Men’s Shirt Source

Men’s shirts are among the largest selling clothing items in the world today. There are many types of shirts, each of which have their own style statement. All these varieties can be basically classified into two categories: formals and casuals.

Formal Men’s Shirts are the shirts that are suitable for wearing for official and formal occasions. These are elegant and suavely designed, and generally exude an air of class and power. On the other hand, casuals are those  shirts that are suitable for wearing on informal occasions and for personal gatherings. These are more colorful and can have a wide variety of designs that can create an impression of fun and playfulness.

Today, shirts have become a major tool for impression management for men. It is only fair to say that shirts define the fashion outlook of men. Interestingly, this was not been the case until a couple of centuries ago. Till then, shirts had been used as undergarments.

Revealing the shirt had been a taboo act for several centuries. These garments had all the erotic connotations at that time which the undergarments such as lingerie have today. So, men’s shirts have literally come a long way in the manner in which they are worn.

Early History

Shirts have been in use from time immemorial. An early specimen of its use was discovered at the tomb of an Egyptian Pharaoh. As you might be aware of, the Pharaohs popularized the trend of preserving the dead bodies in specially prepared tombs called mummies. Historians have found a sophisticated and neatly designed shirt in one such tomb – the origin of which has been traced back to around 3000 BC.

Until the 20th century, men’s shirts had been used as undergarments, usually worn under some other garment or exclusively in bed. One can find people wearing shirts in the paintings of the 17th century. Up until then,  revealing shirts in paintings was unfashionable. Even on 17th and 18th centuries, only men from low section of the society such as servants or shepherds were portrayed in paintings with a shirt on. No trace of shirt can be found in the paintings of monarchs and ministers. However, shirts were revealed in some paintings exclusively to suggest erotic undertones.

Redemption Of Men’s Shirts

The use of shirts as an outwearing garment started towards the end of 19th century. Shirts became an accepted outerwear during the early stages of 20th century. By 1920, these became widely accepted. Fabric designers started showing more attention to the style elements of shirts as it became the most visible fabric of men. It must be noted that fabric design elements like frills and embroidery were early forms of shirts, even in their undergarment days. However, the growth in design and style was more rapid and pronounced in the last one hundred years or so. By the 1980s, shirts had become one of the most commonly used fabrics.

Today, one can find a mind-boggling array of shirt designs and styles. Different eras are marked by different trends in collar, sleeve, color, and pleats in men’s shirts. It has been a long journey from the obscurity of an undergarment to the prominence of being a major outerwear.

One of the most important factors that can make men’s polo shirts look good or bad is their color. It is very important for you to settle on the right color of shirt. Here are some things to consider when you want to buy the right color of shirt –

Go With The Season

One thing that has an important bearing on the color of men’s polo shirts is the season that they are being worn in. Every season has its own variety of colors that gain predominance during the period. The colors that look amazing in one season might make you look totally out of tune in another season. So, it’s quite important for you to pick up colors for your shirts keeping the season in mind.

For instance, deep colors and thick material are in vogue during winters. Dark shades of brown and green form a part of haute couture. Although the priority is protection from the winter chill, looking good can be a bonus if you select hues that complement the season.

Earthy shades and weighty materials usually become popular during fall. With a little drop in temperature, the selection of clothes becomes need-based. The clothing material for men’s shirts may include blends, and the choice of colors should be sober for this season.

Spring require you to wear light and soothing colors. You might try shirts that are colorful but not too loud during this time of the year. For summer, the combinations preferred would be slightly different than those of spring. This, too, is a time for colors. However, the shades selected for summers may be soft or bright.

Keep Yourself In Mind

The other important thing, apart from the season that you need to keep in mind is that you should be comfortable with the color you decide to wear.

You should have a fair idea of the colors that suit you and the setting in which you are located at a particular point of time. The color of your skin is a vital aspect that influences the colors that would go well with it. So, choose shades that complement your skin. You might also like to take a good look at your eyes to figure out what colors would enhance your eye color.

Your hair color also requires some attention while choosing the right color for your shirts. There might be colors that do not go well with the color of your hair. Paying attention to these seemingly minor details can help you experiment with a range of combinations and contrasts that might otherwise skip your notice.

Making The Final Choice

No matter what the season or your physical features, the selection of men’s shirts depends upon what is available in the market. The stock present in the market is further dependent upon the current fashion trends. Nevertheless, you need not be governed by fashion all the time. You can pick your polo shirt material of your choice and get it tailored as desired by you.