Bespoke Shirts Online
Jermyn Street Shirts Online
Increasingly men are turning to the Internet to purchase shirts simply because they can find a variety online from England, France or the United States that may not be available in their local clothing stores.
The most popular shirt searched for is undoubtedly the London Jermyn Street Shirt, a favoutire among bankers the world over.
Across the world, these men are logging on, signing in and waiting the week or so that it takes for their new Jermyn Street purchase to arrive.
And the trend is growing with men purchasing not one shirt, but several at a time.
So before you go online, here are a few tips to making the best of your online purchase.
The first point to consider is that we are all shaped differently so 'medium' length to one english Tailor may be considered 'short' to an American.
Exact measurements are a must when buying online. Many of the better online shirt stores now offer the ability to get an exact collar/sleeve ratio.
Unlike the bespoke Tailor who will use the collar/sleeve as a guide to build the chest and the girth of the shirt, most online sites take an estimate.
It's trial and error form here and only the experience of using an online retailer will correct any potential fault that might arise. It is worth checking out the returns policy of the site before ordering.
If for example, you have a thin neck and short arms, while the law of averages will suggest that you're also slim in the chest and stomach - that may not be so. If you happen to be broad around the chest or stomach, the averages applied could result in an extremely tight fitting shirt. The reverse is also true, so beware.
Having satisfied yourself with the measurements, you then have a wide variety of collars and cuffs to choose from.
Not every e-tailer offers every cut, so it can be worth looking around.
Below are the most popular shirt collars and cuffs on the market today.
The double cuff has made a massive return to favour, and is once again the cuff of choice for work. It is also the cuff of choice for play, as a generation of men flout the old rules and wear double cuffs with jeans (something that might once have given a style guru apoplexy). Double cuffs, it must be said, are still mandatory for weddings, black tie and even smart dates.
As with everything in men's fashion, cufflinks subscribe to the rule that less is more. Choose links that will go with most of your shirts and ties. Steel or silver is a good bet, unless you wear a gold watch. If they have stones or enamel, you'll get the most wear out of blue or pearl colours.
The ultimate cufflink consists of two metal ovals (in gold of course) linked by a chain although unless you're double jointed you do need to hire a valet to put them on for you which rather adds to the cost.
Size matters
Half of British men wear clothes that are the wrong size for them. It's endemic. Men's collar sizes have a habit of creeping inexorably up the scale with the passing years and they ignore it, delusionally squeezing themselves into too-tight collars for years on end.
Act your age, not your neck size, and buy a shirt that fits. Buttoned up you should be able to slip your forefinger in between collar and neck without difficulty. Any looser and your tie will tend to ruck the collar up.
If this isn't enough, remember also that ill-fitting shirts will wear much more quickly too: too short in the sleeve and they will wear at the elbow, too long and they will wear at the cuff.
Trooping the collar
Are you a big guy? If you are steer clear of the smaller cuts of collar or you'll exaggerate your neck size. These days the fashionable higher collar, often fastened with two buttons at the neck are a stylish way to subliminally reduce your size, especially when worn without a tie. The reverse, logically, is true if you're on the slim side. A huge collar will make your head shrink in comparison.
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