Nonchalant Guide

How to Choose a Men’s Shirt: Fit, Collar, Cuff and What to Wear Under It

A shirt is one of the most essential pieces in a man’s wardrobe, but choosing a truly good one is not only about colour and size. In this guide, we will look at fit, collar, cuffs, fabric, length and what to wear under a shirt so that it looks clean, feels comfortable and appears naturally elegant.

A good shirt should fit well, hold its shape and suit the way you will actually wear it.

Why colour and size alone are not enough

A shirt is often the first more elegant piece of clothing a man buys. But it is often chosen too simply: white, blue, size M or L, done. The problem is that a shirt is a much more sensitive garment than it may seem at first glance. The fit, collar, sleeve length, fabric, way of wearing it and whether you will wear it tucked into trousers or untucked all matter.

A good shirt has several roles at once. It has to sit well on the body, it must not pull when you move, it should maintain a clean line under a jacket and it also has to suit the situation. A formal shirt for a suit will look different from an oxford shirt for a smart casual outfit, and different again from a linen shirt for summer.

For me, the biggest mistake is treating a shirt as something obvious. In reality, it often decides whether the whole outfit looks clean and considered, or simply thrown together. The jacket can be beautiful and the shoes can be high quality, but a badly fitting shirt will bring the whole impression down very quickly.

First, be clear about what you need the shirt for

Before you start thinking about the exact size, it is useful to know what you actually need the shirt for. A shirt for work under a jacket has different requirements from a shirt for the weekend, the city or a summer holiday. There is no single universal shirt for everything, although a few well-chosen pieces can cover most situations.

A dress shirt should look clean, calm and reliable. White, light blue, a fine stripe or a subtle texture usually work best. It belongs under a suit, under a jacket and in the office. With this kind of shirt, it is important that the collar holds its shape, the fabric is not too transparent and the fit does not create unnecessary bulk under the jacket.

A casual shirt can be more relaxed. It can have an oxford texture, a softer collar, a stronger stripe, a denim character or a linen fabric.

Fit: a shirt should sit well, but it should not squeeze

Fit is essential in a shirt. A shirt that is too loose creates excess fabric around the waist, sleeves and back. If you tuck it into trousers, it starts to bunch up unpleasantly and the whole outfit loses its clean line. But a shirt that is too tight is even worse. It pulls across the chest, opens between the buttons and feels uncomfortable when sitting or moving.

In my view, it is better not to look for a shirt that is as narrow as possible at all costs. A well-fitting shirt should follow the body, but it should still leave you room to move. A formal shirt worn under a jacket can have a cleaner and more polished line, while a casual or linen shirt actually benefits from a little more space.

How a shirt should fit in the shoulders, chest and waist

The shoulder seam should sit roughly at the end of the shoulder. If it falls too low, the shirt will look too large. If it sits too high, it will restrict movement and the sleeve will start to pull unnaturally. With a shirt, this is not as structurally important as with a jacket, but it is still one of the first things people notice.

Across the chest, the shirt should sit smoothly. The buttons should not pull open and the fabric should not create tension. At the same time, the goal is not to have too much fabric around the body. If the shirt creases and creates bulk around the waist when tucked in, the fit is probably too loose.

The length of the shirt depends on how you want to wear it. A shirt meant to be tucked into trousers should be longer so that it does not come out when you move. A casual shirt worn untucked can be shorter, but it still should not end too high. With the sleeve, the ideal point is for the cuff to end roughly at the wrist and to show a small amount of shirt beneath a jacket.

With a shirt, the details matter: fit, collar, cuff, fabric and also what you wear under it.

The collar: a detail that changes the whole expression of the shirt

The collar is one of the most visible parts of a shirt. It sits close to the face, frames the neck and strongly affects whether the shirt feels formal, relaxed, elegant or ordinary. That is why I would give it more attention than is usually the case.

A classic collar is the most universal option. It works for the office, under a jacket and with a tie. A spread collar feels more elegant and works well with a wider tie knot as well as with jacket lapels. A button-down collar is more relaxed and excellent on oxford shirts, with chinos, jeans and smart casual combinations without a tie.

