5 Style Tips for Wearing Tailored Shirts Like a Pro
It’s the smallest things that can make the biggest difference and this has never been truer than when it comes to shirts. The smallest alterations can take something that - until now - felt boxy and ill-fitting, to something polished and undeniably flattering.
To demonstrate how tailored shirts can impact your professional appearance, we’ve put together Oscar Hunt’s ultimate guide to ensuring a flawless fit. Whether you wear a tailored shirt every day for work or you very occasionally slip one on for a special occasion, these guidelines are set to hold you in good stead for every occasion.
An unexpected starting point
Outside of the fundamentals - like checking that the shirt fits around your torso - the best place to start is actually your neck. In made-to-measure shirts, this measurement is taken using a flexible tape to ensure that the collar sits comfortably around your neck with roughly enough room for two fingers to slip under. Any looser, and you risk a gaping appearance; any tighter and it can start to pinch the skin around your neck, making you appear bigger than you are.
Hitting the spot
Once the collar is out of the way, we generally like to focus on sleeve length. In this instance, it can often be tempting to ‘get by’ with something slightly too long or slightly too short but getting this measurement just right can make a big difference to your overall appearance.
The Oscar Hunt rule of thumb is that the cuff should sit on the wrist bone. This performs the double function of ensuring that your sleeves aren’t getting in the way during the day while also allowing for enough length that 1-2 centimeters can peek out from the sleeve of your jacket. This little detail adds extra polish to any suit and is a sign that you know your stuff when it comes to tailoring.
Fitted to you
While styles have fluctuated over the past decade, alternating between billowy and skin-tight, the way a shirt fits around your body is ultimately a matter of personal preference. Here at Oscar Hunt, our house style is a slim - but never skinny - fit that mimics the contours of your body while providing ample space to move.
The key things to watch out for when it comes to fitting a shirt around the torso is ensuring that there are no areas of uneven strain (i.e. buttons pulling around the rib cage) and that you’ve got adequate length in your shirt tails to wear them tucked in (if that’s your preference).
There's nothing better than a fresh shirt...
In the event you’re after a wardrobe restock, get in touch with your local showroom to explore the range and see these principles in action.