DC-based image consultant and style maven Grant Harris of Image Granted, shares his guide to what makes a finely crafted shirt.
Below, Mr. Harris tells us what he looks for in a quality shirt:
The Devil’s In the Details
When it comes to fine clothing and high quality tailoring there are some garments that receive the lion’s share of attention, and deservedly so. The suit, the jacket, footwear, even accessories; specifically the necktie. But ask any clothing enthusiast or clotheshorse; one of the most important but often overlooked elements of the proper wardrobe is the piece that lays closest to the skin. The piece that while mostly hidden from view frames the wearers face, and provides a bit of flash at the wrist when looking at the time or shaking a hand.
This all important garment is the dress shirt. Without it men would be degraded to wearing Neapolitan jackets and Savile Row double breasted blazers over bare hairy chests and pot bellies unworthy of mentioning much less being seen in public. Yes, the shirt is a necessity. Here, we discuss 7 signs of a well-made dress shirt.
Fabric
Egyptians are known for more than the pyramids. They also produce some for the best cotton shirting material in the world. Long staple, smooth, strong, breathable and crisp. All virtues of quality shirting material.
Pattern Matching
Normally we advise against matching, but this is a rare exception. Aligning stripes at the shoulder, or checks at the placket, or any other pattern imaginable is a feature that creates symmetry in line and shows a level of attention to detail not often seen.
Stitch Count
Just like batting average, SAT scores, or college basketball rankings, the higher the better. This principle also extends to stitch count. The more stitches the stronger, more flexible, and overall aesthetically pleasing the result
Single-Needle Construction
Take a look at the side seam of your shirt. You’ll most likely see two parallel stitches running together. You’ll also most likely see puckering and bubbling on that seam. This is the opposite of single-needle stitching. One needle, one visible thread sewn onto itself creates a smooth, flat seam (sometimes called a French seam) for comfort and aesthetics. The less needles used to create a shirt, the better.
Split Yoke
No we don’t mean cracking eggs. The yoke extends across the neck and shoulders and can either be created with a single piece of fabric or two separate (split) joining pieces. Split yokes provide pattern matching, flexibility by placing the two pieces of fabric at angles that allow them to stretch, and lastly the lack of need to use unsightly darts at the shoulder. They also need to be aligned by hand, requiring a skilled tailor.
Mother-of-Pearl Buttons
Aside from the fabric and pattern of a shirt, buttons are another place to look for quality. Mother-of-Pearl is the industry gold standard. Iridescent, cool to the touch and much more authentic than plastic, MoP for short, is the only choice for high quality shirting. When attached with a hefty, durable shank, they are the epitome of quality.
Button holes
If there are buttons, then there have to be buttonholes as well. Using the high stitch count previously discussed, proper button holes made painstakingly by hand offer stability and guard against fraying overtime through stress.
Below, Mr. Harris tells us what he looks for in a quality shirt:
The Devil’s In the Details
When it comes to fine clothing and high quality tailoring there are some garments that receive the lion’s share of attention, and deservedly so. The suit, the jacket, footwear, even accessories; specifically the necktie. But ask any clothing enthusiast or clotheshorse; one of the most important but often overlooked elements of the proper wardrobe is the piece that lays closest to the skin. The piece that while mostly hidden from view frames the wearers face, and provides a bit of flash at the wrist when looking at the time or shaking a hand.
This all important garment is the dress shirt. Without it men would be degraded to wearing Neapolitan jackets and Savile Row double breasted blazers over bare hairy chests and pot bellies unworthy of mentioning much less being seen in public. Yes, the shirt is a necessity. Here, we discuss 7 signs of a well-made dress shirt.
Fabric
Egyptians are known for more than the pyramids. They also produce some for the best cotton shirting material in the world. Long staple, smooth, strong, breathable and crisp. All virtues of quality shirting material.
Pattern Matching
Normally we advise against matching, but this is a rare exception. Aligning stripes at the shoulder, or checks at the placket, or any other pattern imaginable is a feature that creates symmetry in line and shows a level of attention to detail not often seen.
Stitch Count
Just like batting average, SAT scores, or college basketball rankings, the higher the better. This principle also extends to stitch count. The more stitches the stronger, more flexible, and overall aesthetically pleasing the result
Single-Needle Construction
Take a look at the side seam of your shirt. You’ll most likely see two parallel stitches running together. You’ll also most likely see puckering and bubbling on that seam. This is the opposite of single-needle stitching. One needle, one visible thread sewn onto itself creates a smooth, flat seam (sometimes called a French seam) for comfort and aesthetics. The less needles used to create a shirt, the better.
Split Yoke
No we don’t mean cracking eggs. The yoke extends across the neck and shoulders and can either be created with a single piece of fabric or two separate (split) joining pieces. Split yokes provide pattern matching, flexibility by placing the two pieces of fabric at angles that allow them to stretch, and lastly the lack of need to use unsightly darts at the shoulder. They also need to be aligned by hand, requiring a skilled tailor.
Mother-of-Pearl Buttons
Aside from the fabric and pattern of a shirt, buttons are another place to look for quality. Mother-of-Pearl is the industry gold standard. Iridescent, cool to the touch and much more authentic than plastic, MoP for short, is the only choice for high quality shirting. When attached with a hefty, durable shank, they are the epitome of quality.
Button holes
If there are buttons, then there have to be buttonholes as well. Using the high stitch count previously discussed, proper button holes made painstakingly by hand offer stability and guard against fraying overtime through stress.
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