Dapper. Debonair. Dashing.
All these adjectives describe luxury menswear, which is probably why the gentleman's clothing market grows by over 6% every year.
If you want to look and feel your best, custom dress shirts are ideal for both professional and casual settings. Here, we'll discuss:
- The types of custom dress shirts
- What fabrics you can choose from
- How to craft amazing custom men's shirts
Read on for a complete bespoke shirt guide for designing the perfect fit.
Custom Dress Shirt Types
Custom dress shirts come in several varieties, the primary ones being:
- Plain with one line of buttons going down the center
- Pleated styles with two lines framing these buttons for added visual complexity
- Fly, a minimalist alternative with visible pleats but hidden buttons
When designing a custom dress shirt, you'll also need to choose the back type. Options include:
- Plain with no pleating
- Box pleat, which has narrow pleating at the top that widens as it moves vertically down the shirt
- Inverted box pleat, which is a narrow pleat that divides the fabric into two parts
- Side pleats that are essentially small lines by each shoulder
- New inverted pleats that have three pleats in the center
- New box pleats, which feature two parallel vertical pleat lines in the shirt back's center
This design will be the most noticeable part of your dress shirt besides the fabric pattern. It's the base style that you'll structure everything around.
Fabric Selection for Shirts
Cotton is usually the best material for dress shirts. It's breathable and soft, making it a classic and comfortable choice for every occasion.
There are three common cotton weaves for men's dress shirts:
- Oxford, which has a relaxed and casual feel
- Poplin, a lightweight and smooth alternative
- Twill, which is heavier and full-bodied
Beyond Cotton
Linen is another great lightweight alternative that's perfect for summertime heat. The breathability is also great for gents who wear heavy blazers over their dress shirts.
Polyester blended with cotton is durable and doesn't wrinkle easily. It's a good choice for those with tight closets.
Men opting for a high-class look and feel may also choose silk. It's often associated with luxury and is one of the softest materials out there. Formal shirts get some added flair when made with silk.
Simple Fabric Designs
The most important thing to consider when selecting shirt fabric is design.
Plain, single-color fabrics are great for men who enjoy sleek and simple styles. You can choose hues that go with other everyday apparel like shoes and neckties.
Colors can also accentuate your best features and draw attention to them. Those with gray and blue eyes can also bring out their depths with cool blue and green hues. People with brown eyes look great in warm colors like orange and red.
You can also choose repeating patterns with tiny prints for some added visual complexity. Blue or white herringbone twill dress shirts have the smallest prints available. They, like crinkle custom styles, provide the appearance of texture.
Complex Prints
Single-color dress shirts are versatile and dapper. However, if you prefer to express yourself with more nuanced print, you can try:
- Horizontal or vertical stripes
- Two-color checked plaid fabric
- Multicolor plaid designs
- Repeating geometric shapes
- Repeating nailshead checks
- Weave fabric with a base color and woven texture
- Royalone patterns
Of course, this is just the tip of the iceberg. You can choose from hundreds of styles depending on your personal preferences.
The good news is that when you work with Hansen's, you aren't limited to a single fabric for certain custom fits and styles. You can follow tailored dress shirt tips for a custom look regardless of the fabric you choose.
Crafting Custom Dress Shirts
Once you choose a basic style and a luxury fabric, it's time to get the perfect shirt fit down, too. Your first step will be choosing a collar that flatters your neckline and jaw.
The most popular options include:
- Butterfly spread
- Butterfly wide-spread
- Semi-spread
- Button-down arrow
- Butterfly long point
- English Spread
- Rounded eyelet
- Chevalier
- Florentine
However, this is just the tip of the iceberg. When you work with Hansen's, you'll have twice as many options to choose from before ordering.
You'll also need to decide whether you want your collar to have contrast. It can have no contrast, making the collar the same hue as the rest of the shirt. But you can also get a contrast collar that's white and stands out from the rest of your design.
Collar interlining and stays also are customizable so you can make the shirt as comfortable as possible.
Pockets and Cuffs
Some men don't want pockets on their dress shirts, but they're handy for those who want to carry a pen or small items around. They also make a debonair statement even if you have nothing to hold in them.
If you do choose pockets for luxury dress shirts, they can:
- Be completely rectangular
- Incorporate a pleat
- Have rounded bottom corners
- Have blunted bottom corners
- Taper off into a point
It's ideal to match your pocket with your cuff shape. Those with traditional or two-button traditional cuffs will enjoy rounded pockets that match the soft cup shape. Mitered cuffs look great with blunted corners while square and French cuffs are as sharp as rectangular pockets.
Cuffs, like collars, can have contrast or no contrast.
You'll then need to choose the cuff interlining depending on what's comfortable. Options include:
- No interlining
- Soft
- Normal
- Stiff
- Extra stiff
Stiffer interlining is ideal for formalwear. Soft or regular interlining works well in most professional and social settings.
Finishes and Monograms
Monograms are also available for those who want their name or initials on the shirt. You can choose the monogram's:
- Letters
- Color
- Height
- Position
You can then choose:
- Whether you want a sleeve packet button
- Traditional vs royal finishing
- Special instructions for custom tailoring
Find the Perfect Shirt Fit With Hansen's
Now that you know how to create the perfect custom dress shirts for your specific tastes, it's time to look sharp. Hansen's Clothing has been helping gentlemen express themselves with high-end fashion since 1902.
Our team has the widest selection of fabrics out there and is excited to help you craft the perfect garment for your tastes. Contact us today to learn more about our materials and methods.