BEST MEN’S DRESS SHIRTS
1
First in our guide we have the rather stylish and cool Van Heusen with their pinpoint stripe regular dress shirt. Van Heusen have a reputation for designing and manufacturing high-end clothing and we’ve featured them in many of our other guides. It’s been cut with a generous ‘regular’ fit that means your waist, chest and shoulders are comfortable and look great with it. As is the case with most shirts, the button-down collar provides you with the versatility to either wear it fully buttoned up with a tie or even a bowtie or on more casual occasions you can wear it unbuttoned.
Thanks to its fabric blend of polyester and cotton, it oozes quality and will keep you looking sharp when you need to. To complete the look there’s an adjustable buttoned cuff and even two additional buttons to keep the collar down and in place. Given its mid-level ticket price, it’s a cool investment and addition to your wardrobe.
Specs
- Fit Regular
- Material Polyester 65%, Cotton 35%
2Tommy Hilfiger are a brand that really need no introduction. Just the name is almost seen as a guarantee of a certain level of quality. This nifty shirt has a slim fit, which means the shirt has a slimmer cut at the waist and chest area. The arm holes also sit a little higher and closer to the shoulders and the sleeves have an appealing tapered look for a real defined look and feel. Given Tommy Hilfiger’s connection to the world of sportswear, it makes sense they’d opt with this kind of fit, as it’s also known as athletic or fitted fit.
Compared to the collar on the shirt above, the Tommy Hilfiger is slightly different as it’s more fanned out and does not have the buttons to hold it down. Again, this ensures it’s smart, but with a more laidback feel than others.
3Another brand we’re sure you’re more than familiar with, unless you’ve had your head under a rock somewhere is Hugo Boss. Whether you wear any of their clothes already or freshen up in the morning with one of their masculine and sexy fragrances or have just seen their flashy ads, you’ll know the name. You may not have realized they made dress shirts. But here we are with a great dress shirt made by them. The Textured Jenno has a slim fit cut and a spread-out collar like the Tommy Hilfiger line.
As you’d expect, there’s a smart 2-button adjustable cuffs and the textured print lends this mens shirt to a more contemporary look. This is another with 100% cotton content, so you know it’s going to feel soft and luxurious wearing it. Matching perfectly how it will look whether paired with a pair of jeans for something more casual or with a suit and tie or sports jacket.
Specs
- Fit Slim
- Material Cotton 100%
4After the shock of the frankly expensive price tag for the Hugo Boss number above, you’ll be relieved looking at our next cool dress shirt. This, from Nick Graham retails for a small fraction of the price and has been designed to offer a hassle-free, slim fit. Whether you need to wear this for a full day of hard graft at the office or on the shop floor or have a night out on the tiles with your buddies or even better date, your partner, this is a great choice.
Despite its low-price tag, the quality speaks for itself with the reinforced stitches and collar. This also helps it to withstand multiple, repeated washes. With two buttons on each sleeve, there’s a measure of adjustability to give you a slick and close-fit, that’s still easy and enjoyable to wear.
Specs
- Fit Slim
- Material Cotton 55%, Polyester 45%
5From Eagle we have a 100% cotton dress shirt cut generously for a regular fit, so you get enough give and comfort around the waist, chest and shoulders. Because it buttons down from the collar, you’ve options when wearing it. You can go for super-formal with a tie and have all the buttons done up, or for something a tad more loosey-goosy, you can have one or two of the top buttons undone.
IT really depends on what look you’re trying to achieve. Additional luxury comes in the form of the flexy, stretchy collar that gives you an additional half-inch of wiggle room. Thanks to its 100% cotton design, it’s non-iron so you’ll never need to press this shirt, if you look after it properly. The cuffs, you’ve guessed it, are adjustable with two buttons to get the fit just right around your wrists.
Specs
- Fit Regular
- Material Cotton 100%
6With summer upon us, the tiny flowery design is a nice touch with this Original Penguin dress shirt. The smart as anything oxford collar will help give you a streamlined and sophisticated look, that’s nicely softened by the flowers. It has the traditional slim fit, so there won’t be lots of fabric to spare and it will sit smoothly under a sports jacket or full-on suit jacket and pants.
