Are you wondering how to make a dress shirt look good?
It’s really easy. Just:
- Choose a Style that Complements Your Body Type
- Choose a Fit that Complements Your Body Type
- Have Your Dress Shirt Tailored if Necessary
- Take Good Routine Care of Your Dress Shirts
A selection of high quality dress shirts is essential to every wardrobe; therefore, you will want to invest in the right shirt fits and styles, get alterations done when necessary, and take good care of them all.
In this short guide, we will endeavor to teach you how to do so.
Choose a Style that Complements Your Body Type
The first rule of how to make a dress shirt look good is to choose a style that nicely complements your body type.
If you are shorter, consider options with vertical stripes. They will create an elongating effect for your torso.
It is also a good idea to pair your dress shirt with a slimmer tie. This will keep the focus on your face rather than your height.
If you are taller, fit is going to be important, which we will review momentarily. The main point is to choose a dress shirt that fits your shoulders perfectly and is the right length; otherwise, your shirt may be likely to billow.
Always avoid vertical stripes. After all, there is no reason to make yourself look taller than you already are.
Another good idea would be to choose different colors for your top and bottom, or to wear a belt that really stands out. In so doing, it helps to split up your height a little.
If you are slimmer and taller, you may wish to try a dress shirt with strong, horizontal stripes. In most cases, they will make your shoulders and chest look broader.
Avoid skinny ties, and use striped patterns to break up your height.
If you are slimmer and shorter, checks and horizontal strips will create the perception of additional bulk and width. Ensure the checks and stripes are small.
If you are larger, meaning you have a rounder body type or a bigger abdominal area, do not buy unnecessarily large shirts. Larger men will often do this in attempt to hide their size. In reality, these larger clothes make you look even bigger.
Instead, purchase dress shirts that fit nicely to your body without being snug.
Pinstripe dress shirts offer a slimming effect, as well as darker colors.
If at all possible, stay away from bold colors, horizontal stripes, plaids, and checks.
Choose a Fit that Complements Your Body Type
How to make a dress shirt look good has as much to do with fit as it does style.
In other words, it is important to choose shirts that will complement your body type.
To begin, let’s define your body type. Most shapes and sizes can be categorized as one of the following:
- Ectomorph
- Mesomorph
- Endomorph
The ectomorph is slim, lean, and narrow.
The mesomorph has broad shoulders and a trim waist.
The endomorph has a cylindrical torso, which is often the result of a round belly.
Determining which body type is yours will help you to choose the correct fit of dress shirt.
A full fit dress shirt is an ideal choice for the endomorph. In some cases, a full fit dress shirt is referred to as a comfort fit or a relaxed fit.
A traditional fit dress shirt tapers slightly at the waist. This is also sometimes referred to as a straight, classic, or natural fit. It would be an ideal choice for ectomorphs and mesomorphs.
A slim fit dress shirt has narrow shoulders and tapers significantly at the waist. It fits a slimmer body rather closely. This is the ideal choice for the ectomorph.
An athletic fit dress shirt is ideal for mesomorphs. This type of dress shirt is not produced by all dress shirt manufacturers, but it is the best choice for those with a wedge figure.
A tailored fit dress shirt falls somewhere between a traditional fit and a slim fit. In some cases, it is referred to as a modern fit. It is not as wedge-shaped as an athletic fit, nor does it taper as much as a slim fit.
Have Your Dress Shirt Tailored if Necessary
Despite your best intentions to choose a dress shirt that is both the right fit and style, body shapes and sizes can change over time.
In other instances, you may simply have not been able to purchase the shirt you wanted in the exact size you needed.
In those cases, you can hire a tailor to make alterations to the shirt.
This may also be necessary if you have owned a dress shirt for a while and you are hoping to make its appearance more like new.
To begin, it is fairly simple for a tailor to shorten sleeves on a dress shirt by a half-inch or or more, depending upon his or her experience level.
Collars and cuffs can both be replaced, although they may not match the original fabric. Consider choosing a white contrast collar or cuffs to avoid unfortunate mismatches.
The length of the shirt can be hemmed to shorten it by a few inches. There are limitations on how much it can be shortened before the overall fit is ruined.
Missing or damaged buttons can be easily replaced.
If you have lost weight, you may also wish to have your shirt taken in for a slimmer fit.
If you live in the Greater Toronto Area, you should consider choosing Love Your Tailor to perform your dress shirt alterations.
We are the largest tailor facility in Ontario and have been in business since 1987.
Love Your Tailor is home to some of the most talented and experienced tailors in the province, and boasts a large variety of state of the art equipment.
We also offer a 100% satisfaction guarantee. If you are not satisfied with the work we do on your dress shirts, you get your money back.
We’re so confident in our work that we are willing to handle difficult and complicated alterations that other local professionals will not. Call 416-538-2326 for details.
Take Good Routine Care of Your Dress Shirts
Part of how to make a dress shirt look good is simply by taking regular and routine care of it.
This is especially true if you regularly wear dress shirts. If you bought a quality garment in the first place, it should be lasting a lot longer than six months.
To begin, understand that frequent washing or dry cleaning will cause your shirt to fade and wear out faster. Wash your dress shirts sparingly.
In other words, if you can wear them more than once between washes, that would be ideal. If perspiration is a concern, wear an undershirt to absorb sweat.
When it does come time to wash your shirt, try to spot clean it or wash it entirely by hand.
If you happen to stain your dress shirt, consider a plethora of natural home remedies before resorting to detergents and chemicals. In most cases, vinegar and baking soda can remove an unwanted stain.
The areas most prone to staining are the collar and the cuffs, and that is usually due to the presence of oils from your skin. If you begin to notice discoloration in these areas, consider using a powerful stain removing agent.
Most people know that drying garments will cause them to shrink. For this reason, we recommend you only dry a shirt at home on a tumble setting.
You may also wish to consider hanging a dress shirt to dry.
When hanging your dress shirts, use thicker, wooden hangers. A thin, wire frame on a hanger may cause the dress shirt to stretch.
Never store your dress shirts in a closet or another area that is prone to moisture or musky smells.