Let's learn how to spot quality shirts

Fashion changes, but in the wardrobe of a man the shirt remains the most significant item, a fashion evergreen that endures the time.

It is important for a man that loves the elegance and the refinement of the classic Italian men’s fashion, to know how to recognize quality shirts. In fact, we often wonder why at first sight, some shirts may look similar but have very different prices. So how can we recognize quality shirts? Here is a list with some tips.

Fabric

First of all, we can recognize quality shirts from the fabric: an element which requires a particular attention, and it is immediately perceived to the touch as soon as we wear it. The most renowned quality fabrics used to tailor shirts are:

poplin, summery, fresh, lightweight and slightly shiny;
Oxford yarn, with a rather large weave, suitable for casual and informal shirts;
linen or cotton batiste, fine and lightweight;
Sea Island fabric, similar to the silk at first touch;
flannel, warm and soft, ideal for sportswear;
finally but not for importance, the denim, perfect for a casual look, in solid or printed patterned silk for more elegant oufits, or in pure linen for the summer season.

Pattern matching

We can then distinguish quality shirts also from their buttons. According to tradition, mother-of-pearl buttons should be mandatory for every kind of shirt. Nowadays evenunusual materials like cuir, ivory or wood are used on casual shirts. Why sometimes the shirt’s bottom buttonhole is horizontal instead of vertical like the others? Originally this was done because the shirt buttoned into the pants. They don’t anymore, but you will still find this feature in better shirts.

Experts’ opinion

According to Dino Piccolo and Paolo Finamore, two experts of hand-tailored shirts, that is to say, two manufacturers of customized shirts of the best Napolitan tailor tradition, reveal that a greatattention must be paid to small details: the inclusion of interfacings inside the neck and cuffs, and above all, the seam. A good sartorial shirt never has twin-needle stitching but single-needle stitching, made of 8 points per cetimetre and then fold, especially around the armholes and sides. In the quest for the perfection, and by respecting the tradition, all the finishings (fell seams, button holes, yokes, and triangles in the bottom of the seams) should be handmade.