To look at it, apart from the label, which is going to be covered by your neck (it happens to us all guys, we’re not suggesting you’ve got a big thick neck…unless you have), you may wonder how you differentiate this from just your average dress shirt. Well, Penguin are not big on being too showy with their branding, but there are small and trendy little penguin insignias embroidered into the cuffs. The cuffs have the usual and expected adjustable two-button design, but if you’re looking for a shirt with a chest pocket, you’d best look elsewhere.
Specs
- Fit Slim
- Material Cotton 100%
7Another great mid-price range dress shirt is this crisp and very clean looking option from Perry Ellis. It benefits from the slim fit, for that figure hugging, but not suffocating feel you sometimes get with shirts. If you’re intent on wearing this with a suit it will also keep your jacket and pants from looking unsightly bulky in parts, because the fabric sits flush with your skin.
In addition, the fact it’s been mechanically worked on to give you a decent amount of stretch and with adjustable collar, if you’re one of our readers with a more solid and thick neck, you won’t feel uncomfortable. The wrinkle free properties just make it easier to deal with and further ensure you’ll look smart, crisp and so very fresh wherever you rock up wearing this shirt.
Specs
- Fit Slim
- Material Cotton 100%
8Don’t be alarmed or feel you’re out of touch if you’ve never heard of Buttoned Down before. This is a brand-new Amazon brand, which has grown in popularity recently. Although not the cheapest dress shirt in our guide, the Buttoned Down name does mean it’s more marketed at the middle of the price range. Where Amazon have really scored a homerun is, they’ve made a shirt that’s high in quality, but not too low in price you’re going to be put off or worried about investing in it.
IT’s made from 100% Supima cotton, which is the crème de la crème of cotton. Trust us, we looked it up. As it has a tailored fit, the first appearance of this kind of cut in our guide so far, it’s got an even more streamlined and trimmed sleeves, chest and waist. The armholes and shoulders, though, still maintained a more relaxed feel. Many would consider modern and tailored fits to be one and the same thing. The fact it’s non-iron and has no pocket, means you’ll never have a profile that looks too bumpy or creased.
Specs
- Fit Tailored
- Material Supima Cotton 100%
9Did you wonder how long it’d be before we got to a high-quality garment in the form of a CK shirt. Well, the wait’s over, because here you go. This is a modern slim fitting dress shirt from the esteemed fashion house. It provides you with much slimmer sleeves and a tapered body for a slicker look all round. One that will suit body shapes and sizes.
With a composition of 100% cotton, you know you’re getting a high-quality piece of clothing matching the reputation of CK products. In addition to the well-thought-out cut, the non-iron properties of this shirt and the fact it’s been made with wicking capabilities to keep you fresh, cool and dry throughout the day, we need to speak about the collar. The classic point collar, if you didn’t know, is supposed to help lengthen the face and makes it easier to knot a tie. Everything else may be business as usual – the adjustable cuff and the omitted pocket, but Calvin Klein pull off the ordinary with extraordinary style and grace.
Specs
- Fit Slim
- Material Cotton 100%
10Dockers is most definitely a classic American brand; with a firm hold on the khaki pants section of the marketplace. Although centered on casualwear, they have also helped to provide us guys with more versatile, comfortable and smarter clothing. This means, with a casual dress shirt like the Signature Comfort Flex we have here, you can look just right, regardless of the setting. Need something that’s one foot in the casual and one foot in the smart pool? This will do the trick nicely. Need something formal but comfortable for those long hours at your desk? Again, this will never let you down.
Notably it’s made using no-wrinkle tech to ensue from the start of the day until the end, you’ll always look like you’ve just ironed or stuck it in the dryer. With additional stretch, you get unparalleled levels of performance and comfort, for a price that’s ridiculously agreeable to most folks’ wallets and bank balances.
Specs
- Fit Standard
- Material Cotton 66%, Polyester 30%, Elastane 4%
11If you think Hawes & Curtis sounds a little…educated? You’d be right. This is a fine UK brand that have more than 100-years of experience and heritage and it really shows with this elegant, simple, but devastatingly smart dress shirt. This is regarded as the best fitting of their range and does give you a very sleek and contemporary silhouette. So, if that’s what you’re looking for from a dress shirt, we’ve just made your day!
