The shirt under the suit is a classic shirt with open buttons, a thick collar and long sleeves. This is the main difference from, say, a polo shirt, which has short sleeves and a soft collar. For example, as soon as you put on a tie on a polo, you will immediately understand why it is not suitable for a classic suit.
The main purpose of a dress shirt is to wear it under a suit and / or under a tie. Today, there are a huge variety of classic suit shirts. Basically, they differ in style, collar type, sleeve cuffs. Therefore, it is important to understand that shirts can be for different dress codes, both for formal 'White Tie' and informal Casual. You can read more about the dress code for men in previous publications.
In this article, we will only consider a men's long-sleeved shirt designed to be worn under a classic suit. We will not consider the short one, since it does not fit a three-piece suit, where it is necessary to put on a vest.
Over the past half century, the shirt has gone from underwear to outerwear and a necessary attribute of any wardrobe of a self-respecting man. In the old days, white shirts were mainly used. From them it was possible to determine the status of the owner. If a person had dirty cuffs, they are clearly a worker who could not afford to change their wardrobe frequently.
Another thing is the upper strata of the population, where white cuffs symbolized status and a sign that a person is above dirty work. Today the men's shirt is very popular, despite the status of the person. A men's shirt is not as expensive as a suit or shoes, therefore, as a rule, there are a great many shirts in a gentleman's wardrobe.
For reference. A shirt and a chemise, in my understanding, are the same. Therefore, in this article I will use these words interchangeably. Previously, these words had differences, for example, a shirt was made of coarse fabrics and was worn by common people, and shirts were made of fine and expensive fabrics and worn by the highest nobility. But today these boundaries are blurred.
How should a shirt fit under a suit?
Most men wear shirts that don't fit their body. But why is it so difficult from all the variety so difficult to choose the size for yourself? Each of us has a special structure. We have our own waist measurements, arm length, height, shoulder width. And the combination of different sizes and parameters makes us unique in some way, so the clothing manufacturer has to equalize all sizes and reduce the models to certain 'standards'. Moreover, all factories have their own standards, which take into account the national characteristics of people (for example, shirts with longer sleeves are sewn for Italy than for Germany). In fact, these are mythical images, among which there is a small person, an average person, a large person.
As a result, when you buy what appears to be your size, say for a person of average build, it turns out that your sleeves are too short. And you are forced to take a larger size so that the sleeves are in time, but you have to put up with excess fabric at the waist and a wide collar where you can stick your whole hand. What to do?
You can go in two ways: sew a custom-made shirt or re-measure the entire range and variety of brands on the market. Sewing a shirt on yourself is not a cheap pleasure, but trying on shirts from different manufacturers will make you spend only a little more time than usual. I recommend finding your brands. This does not mean that you should definitely buy a shirt from Armani, although it is she who can fit you perfectly. For clarity, see how the shirt should fit in the infographic.
Personally, I prefer to buy 2 expensive shirts that fit me perfectly in size, rather than 5, which will clearly not fit my physique. After all, if the size is not mine, then I will constantly pay attention to it and be distracted from important matters. The choice is yours. Whatever the shirt is worn with, it should fit snugly to the body. Like an undershirt that traps sweat, the shirt protects the lining of the jacket from excess moisture.
By the way, it is best to choose a undershirt with a V-neck so that you have the opportunity to sometimes take off your tie and unbutton the top button of your shirt. Otherwise, the hem of the shirt will stick out and it doesn't look good. In the summer, you can completely abandon T-shirts for the sake of comfort.
Main characteristics of a shirt under a suit
The first thing to notice when looking at a shirt is its color and type of fabric. The most popular shirts are pure white or light blue, as they match almost all colors of classic suits and ties. Nevertheless, there are shirts on the market in different colors, patterns and styles. Knowing how to choose shirts correctly, you can endlessly add variety to your image.
Pattern on the shirt
|
Plain shirt |
Striped shirt |
Plaid shirt |
|---|---|---|
 |
 |
 The composition of the shirt fabric also plays an important role. As a rule, the main material is cotton, but silk, viscose, polyester, etc. are also used in production. The choice depends of course on the size of the wallet and your preferences. However, it must be remembered that a shirt made of cotton is nevertheless better ventilated (we do not take linen shirts into account) than a shirt made of a displaced composition, and even more so from synthetics. In addition, the latter is electrified, which can cause a lot of discomfort.
And finally. If you are on a limited budget and want to collect a small collection of shirts for a suit for all occasions, you should try on different styles and try different fabrics before purchasing. Don't buy a shirt just because it is on sale. Do not buy a shirt that is too motley, a classic white or light blue shirt is better. These colors will always be popular and will go with almost any costume. |
