Every Type Of Men’s Shirt You Need In Your Wardrobe

In the world of men’s designer shirts, there’s a lot to choose from. And what you pick will depend on whether you need men’s shirts for work, the weekend or those special events in between. From classic dress shirts to more casual overshirts, there’s the perfect men’s designer shirt for every occasion. Just read our handy guide to help you narrow it down.

Men’s Dress Shirts

The definition of a men’s dress shirt is a little similar to that of dress trousers or dress pants – it is essentially shorthand for men’s formal shirts, the type of shirts you can wear to the office, weddings and any other smart occasion. In that way, the term men’s dress shirt encompasses almost all men’s long sleeve shirts you can imagine. As a rule, men’s dress shirts tend to be made from crisp cotton-poplin, but you’ll also spot linen and even silk options.

Men’s Oxford Shirts

Unlike most of the other types of shirts on this list, a men’s Oxford shirt has a relatively precise definition – and, as style, it has hardly changed in almost 100 years. Now associated with classic and preppy style, this men’s long sleeve shirt gets its name from the robust fabric it’s made from: Oxford cloth is thicker than poplin and woven in a distinct basket-weave which makes it more durable. It also resists creasing, which has made it an excellent smart-casual option to throw on and go. While men’s Oxford shirts commonly have a button-down collar, it’s not a prerequisite. Which brings us to…

Men’s Button-Down Shirts

It’s an easy mistake to make, but it’s sometimes assumed that a men’s button-down shirt is simply any men’s shirt that, literally, buttons down the front. But the term actually refers to a style of collar (rather than type of shirt), which is physically buttoned down to the rest of the shirt. It also has a fascinating history. The men’s button-down shirt is thought to originate in the nineteenth century in Britain and was the ingenious solution of polo players to their collars flapping in the wind and obscuring their vision as they played games. Since then, it proved popular with workers for the same practical reason. Nowadays, like the Oxford shirt, men’s button-down shirts are associated with preppy, all-American style.

Men’s Formal Shirts 

While the vast majority of the types of shirts on this list would be classified as formal enough for work, important meetings or special occasions, for truly formal occasions – such as black-tie events – you’ll need a specific men’s formal shirt. A tuxedo shirt – sometimes called a bib shirt – is a specific style of dress shirt designed to be worn with dinner jackets, smoking jackets and, of course, tuxedo jackets. Tuxedo shirts are usually (but not always) equipped with a ‘bib’ through the front sometimes made from a different material that is either pleated or textured and can come with or without buttons – if it’s the latter, the shirt is traditionally fastened using shirt studs, which offer an incredibly elegant finish. While standard collars are common, you’re also just as likely to see a wing-tip collar on a men’s tuxedo shirt.

Men’s Striped Shirts

A wide category of men’s shirts, men’s striped shirts come in all sorts of colour variations and styles, from formal to more casual type of shirts. They can also be rather subtle for business or the office, as is the case with something like a pinstripe or ticking stripe shirt, or they can make more of a statement. Paul Smith’s colourful Signature Stripe shirts come to mind. The most common type of men’s striped shirts come in a vertical striped pattern, so keep in mind that a striped shirt can have an elongating effect: making you look slightly taller and slimmer.

Men’s Check Shirts

While the history of the check itself is a little fuzzy with no-one able to quite pinpoint where they originated, the history of check in clothing is thought, at least in part, to derive from Scottish tartan. Nowadays, men’s checked shirts come in almost endless variations with some, like plaid, buffalo, Madras and gingham check being considered more casual types of men’s check shirts and others, such as glen check, houndstooth, windowpane check and tattersall check considered smarter choices.

Men’s Patterned Shirts

Like striped shirts, there’s no one-size-fits-all men’s patterned shirts: in fact, an incredibly varied selection of men’s shirts (including both striped and checked shirts) could fall into this category, and it would be impossible to list them all here. Two of the most common men’s patterned shirts, however, are polka dot and pin dot shirts – which are a formal enough choice for business contexts – and floral shirts, which are particularly suited to weddings and celebratory occasions. While the bulk of your shirt selection may sit on the plainer side, adding a few men’s patterned shirts into your arsenal can help add a touch of personality and colour to your smart wardrobe. 

Men’s Overshirts

While many menswear terms can be confusing or misleading, there are a few that do what they say on the tin, so to speak. That’s true of men’s overshirts, which are, as the name suggests, designed to be worn over another layer. Though they likely have their origins in traditional workwear, the popularity of the men’s overshirt has exploded in recent years. Largely considered casual or smart-casual articles of attire, they are an excellent option to transition between the seasons, when it’s too warm for a jacket, but too cold to go without an extra layer – because, as a rule, men’s overshirts tend to be made from a thicker material than standard men’s shirts.

Men’s Short Sleeve Shirts

There was a time when men’s short sleeve shirts weren’t considered a particularly stylish option – that all changed when the camp-collar shirt became popular. Or to be more accurate, became popular again. Men’s short sleeve shirts owe their renaissance to the vintage revival that has taken place in the last decade or so. Short sleeve shirts are thought to originate in sportswear, when they became popular with tennis players who needed to be able to move more freely during games. That could explain why, these days, a short sleeve shirt is not considered a viable option for the office, it is a smarter alternative to a tee in summertime. If you’re wondering where to start, you won’t go wrong with a plain linen short sleeve shirt and a patterned one for the warmer months.