Dos and Don'ts for the sleeves
You will rarely go wrong with a shirt at work, unless you choose a short-sleeve shirt. To be truly honest, short-sleeve shirts are becoming increasingly common in some situations, especially in very fashionable circles. But in a business context, it is far better to choose a classic shirt. If it is getting too hot for you, you can easily hitch up your long sleeves, but be careful, don’t to wear them that way under a jacket or blazer.
Dos and Don'ts for the fabric
There is a big variety of shirts available, and the shirt will get its character from the fabric, so it is key to pay attention to that. The big don’t is opting for a shirt with a high percentage of synthetic fibres, as they often look cheap. Do it right and choose a shirt with at least 80% cotton or linen.
Dos and Don'ts for the colour
Be classy, don’t be too experimental. Plain shirts or shirts with tiny patterns have a nice effect. For those who like pastel colours, we are sorry to say that pastels are often a don’t, because pastel colours could give you a pale appearance. Also, be very careful with other colours: green and red are maybes, depending on your type and style and whether they fit your business outfit. But yellow is always a don’t. Of course, you are free to convince us otherwise.
Dos and Don'ts for a T-shirt under the shirt
It is a controversial topic in the fashion world. In a few countries, like Germany, it is very common to wear a T-shirt under your shirt. In other countries like France, it is unusual. But in one aspect all countries are on the same page. The T-shirt needs to be invisible underneath the shirt. So, choose a T-shirt that fits your body shape, a colour that is close to your skin colour or the colour of your shirt and pay attention to the neck type. A round neck when you wear a tie, a V-neck if you open the first button and a deep V-neck when you are going to open a second button. Following this rule, wearing a T-shirt is never a don’t and it is totally up to you and the comfort you are looking for.
Dos and Don'ts for the quality
Regarding the quality aspects, you must consider three things: the buttons, the seams and the back of your shirt. Because it is common these days to wear shirts with plastic buttons it is impossible to say this is a don’t, but when it comes to the question of real style it is at least a maybe. The big do would be to have buttons made from natural material like wood, nacre or even bamboo. There is a rule of thumb when it comes to the seam: The more stitches a seam has, the longer lasting the shirt is. So, do buy shirts with 8 or more stitches per 1 cm. Don’t choose shirts that have less than 8 stitches per cm. You can easily see that you are holding a cheap shirt in your hands when there is no special seam on the back. This seam on the back helps to give your more freedom of movement.
Now you are prepared for work, you want more tips. For example, how to wear a shirt under a blazer? Find more blogs in our Fashion & Style category.