The Ultimate Guide to Choosing Men's Shirts

Black shirt for men: A sharper, more contemporary option. It works well for evenings, dinners and situations where you want the outfit to feel more deliberate. Black shirt styling tends to look best when the rest of the outfit is kept neutral and well-fitted rather than competing for attention.

Other colours: Stripes, checks, pastels and earthy neutrals add variety once the base colours are covered. These work best when the pattern scale is proportional to the occasion. Smaller, tighter patterns read as more formal; larger patterns sit comfortably in casual territory.

Match the Shirt to What You Already Own

A shirt that doesn't work with anything you own gets worn once and then forgotten. Before buying, it's worth thinking about how a new shirt connects with existing pieces.

Simple combinations that tend to work:

• White shirt + dark trousers or jeans
• Blue shirt + chinos or mid-wash denim
• Black shirt + neutral trousers or relaxed-fit bottoms
• Oversized shirt + straight-leg or tapered trousers
• Textured or patterned shirt + plain, simple bottoms

The principle is straightforward. When the shirt has more detail or a looser silhouette, the rest of the outfit should be quieter. When the shirt is clean and minimal, there's more room to introduce colour or texture in the trousers or footwear.

Pay Attention to the Small Details

Collar shape, button placement, cuff width and shirt length all affect how formal or relaxed a shirt appears. None of these require deep knowledge, but being aware of them helps when comparing options.

A more structured, spread collar reads as formal. A soft, open collar or a band collar reads as casual. Similarly, a shirt with a relaxed hem and a slightly longer back is designed to be worn untucked. A shirt with a clean, even hem sits better when tucked in.

These details don't require memorising shirt construction. They just require looking at the shirt properly before buying it.

A Simple Checklist Before Buying a Shirt