On linen shirts, the collar is often softer and less formal. For summer, that makes sense to me. In general, I prefer a collar that holds its shape but does not feel stiff. You can always tell when a collar collapses, or when it is too formal for the rest of the outfit.

Cuffs: a simple cuff is usually enough

The cuff is a smaller detail, but it also defines the formality of a shirt. The most universal option is a simple button cuff. It works for the office, everyday wear, under a jacket and on its own. For most men, it is the best starting point.

A double cuff with cufflinks feels more formal. It belongs with a suit, for more ceremonial occasions or an evening outfit. There is nothing wrong with it, but it is not necessary for an everyday wardrobe. If a man is building his foundation, I would start with a quality shirt with a simple cuff first.

On casual and linen shirts, the cuff can be softer and less structured. That is not a flaw. With these shirts, too much formality would actually feel out of place.

Fabric: cotton, oxford, poplin and linen

Fabric determines how the shirt will look, how it will feel and which situation it is best suited for. Smoother cotton poplin looks clean and more formal. It works well under a suit, for the office and anywhere you want a more polished appearance.

Oxford is slightly more textured and less formal. It is an excellent choice for a smart casual wardrobe. It works well with chinos, jeans, under an informal jacket and on its own. If a man were to have one universal shirt beyond a purely formal white shirt, a light blue oxford would be a very strong choice in my view.

Linen is ideal for summer. It is breathable, natural and more relaxed in character. It creases, but that is part of the fabric. I would not judge a linen shirt by whether it looks perfectly ironed after a full day. Its strength is in its lightness and natural ease.

What to wear under a shirt

What you wear under a shirt is more visible than many men think. A regular white T-shirt under a white or light blue shirt is often not an ideal solution. The neckline, sleeves, seams and the contrast between the T-shirt and the skin can show through. The result then does not look clean, even if the shirt itself is good quality.

Under a dress shirt, an invisible undershirt in a skin-toned shade, with a deeper neckline and minimal visible edges, makes much more sense. Its job is not to be seen. It should protect the shirt, improve comfort and disappear under the fabric. That is the difference between a base layer that helps and a T-shirt that disturbs the whole outfit.

With a linen shirt, it depends. Sometimes an undershirt is practical, other times it is better to wear the shirt without one, especially with a more relaxed summer outfit. With darker casual shirts, a base layer is often not needed at all. But with white and light shirts, I would usually avoid a regular white T-shirt.

The most common mistakes when choosing a shirt

With shirts, mistakes often do not appear immediately at the moment of purchase, but only during wear. These are the ones I see most often.

• A fit that is too tight, pulling across the chest, stomach or back and opening between the buttons.
• A shirt that is too loose, creating excess fabric around the waist and looking untidy under a jacket.
• The wrong collar, which either does not hold its shape or is too formal for the rest of the outfit.
• Sleeves that are too short, disappearing under the jacket and disturbing the proportion between jacket and shirt.
• A shirt that is too short to be tucked in, coming out of the trousers when sitting or moving.
• A white T-shirt under a white shirt, which often shows through more than the skin itself.
• Buying only by size S, M or L, without checking the collar, shoulders, sleeve length and overall silhouette.

A shirt is a seemingly simple garment, but that is exactly why it reveals attention to detail. You do not need many of them. It is better to have a few well-chosen shirts that fit, combine easily and suit your way of life.

Where I would start in a wardrobe

If I were to recommend a foundation for men, I would not start with ten shirts. I would start with two or three good ones. A white cotton shirt is the cleanest formal foundation. A light blue shirt is softer, combines very well and often feels more natural than a sharp white one. To that, I would add one linen shirt for summer or an oxford shirt for smart casual dressing.

If you wear shirts regularly for work, I would also add an invisible undershirt under light-coloured shirts. It is not an eye-catching piece, but it is practical. It protects the shirt, improves comfort and helps the whole outfit look cleaner.

For me, a good shirt is exactly the kind of garment where it pays to buy less, but better. When the fit, fabric and collar are right, you do not have to think too much in the morning. It simply works.

A good shirt should not be complicated. It should fit, breathe with you and fit into your wardrobe in a way that allows you to wear it repeatedly. That is where, in my view, the real elegance of an ordinary day lies: not in showiness, but in individual pieces working naturally and without unnecessary effort.