Why Do I Need a Custom Made Business Shirt?

Section: Essential Men's Business Shirts - Blog

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If you've never owned a custom tailored garment, you're cheating yourself out of one of the most luxurious clothing experiences you'll ever have. Next to a custom made suit, there's nothing quite like the fit and appearance of a tailor made business shirt. Once you try one, we promise, you'll never settle for an off-the rack shirt again.

Off the rack men's business shirts are sized based on collar circumference and sleeve length. Therefore, finding a shirt that fits well can be difficult. This is why we recommend you have shirts made to your exact measurements as it is probably more economical in the long run. In addition to saving you money over the life of your wardrobe, custom made shirts give you the following benefits:

• More styling and personalization 0ptions
• Better quality fabrics
• Wider range of sizes

Here's six more advantages you'll enjoy by purchasing tailor made shirts:

Shirt Collars

The collar of men's business shirtsdetermines the formalness of the garment as well as flatters the wearer's face. Button-down collars are the least formal and best for wearing without ties. They can also be worn with a tie and a sweater, blazer or sports coat. The wing collar (which does not cover the band of the tie around the neck) is reserved for formal wear.

Business shirts with standard pointed collars usually flatter most men. However, men with narrower faces look better with slightly shorter pointed collars while men with rounder faces look good with long collar points.

As a general rule, the greater the angle between the short sides of the collar points, the more formal the presentation. Spread collars that leave a wide opening between themaccommodate large tie knots especially well. The edges of the cutaway collar nearly form a straight line above the tie knot, which is the most formal arrangement.

The tab collar is an exception to the parallelism of spread and formality. Here, little tabs of fabric extend from each side and connect behind the tie knot. They serve to hold the collar close together and project the knot outward for a precise look. The white contrast collar (in any style), is preferred by power dressers as it raises the men's suit and tie look attractively.

Shirt Cuffs

The standard cuffs on most business shirts (also called barrel cuffs) have a single button. Cuffs with two or even three buttons are considered fancy.

French cuffs are best for formal wear; they look good with a tailor made men's suit but are always optional. A button in the sleeve placket helps it to remain closed during wear and can be opened to iron the cuffs.

Shirt Pockets

The traditional left breast pocket adds depth to a business shirt, especially when it is worn without a jacket or a tie. It provides convenience for holding pens, tickets etc.

A shirt sans pockets can look cleaner with a coat and tie, but since the coat covers the pocket, the difference is minimal when wearing a men's suit.

Shirt Placket

The placket is the edge of the left front panel, with the button holes on it. The standard placket is a strip of fabric raised off the men's business shirt with stitches down each side. This is commonly found on most casual and business shirts. In the modern French placket, the edge of the shirt front is folded over, creased and held together only by the button holes.

Shirt Back

Pleats are used on the back panel of a shirt, so the fabric hangs from the yoke (the piece covering the shoulder blades) and conforms to the body better. There are two common varieties of pleated shirt back styles.

• • The Box Pleat: Consists of 2 pleats, spaced 1.5 inches apart at the centre.
• • The Side Pleat: These pleats lie halfway between each edge and the centre of the back.

Monograms

Men's shirts may be monogrammed on the edge of the breast pocket. Initially used for identifying shirts in a commercial laundry, the monogram has emerged as a subtle signature of thediscriminating gentleman whoappreciates luxury garments. Avoid large, garish monograms and enjoy the quiet display of your initials in a colour similar to that of the shirt.

If you are unable to afford custom-made shirts, don't lose heart. Try on as many shirts as possible until you find one of a particular size and brand that fits perfectly. Thereafter, buy as many colours and patterns as you can find in that brand.

Buying your first custom made shirt is an experience you'll long remember. At Montagio Custom Tailoring, our tailors will work with you to take precise measurements, help you pick the right fabric, color and texture to enhance your appearance, and then carefully create your custom business shirt.

When you try it on, you'll be amazed by the fit and feel. While we're sure it will likely fit like a glove, we'll be ready to make any final tweaks you may need.

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