For a lot of people, the New Year represents a time to start afresh – to banish all complications in favour of a cleaner, cooler and altogether more composed outlook on life. That’s reflected in the sartorial selections stylish men make at the start of the year. Time-honoured classics like the fitted white shirt soar to the top of wardrobe wish lists.
Why does the fitted white shirt hold so much esteem in the world of men’s fashion? To put it simply, this fundamental garment is totally dependable in all situations – it’s something you can always return however tangential your attitude to trends.
You might stray from time to time but you can’t resist coming back to the classics because they offer that stability, that reassurance, that sense of timelessness that makes them the real benchmarks of style.
Both formal and informal wardrobes fit the classic heliocentric model with the white shirt as the cynosure. Its gravity holds everything together regardless of which garments make up its planetary system – jeans, brogues and a casual blazer for weeknight drinks; sharp tailoring and high polish kicks for a big meeting; a dressy suit and floral tie for a wedding reception.
Bold hues, sultry shades, delicate pastels and mysterious tones; the white shirt is the perfect foil for all.
Of course, your deal with the crisp white shirt isn’t sewn up straight away – it takes a measure of negotiation, with a particular focus on the concept of fit.
Getting the perfect fitting shirt involves more arbitration than you might imagine. The shirt that looks so chic and sharp on the mannequin often does so because of the model’s ‘idealised’ proportions or the visual merchandiser’s wanton use of pins. However you feel you match up to the model and however consistent your dimensions with given brands and retailers, there’s no substitute for trying a shirt on in a couple of different sizes.
Don’t enter the fitting room in your gym kit or trainers and a hoody – when you head to the shops with the intention of buying a shirt, make sure you’ve some smarter trousers and a blazer on so you get a proper feel for the garment. Otherwise, find these items in the shop and take them in with you.
The versatility of a good shirt depends on the cut. You have to be able to tuck the shirt neatly into your tailored trousers and your lower-sitting denim. You also have to feel equally comfortable with the top button fastened and unfastened, the sleeves rolled and unrolled. Only when you’re happy with how the shirt performs in every attitude are you ready to part with your cash.
Now, the fit of a shirt is not the only factor that impacts its performance. There’s also the matter of fabric.
Good quality fabric ought to be visible and tactile. Translucence is a bad sign. Excessive weight is equally undesirable. You need a happy medium; the tell-tale signs of quality are softness and a pleasant thickness that stops short of being heavy.
The presence of a small percentage of Lycra in the material prevents restriction of movement in the arms and upper torso. This generally makes for more comfortable work wear, so check the composition of each shirt you try on. The care label is also worth glancing at because it’ll give you an idea of what you can and can’t do in terms of washing and ironing.
Fashionable outlets like Simon + Simon are supporting the revival of men’s classic wardrobes with white shirts in just the sort of athletic fit that promotes a more urbane deportment in formal, informal and smart-casual settings. It’s easy to see why sharp dressers everywhere blanch at the thought of life without their white shirts.
