Why you need to start investing in your shirts
From colour to cut, the benefits of buying good shirts speak for themselves
Words: Jonathan Wells
Not all shirts are born equal. Yes, the first time you unwrap a middling, off-the-peg work shirt it may look crisp, white and ready for action – but give it a couple of months of consistent use and the collar will be creased, the buttons loose and its bright white a little lacklustre.
Be it a suit, jumper or jacket, your shirt remains the foundation of any formal outfit – and it pays to invest in getting a solid sartorial grounding. But why specifically? What features set a good quality shirt apart from its bargain bin counterparts.
Turnbull & Asser, bespoke gentleman’s shirtmaker, are renowned for produced shirts of the best quality. Their ready-to-wear collection even rivals many other tailors’ made-to-measure garments, and the five reasons they give to invest in good quality shirts are entirely compelling.
When you buy a shirt crafted from quality cotton, the material will improve with age. It strengthens and becomes more supple as you wash it and wear it – meaning that it won’t become misshapen or wear on pressure points in the same way cheaper shirts do.
Unlike many online boutiques and young high street shops, many bespoke and established shirtmakers have spent the best part of a century – at least – refining their cutting methods and stitching techniques to ensure that your shirt is a thoroughly-engineered garment rather than a pattern-cut item.
Invest in a shirt and you invest in the materials. But not only are the fabrics tougher than many high street shirts, but many makers weave in special elements to ensure a shirt’s durability for years to come. For example, Turnbull & Asser have perfected a process to ensure that their buttons never fall off.
Invest in a shirt and the detailing will be considerably better than a cheap garment. Stitching will be better, collars will contain stays, cuffs will be thicker, buttons tougher and the overall design will be more thought through than your usual formalwear fare.
On the subject of smartness, a pricier shirt will, simply put, look better. The white will stay whiter for longer, the cut crisper and the way it sits on your body will be more flattering, with neater lines and a better fit for the special occasions on which you will wear it.
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