Not only that, but its manufactured using 100% 2-ply cotton, ensures you’ll always have a soft, almost silk-like feel close to your skin. Dress shirts, when not made properly or with good quality materials, often can feel restrictive and even claustrophobic. That’s not the case with this Hawes & Curtis shirt.
Specs
- Fit Extra Slim Fit
- Material 2 Ply Cotton 100%
12We’re back again with Van Heusen for another fine addition to your wardrobe. That is, if you want a pretty cool short sleeve dress shirt with a nice poly-cotton blend construction. Although tradition dictates long sleeve denotes a smarter look. However, we’ve always been big fans here at Men’s Gear of short sleeves, particularly during summer or when you’ve got to push hard on the sales floor. If you don’t have to wear a jacket, you still look the biz, whereas if you’re wearing a suit jacket or sports jacket, no-one will ever know…unless you do the limbo or dance in a circle at that wedding party!
Rather than having a spread collar, which is more formal in look and feel, Van Heusen opted for a pointed collar, that still looks great with a suit, but is more versatile and comfortable. Like all VH dress shirts, this is very easy to care for. In fact, we’ve been very particular in choosing dress shirts without Magna Carta-length instructions. You don’t have to go to the dry cleaners, must speak to seek a blessing from a Venetian monk. Just throw it in your washing machine on a suitable wash cycle and temperature and then you can even stick it in the dryer too!
Specs
- Fit Regular
- Material Polyester 65%, Cotton 35%
13How about after all those plain colored dress shirts that we’ve featured so far, we take a detour and present you something a bit louder. Okay, so it’s a kinda subtle and only quite loud, at least after you’ve looked at it for a while, but it’s still a bit more striking. Stacey Adams, first established in 1875, it’s fair to say, know a thing or two about what men want and need. Although, it’s true that this shirt won’t be to everyone’s tastes, we know there’s some reading this already planning on clicking through and buying it, on the pattern alone.
Before you do though, consider its construction, with an almost completely cotton make-up that allows a little room for spandex to give it a little give. It has a modern fit, French front and spread collar. The spread collar, as opposed to the above and many of the others with point collars, is a bit more relaxed and less formal. Though, we can’t imagine this becoming an everyday wear kinda shirt, more a wedding and hot date thing…but who knows? Prove us wrong!
Specs
- Fit Modern
- Material Cotton 97%, Spandex 3%
14We’ve got another Dockers dress shirt next. This time, this is a little more on the casual side. Check, for us anyway, has never really screamed smart. Though, if you paired it with a plain red or contrasting colored tie and a plain suit, it might work. It’s got that nifty and comfortable spread collar that works so well with a Windsor tie, though we suspect this would look great without a tie.
It’s got a nice polycotton fabric that provides comfort and durability. We also love the fact it’s got a nice and fitted feel, so is unlikely to roll up, bubble or cause your suit or whatever you pair it with to look creased and not slick as you’d like it to.
Specs
- Fit Fitted
- Material Cotton 60%, Polyester 40%
15Now for something dark, handsome and a little dangerous. This Arrow regular fit, poplin dress shirt is handsome and dark…dangerous might be stretching it a little though. However, if you were an assassin or a businessman by day and vigilante by night, this is probably what your millionaire playboy bachelor alter ego would wear to charity events and dates with societal ladies.
It has that classic regular fit we’ve mentioned several times in this guide, with generous amounts of material around the waist, chest and shoulder area. It also has a modern spread collar, where the tips of the collar point outwards rather than downwards. This is also the type of neckline and collar you need to accommodate a more versatile range of tie knots. The look is completed with adjustable cuffs and a practical chest pocket.
Specs
- Fit Regular
- Material Polyester 65%, Cotton 35%
16IZOD are another smaller brand that have been getting more attention recently. Despite them not having the prestige of designers and other companies, they still produce fine garments, like this dress shirt. As well as being cut for a regular fit with full sleeves and luxuriously wide armholes, it also has several practical features that make it a great option.
For starters, there’s the anti-stain properties worked into the material that help prevent stains from ruining the shirt. Then there’s the non-iron properties meaning you can wash and wear this shirt continuously fully confident you won’t mess up its shape or need to worry about creases. Furthermore, it’s been constructed with a measure of stretchiness meaning you have the freedom to enjoy wearing this dress shirt throughout the day.
