We take it for granted that dress shirts are made to fit under other clothes, so we often buy them based on our jacket size or overcompensate on the sizing to avoid pinching collars and windmill arms. You could spend hours selecting new dress shirts with the help of a tailor or you could select the perfect dress shirt from the comfort of your own home. With the number of online boutiques out there, you can find some spiffy dress shirts with designer labels for a decent price.
So, get out the measuring tape and learn how to buy dress shirts online.
measuring yourself
When you want to buy dress shirts online, your first step is to measure your neck, arms and chest. Begin from the top down. If you don’t have a soft measuring tape used by tailors, simply use a length of string and then lay it out along a standard measuring tape.When measuring your neck to buy dress shirts online remember that the front of the collar will slope downward and rest just below your Adam’s apple. You might also round up in your measurement just by one or two small ticks on the tape. If the collar is too tight you will never wear the shirt.
Next, to buy dress shirts online, measure your arms from the top outside edge of your shoulder down to the point where your wrist merges into the back of your hand. Now measure your other arm. Why is this important? Because as perfect as we all think we might be, the truth is there are slight differences between our arms, feet, fingers, etc. Therefore, measure both arms and go with the measurement of the longer arm. No one will notice that one sleeve looks slightly longer, but everyone will notice a shirt that is too short.
Finally, to properly buy dress shirts online, measure your chest. Shirt makers offer different cuts -- from traditional to slim -- so you need to know your actual chest size before you buy dress shirts online. Then there is the issue of going by your jacket size alone. This is OK sometimes, but if you buy the dress shirt, the jacket and the overcoat in the same size you might as well wear a tie with a potato sack because you won’t have any real shape or drape to your clothing.
To buy dress shirts online from boutiques with specific, can’t-go-wrong sizing charts, shop at Brooks Brothers or J. Press.
dress shirt styles
You might have the sizing down pat, but since you can’t try on your purchase before you buy dress shirts online, we’ve compiled a guide of the different collars, fabrics and cuffs you’ll come across in your shopping endeavor. Keep our tips and recommended retailers in mind, and make your dress shirt-shopping experience a positive one.
The cutaway collar
Long favored by taller men for its proportional qualities the cutaway collar adds a subtle style change to your wardrobe. NBA coach Pat Riley made this type of shirt collar famous in the 1980s, and others in the league soon began sporting it because the style helps emphasize the face and shorten the appearance of taller men. A straight pinpoint collar will add height to any man. Riley had many of his shirts made in Hong Kong, so this style is sometimes called the Hong Kong Cutaway; but you don’t have to hop a flight anymore to get great shirts like this, you only have to go online.Recommended online retailer: Thomas Pink
The French cuff
A shirt with a French cuff adds formality to any suit, but not all cuffed shirts are in the French style. A few designers round the edges of the cuffs lessening the formality in favor of an avant garde style. The true French cuff will be big and bold, calling for large cuff links. This is the type of shirt you seldom wear, but are always happy to spend a little more on.Recommended online retailer: Paul Fredrick
The wrinkle-free shirt
We know the wrinkle-free idea seemed like a scam, but these dress shirts really have come into there own as of late -- and if flight delays get any longer, we’ll all be wearing these as official uniforms. If you’re a man on the go who wants to buy dress shirts online, remember that affordable travel-ready shirts are now available. Wrinkle-free shirts are best done with a traditional straight pinpoint collar. The pinpoint will add a little height to your face and neck, whereas the cutaway will lower your profile. Also, the pinpoint collar is much more versatile and acceptable with many jacket styles.Recommended online retailer: JoS. A. Bank Clothiers
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