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The dress shirt is crucial in men’s wardrobes. It is directly in contact with the skin and suspends body and jacket movements. To create a prime-quality dress shirt that needs quality fabric, an experienced tailor, and specific craftsmanship, it is bespoke, made to measure, or ready to wear. The shirt is a second element of the professional’s wardrobe after the suit and requires special attention when purchased. The following factors we should take into consideration during the dress shirt purchasing :

• Our face and body shape
• Our Neck length and diameter, proportion to the head and the body 
• our job and social life 
• Shirt collar shape and size
• The lapels and collar of the jacket
•  Fabrics pattern, colour & quality

 This article covers the essential details to help you choose the fitting shirt for your wardrobe.

1) Fabrics:

1) Fabrics:  Fabrics are the crucial element of quality shirts. To identify high-quality material, we need to know the following factors: Fiber quality and Yarn count (diameter): The thickness and length of the fibres play an essential role in fabric quality. Yarn measuring within thread count in microns or super(s). Higher thread count, softness, fibre length, sophisticated technology, and advanced machinery are essential in yarn quality. The fibre quality is another aspect of this sophisticated process, which depends on the provenience, location, climate, length, and when the fibre is cultivated. Weaving and finishing techniques: Today, we have advanced technology for weaving and finishing fabrics with a silky touch and smooth shell finish. Fabric processing techniques and the type of fibre determine the fabrics’ quality and value.

Here are some of the verification techniques for prime-quality fabrics.

a) Weaving density: High-density weaving is characteristic of premium-quality fabrics. It is like TV pixel density (DPI): high-density of pixels means clear quality image and high-density weaving means high-quality materials. b) Touch and feel: Quality shirt fabrics always have exceptionally silky, smooth, soft, and pleasant touch; It’s usually colder than room temperature and thin weaving construction. Good-quality fabrics are thin, dense, and heavy-feeling on the hand, but low-quality materials are thick and light and have low-density weaving.

2) Shirt stitch density

Stitching density is an excellent indicator of verifying the prime-quality shirt. The number of stitches in one inch or centimetre is essential for appreciating the shirt’s quality. It is crucial because we can determine if the shirtmaker used high-quality fabrics. High-density stitches can be used only in higher thread count and tightly woven fabrics, like 20 to 27-step stitches per inch, which is impossible in low-density weaving fabrics. Using the same number of stitches in low thread count fabrics will cut the material at the sewing line 20 to 27 stitches per inch, which is considered a good quality shirt with an elegant look and durability. Low-density shirt fabrics require slightly larger stitches not to destroy the material, generally up to 14 step stitches per inch. To understand the quality of the shirt, we need to count the number of stitches in one inch; a good quality shirt must have between 20 to 27 stitches per inch.

3) Stitch distance from the edge ( Hemming line)

Another detail to verify the quality of the shirts is the hemming stitch line on the bottom. You can check the stitch distance from the margin. The more minor the feature, the better; under 3 mm is considered very good because Higley has tailoring skills to sew 1 to 3 mm. Check the consistency of these stitches all over the shirt. Another detail of hemming stitching is that wrinkling and weaving, especially on the bottom part of the shirt, need to pay particular attention to the curvy shape.

4) Handmade Pick stitching ( Decorative hand stitching )

Pick-stitching is still part of a quality shirt. It was previously exclusively used in high-quality shirts, but many shirtmakers have this detail on their shirts. It is another element of a high-end shirt that often features decorative hand-pick stitching along the seams. It looks, but it is an excellent indicator of the manufacturer’s attention to the small details.

5. Side Seams

To obtain a cleaner look and dressier appearance on side seams, you need to use single-needle stitching in 3 mm or less. High-end shirtmakers always use a single-needle stitch. It is another future for the prime-quality shirt. The future of the low-end shirt is with twin needles. This stitching future is mostly used on cheap and casual shirts. The significant problems with twin-needle stitching are wrinkling, look, and functionality. The seams with double-needle stitches will wrinkle. Another aspect of twin-needle stitches is the time spent on sawing, which is three times less than single stitches. The most critical element in tween stitch is the shirt’s body sides stitching together with the sleeve seams in a continuous line, creating an uncomfortable feeling of body movement. By the body movements, your shirt will come out from your pants.

6. Collar

The shirt collar is the most visible and essential part of the shirt, so we must pay close attention to the following details. a) Depending on construction, the interlining inside the shirt collar may be woven or non-woven, paper-based, fused, or non-fused. The collar is made of three-layer materials. Upper, middle, and lower; the inner side interlinks and the other are shirt fabrics. The shirt collar inner assembly can be fused at the front side only and backside or on both sides. Un-fused is the best option, and we need a highly skilled tailor. That does not mean a fused collar is not an excellent option. High-quality fused collars provide a crisp collar; the quality of interlining, construction, and craftsmanship is essential to make a good quality shirt. b) The purpose and function of the interlining The reason for using interlining in shirt collars and cuffs is to create support for multiple laundries, a crisp look, and a better shape. Different thicknesses and softness interlining form a distinct look and functionality for a specific event, like a dressy evening and a casual shirt. c) Collar buttonhole shape and button size: The buttonhole on the collar should be 45 degrees. A larger button is better for functionality reasons, such as slimming and trimming. d) The stitching density of the collar should be between 20 to 27 stitches per inch. A matching design is another detail in a high-quality shirt. You can check the shoulder on the joint part between the top sleeves and shoulder, the back yoke in the joint portion, and the sleeves vents. The yoke is the backside of the shirt, connecting the neck to the shoulder. The yoke has two layers, and this part is split diagonally (45 degrees) to match the pattern line perfectly.