Specs
- Fit Regular
- Material Cotton 100%
17And in case you didn’t get your fill of Tommy Hilfiger further up the page, we’ve got another, snazzier dress shirt from the fashion label. This one features a dazzling tiny check pattern if you stare too closely at it, you’ll become the victim of any number of two-bit thrift store hypnotists. And we don’t want that do we?
So, wear it and then you won’t have to look at it. That’s other’s problem then. This is a cool af shirt though and one that’s bound to make the right impression. It’s not checked in the same way gingham-style shirts lumberjacks are likely to wear but is not so plain that people might wonder if you’ve got a soul (or are a soul!). It’s the perfect balance really. With its spread collar and adjustable cuffs, comfort has clearly been factored into the design as much as blinding onlookers. Consider the branding, it’s also retailing at an attractively affordable price.
Specs
- Fit Regular
- Material Cotton 100%
18A nice modestly priced, but cool and sophisticated dress shirt is this one from JC DISTRO. Okay, so the branding makes it sound like some new-age rapper made this clothing line as part of his business-smart line for all those champagne hot tubs, that’s beside the point. The main point we have with highlighting and showcasing this shirt is it’s very cool. Round hemline, handy pocket on the left breast and a spread collar, all work well with the regular style fit the shirt has.
We love that with the rounded hemline you get long tails to the shirt, as this makes it easier to tuck into your pants without causing creases. Overall, this is a fine shirt, perhaps simplistic, but that’s where its charm comes from.
Specs
- Fit Regular
- Material Cotton 60%, Polyester 40%
19There are times when a shirt is just a shirt. When you invest in the Robert Graham Kismet long sleeved dress shirt, that’s what you’re getting yourself in for – a fine shirt, but it really Is just a shirt. There’s nothing fancy about it. It’s just well made, features 100% cotton and has a very attractive- lined pattern. The lined pattern is so fine you could be forgiven for thinking there was no pattern there at all.
This can work to your advantage, because it means your outfit benefits from a little drama because of the contrast. Drama that turns heads and you wouldn’t get with a shirt with a plainer solid singular color.
Specs
- Fit Regular
- Material Cotton 100%
20Our final stop at Van Heusen in our guide is with this dashing dress shirt. IF you like your dress shirt to be comfortable, as well as slick and cool, you’re best sticking to one with a regular fit cut. Like this shirt. As we’ve mentioned before, this offers you a generous fit around the waist, chest and shoulders, fuller sleeves are less restrictive, and armholes are more relaxed.
As noted by the name, this is another dress shirt with a stretchy, flexible spread-style collar, offering as much as a half-inch of extra room. So, even if you’re wearing it for something especially formal, you’ll not feel as if you’re going to choke. The fact it has wrinkle-free properties just makes it easier to look after.
Specs
- Fit Regular
- Material Cotton 55%, Polyester 45%
21The thing that’s notable about this Original Penguin dress shirt is undoubtedly that pastel orange color. With the attractive internal lining of blue and white with little red flowers around the shoulder blades area. Although this is a slim fit-style cut, it doesn’t mean it lacks room for your body to move and breathe. It’s got a natural level of stretch to it that’s rather refreshing.
Like the other Original Penguin dress shirt, we’ve featured in this guide, this benefits from having a very subtle look and feel. There’s the label and then those cool little embroidered penguins on the cuffs – that’s all there is to differentiate this from another shirt brand. Well, that and the quiet elegance and high-end quality of its manufacturing. The addition of the buttons at the ends of the collar, just help it to have a slick and streamlined look.
Specs
- Fit Slim
- Material Cotton 100%
22Did you really think we were going to highlight our favorite dress shirts and not mention Lauren Ralph Lauren at all? If so, we’re glad to have surprised you. Although it does have a check design, and that’s normally less formal, that’s not really the case with this one. Sure, if you keep the top button undone and wear it without a tie of some description, you’ll look cool and laidback. However, if you pair it with a nice suit and a solid, non-patterned tie, you’ll look the mutt’s bits.
It’s been made to have a classic fit cut which gives it a relaxed and comfortable silhouette that means you can look smart, without feeling trapped.
