Approximately 65% of professionals have boosted their workplace confidence by simply wearing a crisp formal shirt. So many rules and regulations have unnecessarily created confusion in simply understanding how to wear a formal shirt. Know all the fit, collar, and cuff styles along with the appropriate color palettes and accessoring tips to master your styling game. This article ensures that you receive practical tips that you can actually apply in your everyday settings, like your workplace. 

A] Why Is A Formal Shirt Essential?

Formal shirts are different from casual shirts. Both have occasions when they are more suitable and should be used accordingly. From creating lasting impressions to helping as a confidence booster, formal shirts certainly have their charm. The crisp, neat look isn’t just a mere symbol of professionalism, but it also helps create a favorable impression in the mind of a recruiter. Did you know there are formal shirts that one can wear even in casual settings? They are that versatile. Certain formal shirts do well in not just your regular interview, meetings, and other related settings, but also for dinner and other late-night settings.

B] The Silhouette For A Formal Shirt

Understanding how to wear a formal shirt involves opting for the right fit. An improper fit won’t just make you uncomfortable, but will also look improper. There are different types of fit that you need to know about. These include regular fit, slim fit, and relaxed fit, among several others. You can check Thomas Scott’s range of formal shirts for more fit ideas if required. But first, here’s a quick checklist that you need to ensure:

  1. Have a gauntlet button in your formal shirt for a better silhouette.
  2. Make sure your shirt isn’t too tight-fitting. 
  3. Ensure excessive fabric doesn’t bunch up near the waist area.
  4. Shoulder seams are tailored perfectly to allow for easy movement.
  5. Sleeve length ends near your wrist bone.

C] Types of Collar and Cuff Styles Available In Formal Shirts

When we talk about how to wear a formal shirt properly, it is necessary to know certain collar and cuff styles as well. While certain collar styles like cutaway and spread collars are frequently utilised for formal shirts, there are several other styles as well. These include:

Cutaway collar: This collar style provides for a clean and sharp look, perfect for meetings. You can opt for a white checked shirt with a cutaway collar style. 

Spread collar: This style pairs well for various occasions to radiate a timeless look, perfect for meetings. You could opt for a pastel shirt with a spread collar style.

Button-down collar: Plain checked formal shirts in colors like beige pair well with this collar style. This combination will provide you with a semi-formal look.

Mandarin collar: Formal shirts in dark colors like black or navy blue pair well with this collar style. You can also use a formal shirt of this type to layer.

Other collar styles include the club, band, pinned, and wingtip styles, among others.

Certain cuff styles to consider while understanding how to style a formal shirt:

Both button cuffs and French cuffs are frequently used to style a formal shirt. The difference is based on the look that both provide.

Button cuffs: Button cuffs are widely known and pair well with everyday looks. 

Adjustable button cuffs: Depending on the size of your wrist, this style can be adjusted accordingly. 

French cuffs: For a more dressy appeal, you can opt for French cuffs in your formal shirt. Use of studs is also frequently noticed in this style.

Other cuff styles include angled, rounded, and square styles, among others.

These collars and cuffs are available on Thomas Scott’s  shirts and formal shirts page if you need help understanding them better.

D] Colour Palette For A Formal Shirt

While decoding how to style a formal shirt, two options present themselves. These include solid and neutral tones. The bottoms that you pair these with are also vital. Here are some popular colour schemes that can work beautifully with your formal shirts and bottoms

  1. Black and beige: A black shirt pairs well with a beige or brownish shade of chinos. White formal shirts also pair well with beige chinos.
  2. Light blue and navy blue: Pastel colors like light blue solid shirts pair well with navy blue chinos.
  3. White and grey: A sleek white formal shirt will pair well with grey chinos.
  4. White with black: A white shirt with colored stripes pairs well with black chinos. You could also go for a checked shirt with the same color combination.

Note: You can also choose striped-style trousers depending on the type of formal occasion.

E] Patterns That Pair Well With Formal Shirts

Here are some patterns that you need to take note of when understanding how to wear a formal shirt:

  1. Windowpane: This style represents a pattern of large squares similar to a window. A black windowpane shirt can be used for a semi-formal occasion, whereas a red or blue windowpane shirt can be used for a semi-formal occasion. 
  2. Prints: A subtle floral print shirt pairs well with solid-colored chinos.
  3. Stripes: You can opt for pinstripes or pencil stripes for a formal look. Pinstripes have ultra-thin stripes, whereas pencil stripes are a bit more spaced.
  4. Checked: Patterns like graph check or micro check shirts can be opted for in a formal look. You could also go for textured patterns like twill.

F] Accessorising And Layering A Formal Shirt

  1. Ties: Strips and dots are quite common, but you can also opt for a solid tie. 
  2. Blazers and suits: Decide on the appropriate length for your sleeves. Stick to a few colors instead of many while deciding your color palette. If you are around 5’7”, the first button of your suit should be above your navel, whereas for taller individuals, it should be placed higher.
  3. Cufflinks: Add cufflinks if you are opting for French cuffs.
  4. Watches: Don’t go for flashy or bold colors unless they pair well with your outfit.

Conclusion

By the end of this article, we're sure you'll consider yourself a pro on how to wear a formal shirt. Just be sure not to skip basic steps, such as wearing a well-ironed shirt. Don’t fret too much over minor details like patterns, collars, and cuff styles, in case it feels too overwhelming. Also, the fitting of your formal shirt and color palette does play a vital role that simply cannot be ignored. Lastly, if you're looking for premium formal shirts with multiple style options that are sustainable yet affordable, you need to check out Thomas Scott’s website today. We also have some time-limited offers running on our website that you surely shouldn’t miss out on.