4 Types of Dress Shirt Styles

Finding the right dress shirt can be a huge challenge – with all the different styles, sizes, colors, pockets, and collars, it can seem impossible to find a shirt to match the look that you are going for. While it might seem overwhelming in the store when you are staring at what seems like hundreds of shirts that all look the same, there is actually an easy way to break down the different styles of dress shirts so that you can decide which one is best for you and what look you are trying to achieve. There is no one type that is the “best.” Instead, some are better suited for certain body types than others and some are better suited for certain occasions than others. So here is a breakdown of the four different types of dress shirts for men to help you know what to look for when buying a dress shirt:

Classic Fit

The first type of dress shirt that we are going to talk about is the classic fit. And it looks exactly how it sounds – classic. These shirts were especially popular in the old days when men never wore a dress shirt without wearing a jacket on top. Because of this, they were designed specifically for comfort and have an overall looser and somewhat baggier look than some of the other styles. The sleeves and the waist in the classic style are bigger in order to provide more comfort, movement, and ventilation. This is a good style shirt to wear if you are all about the comfort, if you are looking for a nice shirt to wear with a jacket, or if you have a bigger stomach as this will fit you better than some of the other types of shirt style.

Slim Fit

The second type of dress shirt that we are talking about now is the slim fit. Like the classic fit, it looks how it sounds – it is slimmer than the baggier classic fit style. This type of shirt became necessary when it became acceptable to not wear a suit jacket along with your dress shirt – so the look of the actual shirt became more important. This is definitely a more fashionable option if you often ditch the jacket and will look the best on slimmer builds since the waist is smaller in addition to the arms and the chest. However, slim fit shirts are not supposed to be skin tight – so make sure that there is still enough room to move around in when buying this types of shirt style.

Modern Fit

The next type of dress shirt is the modern fit – which is essentially a compromise between the baggier classic fit and the tighter slim fit. The modern fit has slightly smaller arms and waist but doesn’t get as tight as the slim fit so that it still remains comfortable and easy to move around in. This is a great shirt to wear with or without a jacket due to its flattering fit while still remaining rather comfortable. The modern fit is a great style if you have an average build – not really skinny or large. 

Untucked

The last type of shirt that we are going to talk about is the untucked shirt style. This is a rather different types of shirt styles that has recently become popular due to its functionality. Untucked shirts are still considered dress shirts but have a more casual look that can easily be converted outside of the workplace or formal occasions since they have a shorter bottom. These shirts are great for transitioning between work and play or simply finding a great middle-ground between formal and casual.