8) Buttons

Mother of pearl (MOP), shell, or Stone buttons are the best choices for the quality dress shirt, and You can identify the MOP buttons from polyester and plastic with the following methods: a) The temperature of all shell buttons is always colder than room temperature. You can use your tongue or face to feel the temperature differences. b) By sound, hitting two buttons together will hear the stone or glass sounds) c) Burning by lighter, heating the button will change the colour to black or grey; instate polyester buttons will burn entirely like plastic. d) Braking the Button. If you have an extra button, breaking, like smashing the glasses, will be observed. Other button options are horn, wooden, metal, and plastic. The shell button is the best option and has become a symbol of luxury in the fashion industry because of its look, characteristics, and quality. Pearl buttons are available in different thicknesses and shapes, and shell buttons are available from 1.5 mm to 6 mm. The thicker buttons are beautiful, but it is hard to cut a shell in 6 mm and find it in significant quantity for a specific colour. Some quality shell buttons need to be cut individually with a hand-drilling machine.

9) Collar stays.

Most shirt makers with different brand positioning use plastic collar stays for their shirts, except a few sartorial luxury brands that use MOP collar stays with metal support.

10) Sewing the buttons

The ideal way to sew the buttons on shirts is by hand and forming the shank. This will create extra space by making the leg between the button and shirt fabric and eliminating tensions in the buttoning area. Otherwise, you may see wrinkles around the buttons

11)  Attaching the sleeves to the shirt body

There are two types of construction to attach the sleeve to the shirt’s body. a) Sew the whole body part of the shirts and then add the sleeves. This way, the shirt body takes its most stable shape, and connecting the sleeves after this stabilization forms the body’s anatomic and natural shape. Keeping the sleeves to the end of the manufacturing process is the best way to build a high-quality shirt. The crucial reason behind this is to create functionality and independent sleeve movements. In this type of construction, the body and sleeves do not continue the line.  b) Sewing the body and sleeves simultaneously in the same continuing line. In this construction, the entire shirt is sewn together, and the side seams of the body and sleeves seams simultaneously in the same continuous line. When the wearer moves his arms, the whole shirt moves together. The shirt usually comes from the trousers, and the sleeves rarely hang perfectly. How to check: Look at the armpit shirts whose side seams do not match the sleeve seam.the whole shirt moves together. Most of the time, the shirt comes out from the trousers, and the sleeves rarely hang perfectly. How to check: Look at the armpit shirts whose side seams do not match the sleeve seam.

12) Buttonholes

a) Look at the armpit shirts whose side seams do not match the sleeve seam. b) Using silk thread to make a buttonhole Particular silk thread is the best option for creating a luxurious look buttonhole. You can differentiate this by looking to buttonhole the colour and shine of the thread. c) Longevity and resistance   Machine-made buttonholes, because of robust weaving techniques, will likely last longer. d) Buttonhole positioning  The first buttonhole should be 45 degrees ( 9-12 o’clock). The body buttonhole’s position should be vertical, except the last horizontal, to create more room for expansion. The sleeve vent buttonhole is usually made in the same line as a sleeve and smaller. The hidden button is the favourite on the sleeve vent. And cuff buttonholes are always made perpendicular to a sleeve line.

13) Side Gussets

Side gussets are part of quality shirt elements. This future may not help comfort and functionality but is part of the luxury shirt look and artisanal detail. Gussets come in different sizes and shapes and have a sophisticated artisanal look.

14) Multi-functionality of cuffs

The cuffs’ multi-functionality is part of the high-end shirt but not necessary to have this future; it helps the wearer on any occasion and creates a different look. 15) Collar rest line This future creates more comfort on the shirt’s neck backside when the neck is backward. This design and craft form a comfortable seat for the neck. 16) Wrinkle-Resistant & Non-Iron Dress Shirts A wrinkle-free and non-iron tag on any shirt means poor-quality shirts. Because of the fabrics’ treatment, wrinkle-free and non-iron dress shirts are not associated with high-quality shirts. Beware of wrinkle-free labelled shirts. 17) Cotton – Silk mix fabrics High-quality cotton and pure heavy silk are the best materials for a dress shirt. In the last few years, combinations of these two compositions have become more popular for luxury sartorial brand shirts.

18) Small armhole and high Armscye

This future is the most exciting detail of luxury sartorial shirts. Cutting the small armhole in a unique shape creates more room for the arms to move freely. This way, the shirt body and sleeves will move independently. How to check?  To check this future, you should wear a shirt, tack it into the pants, and then move your arm 90 degrees with your body. Your shirt should stay in your trousers, and your arm movement will not affect the body part of the shirt.

19) Yoke free dress shirts A Yoke-free shirt is the ultimate innovative cut for an elegant look. The simplicity of this shirt cut has always fascinated me. A Yoke-free shirt is the best choice shirt cut for those looking for something different, clean, and elegant.  20) Fit, Cut, and Size or Drop We need to differentiate the right fit, cut, and size. Most of the time, people confuse these terms. It is an essential subject, and I will cover it in depth soon. Conclusion: These days, because of advanced advertising technology and dominant fashion industry influencers, we are constantly attacked with wrong information. It is hard to make an objective decision to purchase freely.  We need to educate ourselves to build our wardrobes professionally, with confidence and a clear plan behind every purchase. The above guidelines should help you choose the proper shirts for your wardrobe. How do you gain experience and educate yourself? You can book 30 minutes of free advice in any of our locations. One of our experts will meet you one-on-one and train you in everything in detail. You can also go to any men’s department store at your convenience, train yourself, follow these guidelines, check the shirts different from the brand, and let your hand and eye become your expert tools. You do not need to buy. Spend time in luxury men’s stores, check the above details, and gain experience for your next shopping trip.