Know your two numbers
Dress shirts are sized by neck and sleeve, such as 15 and a half by 34, and most men have never been measured. Any tailor or decent menswear shop will do it in a minute. The neck is measured around the base of the throat, with a finger under the tape for ease. The sleeve is measured from the center of the back of the neck, over the point of the shoulder and down to the wrist bone with the arm slightly bent. Shirts sold only as small, medium and large are a compromise on both numbers, and are best kept for casual wear.
Fit below the collar
Check these points with the shirt buttoned to the top.
- The shoulder seam sits at the outer edge of your shoulder bone and does not droop down the arm.
- The buttoned cuff is snug enough that it cannot slide over your hand, so that the sleeve stays at the wrist when you reach forward.
- The chest buttons lie flat, and no gap opens between them when you sit.
- You can pinch no more than about two inches of spare fabric at each side of the waist.
- The tails are long enough to stay tucked when you raise both arms overhead.
A shirt meant to be worn untucked is cut shorter and should end about halfway down the fly. If the collar and sleeves fit but the body billows, a tailor can add two darts to the back for roughly twenty dollars, which is far better than sizing down and strangling the neck.
Cloth and collar
Poplin, also called broadcloth, is smooth, light and the dressiest of the common weaves. Twill has a faint diagonal rib, drapes softly and resists wrinkles. Oxford cloth is heavier and more textured, and belongs with a blazer, chinos or denim. A moderate spread collar suits most faces and frames a tie knot properly. A button-down collar is the more casual choice and looks best without a suit. Use the removable collar stays, and take them out before every wash.
What to buy first
Start with two white shirts and two light blue, all in plain weaves, before any pattern. Choose all cotton. Shirts treated to be wrinkle-free are convenient but breathe less, and the finish wears off over time.
Tip Cotton shirts shrink a little in the first few washes, mostly in the sleeve and collar, so a new shirt that is just barely long enough in the arm will soon be too short.
