How To Buy Dress Shirts Online

We take it for granted that dress shirts are made to fit under other clothes, so we often buy them based on our jacket size or overcompensate on the sizing to avoid pinching collars and windmill arms.

You could spend hours selecting new dress shirts with the help of a tailor or you could select the perfect dress shirt from the comfort of your own home. With the number of online boutiques out there, you can find some spiffy dress shirts with designer labels for a decent price.

So, get out the measuring tape and learn how to buy dress shirts online.

Measuring yourself

When you want to buy dress shirts online, your first step is to measure your neck, arms and chest. Begin from the top down. If you don’t have a soft measuring tape used by tailors, simply use a length of string and then lay it out along a standard measuring tape.

When measuring your neck to buy dress shirts online remember that the front of the collar will slope downward and rest just below your Adam’s apple. You might also round up in your measurement just by one or two small ticks on the tape. If the collar is too tight you will never wear the shirt.

Next, to buy dress shirts online, measure your arms from the top outside edge of your shoulder down to the point where your wrist merges into the back of your hand. Now measure your other arm. Why is this important? Because as perfect as we all think we might be, the truth is there are slight differences between our arms, feet, fingers, etc. Therefore, measure both arms and go with the measurement of the longer arm. No one will notice that one sleeve looks slightly longer, but everyone will notice a shirt that is too short.

Finally, to properly buy dress shirts online, measure your chest. Shirt makers offer different cuts -- from traditional to slim -- so you need to know your actual chest size before you buy dress shirts online. Then there is the issue of going by your jacket size alone. This is OK sometimes, but if you buy the dress shirt, the jacket and the overcoat in the same size you might as well wear a tie with a potato sack because you won’t have any real shape or drape to your clothing.

To buy dress shirts online from boutiques with specific, can’t-go-wrong sizing charts, shop at Brooks Brothers or J. Press.

Dress shirt styles

You might have the sizing down pat, but since you can’t try on your purchase before you buy dress shirts online, we’ve compiled a guide of the different collars, fabrics and cuffs you’ll come across in your shopping endeavor. Keep our tips and recommended retailers in mind, and make your dress shirt-shopping experience a positive one.

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