The Makings of a Man

For a moment, I'd like to take you back in time to 2008. I'd like to take you back to then-Sen. Barack Obama's presidential campaign. While on the campaign trail, there was one thing that is always constant: a white dress shirt. Nothing says sharp more than a crisp clean white dress shirt. With the rise of the white tee and striped dress shirt, the white dress shirt has become the forgotten ally in the gentleman's arsenal of stylish weaponry. Whether in a point, spread, cutaway collar, french cuff, or barrel cuff; the white dress shirt offers a blank canvas that gentlemen can display their sartorial creativity.


Complex in it's simplicity, it is the most conservative and sophisticated dress shirt one can wear. Complex you may ask? One can argue that it is just a plain white dress shirt. The difficulty lies in the very fact that it is simply white. With no colorful details working for you, every element of the gentleman's wardrobe becomes critical. From his tie to his pocket square, he must now rely on his creativity to breath life into his dress shirt.

This is where good intentions sometimes go awry. Being forced to access his creative thinking, men tend to over-think the situation and make things worse. Loud suits and even louder ties overcompensate the simplicity of the white shirt. Before we tackle those issues, let me first tell you what shirt you should be wearing.
















When shopping for a white dress shirt, I look for a shirt that is 100% cotton, has strong stitching, and has the correct fit. I suggest visiting finer men's department stores and comparing different brands. You will be able to find the appropriate dress shirt for you. For further retail information for featured items, please visit highlighted retailers.