Specs
- Fit Classic
- Material Cotton 100%
23Nautica are another brand we’ve featured numerous times in the past in our buying guides here at Men’s Gear, and with good reason. They make high quality clothing and accessories for reasonable prices. Consider this classic fitting dress shirt from the brand with its textured looking 100% cotton. From the comfort you’ll feel wearing it, to just how good it’ll look with your flashy tie and sexy suit, this is a great piece of clothing to add to your collection.
We love the nice touches of the Oxford contrast in color at the cuffs and collar with a slightly darker blue and the fact it has a mechanically engineered stretch to it, despite being 100% cotton.
Specs
- Fit Classic
- Material Cotton 100%
24It would have been wrong so wrong to finish off our guide without having at least one dress shirt from Ted Baker. We love Ted Baker clothing at Men’s Gear, as you should all. Sure, they’re often a lot more expensive, but you really are paying for quality manufacturing as well as the reputation goes with the label.
This Cholet dress shirt sits nicely in the mid-price range and still offers the classy vibe you get from TB garments. The stretch collar gives it a freer and easier look, while the contrasting trim adds a bit of texture to the more-or-less solid coloring. A smart choice for all occasions and one that’s bound to last a long time.
Specs
- Fit Slim
- Material Cotton 100%
25Rounding off our look at some awesome dress shirts, we have one from the irrepressible home of style and easy-going cool – Chaps. Whether you wear this for a formal occasion, work or in a more laidback setting, it’ll never fail to help you look your best. With a high cotton content and the stretch, it has thanks to the elastane, this won’t trouble you when you’re wearing it. It’ll not restrict you and thanks to the button-down point collar, you can keep your tie in place, from the start of the day to the end.
With its plaid design and the embroidered Chaps logo, it still manages to look subtle.
Specs
- Fit Classic
- Material Cotton 98%, Elastane 2%
Time to Smarten Up a Little!
There you go guys, a comprehensive look at the best of the best when it comes to men’s dress shirts. We tried to cater to all tastes. All budgets and all situations by giving you a rich variety of options to choose from. So, it doesn’t matter if you need something exceptionally formal or smart or something that’s borderline, you’ll find it in our selection above. While we’ve always found if you aim for the mid-price range, you’ll find a good balance between high-end design and top-quality materials, there’s also a few more extravagant numbers thrown in there for good measures. Alongside, of course, the budget options.
Perhaps in the past we were a little down on the budget choices, but as time’s moved along, the quality out there has improved. So, don’t be too quick to write-off those below your budget. Think about the occasion and reason, what you’re going to or would like to wear with it and we’re sure you’ll have yourself an awesome dress shirt or two in your wardrobe!
What is a Dress Shirt?
Although many reading this guide wear dress shirts daily, there’s some that may not know what differentiates this from other garments. Dress shirts, often referred to as button-up, button-front and button-down shirts are clothes with a full-length opening to the front with a button closure that runs from the hem to the collar and neckline. The collar, when it’s a button-down shirt, also benefits from buttons to keep it, you’ve guessed it, down. Woven cloth, whether it’s 100% cotton, or a polycotton blend, is normally used to make dress shirts.
They’re worn with smart attire, such as suits, sports jackets and other similar items. However, when paired with informal clothing, a dress shirt can still look great.
What Type of Dress Shirt Should You Go For?
Given there’s a multitude, it seems, of different dress shirt styles and fits, with differences in the collar and the material, you really need to think carefully about why you need your shirt in the first place. That’s the best way to determine which is right for you. If, for instance, you need something deftly formal, a point collar, solid colored dress shirt with a regular fit, will do the trick every time. However, if you’re more interested in finding a dress shirt for the boardroom and that lunch date with your significant other, you’ll want a more relaxed fit with a spread collar that’s not button down.
It’s up to you.
How to Wear Dress Shirts?
Again, there’s no real hard and fast rules when it comes to how you should wear dress shirts. It’s heavily dependent on the situation, occasion and what you’re wearing it with. For example, if you’re going to wear a dress shirt with some office-friendly smart slacks or as part of a suit, you’ll want to ensure the buttons are all fully done up and even the collar buttons are done to hold your tie (if wearing one) in place.
If you’re not wearing a tie, though, and you don’t have a button-down collar dress shirt, you can usually get away with opening the top button. Especially if it’s a more informal situation. Although it’ll always look better if you opt for long sleeved shirts rather than rolling them up, if you’ve got a nice fitting shirt, you could still pull it off.
