A friend of the family is excited about the new job he's starting with your firm this summer, and wants to make sure he shows up looking like a member of the team. He asks you,"What are the first six shirts I should buy, so that I can make it through the week?"
What mix of color/patterns? (solids, checks, stripes) What collars? (spread, button down, cutaway) Any specific brands to shop/avoid?
My recommendation (a.k.a. safe bet):
You're absolutely right that fit is immediately noticeable, which is part of the challenge: CT extra slim may be perfect for a marathon runner, but way too tight through the chest for a rower.
In terms of collars, do you actually see a lot of point collars on young guys? The market has shifted strongly to spread, particularly with senior finance executives. https://www.wardrobeessentialist.com/post/dress-for-the-setting-meeting…
You're right, but I think they would also fit "regular Joes" who work out moderately. They will certainly not fit wider upper-body types.
I tend to not see buttons and interpret button-downs as point collars from a distance, so I am biased, but I still see a decent representation of such collars in more conservative settings. More than cutaways, for example.
Agreed! TM Lewin, Charles Tyrwhitt and Hawes & Curtis do 4 or 5 shirts for £100 - solid shirts (plain colours) and resist years of dry cleaning without buttons coming off or collars and cuffs getting ruined
six white shirts from charles tyrwhitt
Twillory does orders of 4 or more for ballpark $54 each, no shipping or tax. Better than tyrwhitt and brooks brothers for my money. Cuffs in particular are way better. The standard CTs have vertical cuff buttons as opposed to horizontal, so if you have narrower arms you cant make the sleeves actually fit you properly - they look loose and oversized. Get 6 white twilllory and 4 blue
I had 10 shirts:
6 White 2 Blue 2 Pink
M-F line up was White, White, Blue, White, Pink on Fridays. Everyday for two years, get shirts cleaned every two weeks.
My current set up is the same but the weekly lineup is White, Blue, White, White and then Pink Shirt Fridays.
I bought 5 shirts from Charles Tyrwhitt. I went to the store and tried each one on and made sure they fit fine. All white and blue mixes.
I also had 5 shirts made, since nothing is better than custom. I DID NOT get these monogrammed, because that is uncool. 2 white, 3 solid colors
What mix of solid colors?
Pink Light Purple Light Blue Both whites had some texture
If you're not near a CT store, this video will give you a better sense of the differences among their 4 fits.
For work shirts, I'm partial to T&A shirts. A bit on the pricey end, but they have sales frequently enough (Note: this is for their off-the-rack stuff)
I too enjoy paying $400 for a plain white shirt
If cost is no object, and your not the "body double" of the guy the brands use to cut their patterns, T&A custom is a great way to go: I've been a customer for years.
If I were starting over with custom today, however, I'd probably start with Proper Cloth: great selection of fabrics, and much more convenient if you're not in the neighborhood of Jermyn St. in London or 57th St. in NY.
Check out a couple of brands and fits in a store. If none of the standard sizes work out, get them tailored. I just switched to a complete tailored wardrobe and my life has been a lot better since. Got 4 white, 2 blue. Maybe I'll get 4 more so I can survive for 2 weeks on end when I have to skip laundry.
Are all your white/blue shirts basic broadcloth, or do you mix up the weaves with some twill, herringbone, or Oxford?
I'm just white/blue basic. Suits are navy and grey as well. While there are some awesome fabrics and patterns I would love to wear, I feel like I cannot really do that untill I am at least a bit more senior. It kinda depends on your office culture though.
I don't see it mentioned often on here but proper cloth does online custom shirts. They start at around $80 for simple white and blue fabrics. You can choose your collar and they calculate your size then you can fine tune based on that. Takes several weeks though.
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