Men's Dress Shirt Features

A tailored dress shirt is an important feature of formal wear. But what are the features of a man's dress shirt? What differentiates a dress shirt from any other shirt? A men's dress shirt has 6 basic features, each of which will be discussed individually in this article.

Buttons

Buttons are perhaps the most distinctive feature which makes a dress shirt a dress shirt. In order to be a dress shirt, it must open in the middle and have buttons running from the collar down to the waist. Every tailored dress shirt has at least seven buttons on the front, regardless of size. Some high end shirts will have eight buttons, but seven is the norm. Oftentimes shirts will also have buttons on the collar and cuffs, although this is not a requirement.

Collars

Another key feature of the men's dress shirt is the collar. Having a collar is a must, however collar styles do vary. Some examples of collar types are: the Windsor, which has a wide spread at the edges and is named after the Duke of Windsor, a Straight Collar which has a very narrow spread between the edges of the collar, or the Tony, a highly formal collar which covers the entire neck as well as the knot of the tie. Some collars are also buttoned to the shirt; these are called "Button-down" collars.

Cuffs

Next in line of tailored dress shirt features are the cuffs. These are the sections of the shirt which cover the wrists. There are two main styles of cuff: the barrel cuff, in which the sides of the cuff overlap and button one on top of the other, and the French cuff in which the edges of the cuff are pulled out to the side and linked together there.

Placket

The placket is a feature related to the buttons of the tailored dress shirt. It is the strip which runs down the front of a man's dress shirt where the button holes are sewn. The standard width of a placket is 1.5 inches. It is generally sewn fairly finely so as to be as unnoticeable as possible, although some different variations of plackets do exist.

Pleats

Pleats are not a universal feature of a tailored dress shirt, however most dress shirts do have them. A pleat is a part of the shirt where the fabric is folded back over itself. Generally pleats are found on the either side of the back of the shirt. For less formal wear, there is a single box pleat in the middle of the back. Pleats are also often found on the sleeves just above the cuff. Pockets

Pockets are another feature of the tailored dress shirt which is not universal. In some places formal shirts do not include pockets at all; however a single pocket on the left side of the shirt is common in many places such as the United States. Occasionally these pockets can be buttoned shut; even more rarely they come with a cover flap.

Copyright (c) 2008 Wes Fernley

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