The most formal dress shirts are of course white, french cuffed, spread collared and made from a smooth fabric. But when a man wants to dress more casually there are ways to reduce the formality without the usual practice of using more color or a larger pattern. For example, the cotton Chambray shirt in the photo is meant to be worn under a sweater or an odd jacket, with or without a necktie, and has a hidden buttondown collar that adds a touch of carelessness to its look.
Chambray, also called cotton batiste, is a lightweight, tightly woven cloth with a slightly glossy surface due to reflection from white threads in the warp. Neither the cloth nor the color draw any notice. 
The shirt's casualness comes from its straight point collar that is worn without collar stays. The points are attached by buttoning tabs under the collar that permit movement while holding it roughly in place. With a necktie, the points are always just slightly askew, without the fussiness of an unbuttoned buttondown.
And that is dress shirt informality.
Friday, August 14, 2009
Dress Shirt Informality
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8 comments:
May I ask who made the shirt? I wouldn't mind my husband in a shirt like that.
Lynn, click on the ad for mytailor.com to the right of the blog.
Will, it's not to mince words but I was wondering if there are batistes which are not chambrays just as there are chambrays which are not batistes?
Very nice shirt, trick collar and all!
Not to my knowledge Bob.
I love hidden buttondown collars. Thank you for reminding us of this wonderful variation.
I love the look of a hidden button down collar with an odd jacket and no tie. It provides a rigid standup collar that looks good with the lapel of the jacket. I also think the look is cleaner and more distinguished then a standard button down collar, which in my opinion is less formal than even this option.
Dandyfashion.blogspot.com
Thanks,
Sprezzatura
Will, my business travel schedule has gone through the roof this year with no sign of letting up. I find the convenience of "no iron" shirts (i.e. from Jos. A. Banks) functionally appealing but the fit is awful. What is it about the fabric that makes it "no iron" & how can I find it in a tailor-made shirt? MyTailor.com doesn't seem to hit that sweet spot.
Thanks!
A brilliant post, more valuable as you are posting less. Chambray surface has a powdery finish,finer than pinpoint oxford. It's beauty perhaps comes from the dual tonality as the warp is white. Even the colour of the shirt is very extraordinary and naturally follows white in the pecking order.
Thanks.
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