l agree that shirts are the most important part of a mans wardrobe. BTW, l like your site.

1.  What l find interesting is how most people don't value the shirt collar or shirt in general. People under-rate it so much and people seem to have the attitude that a cheap chinese shirt is enough (this poor attitude is not so much present with ties or suits). Shirt collars should be balanced and clean when worn, but we see so many wearing unbalanced poorly fitting poorly cut collars, and often collars that are quite ruffled. You see very few people with nice well cut collars that fit right. Contrast this to a suit collar. A suit collar is much even and tidy when worn, but the shirt collars usually show there faults more in this area, especially when worn without a tie.


2.  Another thing l find interesting is about tailoring of RTW. People are more likely to get a suit tailored than a shirt. l think that's because the percentage cost increase is much higher with a shirt than a suit. Eg; $4,000 suit with $400 worth of tailoring...therefore 10%.  $400 Shirt with $100 worth of tailoring....therefore 25%.  lt may also have something to do with peoples inablity to judge the fit of a shirt as well as the fit of a suit. Another point on tailoring: a shirt has less fabric to work with than a suit because a suit can be let out slightly where-as a shirt can't.

3.  Shirts are seen as less significant. l get the feeling that people feel that they are just simple cotton things that are secondary in rank to suits. Afterall, the shirt is worn under the jacket.

4.  l think a shirt can make or break a suit. lf the suit is average quality, a man can still look smashing if he has a good quality well fitting shirt. But if a man wears a smashing handmade suit and has a cheap poorly cut shirt, then the whole suit ensemble is ruined because a trained eye can't get past the ugly shirt.


l refuse to buy RTW shirts anymore.

Last edited by The_Shooman (2008-04-09 06:13:45)

I think dress shirts are disposable items (an opinion I first read here at FNB) and are therefore overrated. 

Of course I do like nice patterns and colours, and I prefer my shirts to fit well, but I'm not going to give them undue thought.

I'd rather focus on suits ,odd jackets, and shoos.

You might want to refer to one of FNB's nice essays on shirts here in the essay section, about the English and their shirts.

Macro distinction: the English have a fondeness for complex shirt patterns (deriving from their supposed historically limited tie repertoire), whilst all others prefer simpler choices.

As an Italian who does spend a lot of time with Brits, I would confirm that the difference really is borne out by daily observation.

^ Then, Sir, I absolutely must purchase from the same source...

To me:

-The shirt collar can make or destroy an outfit

-The comfort offered by an "undershirt prohibited" shirt fabric is without compare

I take proper care of my shirts and I don't consider them any more disposable than a pair of trousers.

Last edited by Cruz Diez (2008-04-09 14:33:20)

Last edited by Marc Grayson (2008-04-09 21:52:31)

Last edited by The_Shooman (2008-04-10 00:13:01)

Barba makes some of the nicest collars i've seen in RTW. l'd love to buy some, but i'd have all the fit issues l normally have with RTW shirts.

Yes, marcs pics of the collars say it all.