Men’s dress shirts can be considered formal or informal, but they lean more toward the formal side. They’re most often worn in legal, financial and academic office settings, as well as for job interviews, formal business meetings, office presentations and meetings with clients. There’s nothing more formal than a white dress shirt and tie. But if you’re a man who needs dress shirts for every day of the week, then feel free to add in some different colors and patterns to mix it up.
This allows you to show off your personality while still letting your boss know you’re professional and serious enough about work. At the end of the 19th century, outdoor activities became important for the British ruling class. Jodhpur pants and polo shirts became part of the wardrobe for horse-related sports.The two garments were brought back from India by the British, along with the game of polo.
Our lightweight polo shirt is perfect for dressing up any sweater and outfit. A polo with a longer placket/more buttons looks especially nice under a jacket, as it harkens more to the dress shirt. To go up another level of formality, swap a cotton polo for a retro-styled wool knit one. These sweater shirts often come with contrasting colors on the collar/arm bands, as well as a banded bottom (don’t wear them with low-rise pants, lest your top turn into a midriff). It’s not a look for every guy, but can be handsome on some. Polos are available in a variety of materials from natural to synthetic.
Look around and you’ll notice that everyone and everything is more casual. So how do you look put together without looking, you know, too put together? The key is dressing up the casual pieces you know and love and mixing them in with dressier classics. Shop with intention and look for colors and textures that make basic items appear more interesting.
Brooks Brothers Not all Brooks Brothers clothing is American made, but there is a selection of made in North Carolina dress shirts on the Brooks Brothers website. Anton Alexanderfrench cuff designer cotton dress shirts are American made. Cooler and more relaxed than a standard short sleeve button-down, the distinguishing feature is the absence of a top button—requiring it to be worn casually open at the collar. The built-in pocket square of this Lauren Ralph Lauren sport coat effortlessly catches the eye while ultra-flex fabric delivers total freedom of movement.
Have a core collection of solid, basic colors like blue, black, and white. You can’t go wrong with having a few polos in these classic shades. Polos with stripes or contrasting colors on the sleeve bands/collar aren’t always a bad choice but do read as more casual, trendy, and young. In the 1950s, Lacoste began to offer the shirt, formerly only available in white, in a wider range of colors and brought the polo to America.
Keep it relaxed and cool with a polo shirt and sweatpants. The smart top half gets an instant casual vibe with the comfortable bottoms. Polish off your look with stylish low-top sneakers, snapback, and a weekend bag.
The quality of a dress shirt comes down to its craftsmanship. Always pay attention to fine details such as seams, buttons, and stitching. Features like tightly-sewn buttons, clean stitching, matching patterns, symmetrical collars, and Polo Ralph Lauren t shirt split yokes are some of the markers of a well-made dress shirt. Overall, our top pick is Nordstrom’s Pinpoint Dress Shirt for its classic, button-down style. It’s a solid go-to for work and occasions that call for something nice.
Polo shirts can be styled in different ways for different occasions. Wear them with sweatpants for an athleisure look, with shorts for a relaxed yet stylish summer option, with chinos all year round, or under a blazer for the ultimate smart-casual outfit. Polo shirts are a versatile wardrobe staple for casual and smart-casual occasions.