns for dress shirts, we can show you how to find the right shirt styles that will stand the test of time. 

When shopping for staple dress shirts, look for shirts made from 100% cotton with stiff collars and cuffs. This ensures that you are trying on dress shirts, not casual shirts.

Quality dress shirts will have a thick, supportive placket (the part of the shirt where buttonholes are punched in), which keeps your collar standing up on its own. 

Collars come in a wide variety of styles and sizes, so it can be tempting to experiment to differentiate yourself. The reality is, all that these customizations do is make your shirt less versatile. Stick to standard point or button-down collars unless you have something specific in mind - these are the most flattering with different face shapes and tie knots. 

The same goes for your cuffs. Unless you have an especially formal event planned, keep your single-button cuffs instead of the bulky french cuff style (the kind worn with cufflinks).

Once you go beyond shirt construction, you will be free to explore the wide world of shirt fabrics. Within the category of cotton dress shirts, there are many fabrics and weaves available.

Common Shirt Fabrics

Talk to your suiting professional about the benefits of different fabrics. Consider the climate where you work (including how effective the air conditioning is in your office) since you can’t shed off a shirt like you can a bulky suit jacket. 

Oxford is a popular all-around weave that features light textured bumps. Herringbone and twill both offer more texture in a weight that is better suited for winter, while poplin is a loose weave best suited for the summer months.

Fundamental Shirts for the Modern Man

Every man should invest in a few workhorse shirts that he can wear for a range of purposes, including work, weddings, and other formal occasions.

Here are Modello Bespoke’s fundamental dress shirt picks:

• 3 White, ivory, and light blue shirts in oxford or poplin 

• 3 Light blue, lavender, or light pink shirts in twill or herringbone

• 2 Blue or navy striped shirts (thinner stripes is better for formalwear)

From here, you can branch out to other colours and patterns. With every bespoke suit comes new opportunities to show your personality through shirts and accessories.

Curious about finding the right shirts for work, events, or play? We would love to hear your ideas.

Get in touch with us today to book an appointment or chat with our suiting professionals about bespoke suiting, ready-to-wear shirts, and our collection of fine accessories.