White Shirt, Rules!

It is a universal truth that white shirts are special. Be it any occasion such as a wedding, a family union, a date, an interview, or even an important day at work, white shirts help you stand out. Here are some rules to help you up your game in rocking the whites. When in doubt, wear WHITE!

 

The combination goes a long way

Almost everyone has a white shirt in their wardrobe, but what makes it more special is what we wear that shirt with. So here are some suggestions that goes well with the white shirt for any given day.

 

Formal trousers –

As the saying goes “Dress for the job you want”, Formal trousers are the best fit if you want to ace that job interview or an important meeting at work.

 

Some best practices:

  • The collar: The shirt must have a spread collar, a point collar or a button down collar(go with the spread collar if you are planning to wear a tie along). Strictly avoid club collar and Mandarin collar (Chinese collar). Go with the point collar if you are planning to put a blazer or a suit on.

  • Pants: Stick to neutral colours like grey, black, brown and navy blue since these go well with the white shirt. In some workplaces, it may be acceptable to wear dark coloured jeans. If you’re not sure if jeans are appropriate in this office, it is safe to go with cotton pants that are neither tight nor loose. As for the fabric pattern, the best idea is to have a solid colour or with narrow stripes, which will make it reasonably subtle.

  • Shoes and belt: Make sure your belt and shoes match in colour and finish. Leather is the ideal material for these items. If your suit is grey or black, wear black shoes and a matching black belt. If your suit is blue, wear brown shoes and a matching brown belt.

  • Socks: It's normal for a fitted suit to expose your ankles when you sit down so choosing an appropriate pair of socks is important. Wear long, solid-colour dress socks that are the same colour as your pants.

  • Accessories: When it comes to accessories such as jewellery, piercing or tattoos, the rule is “lesser the better”. If you prefer, sport a simple leather or metallic strap watch which does not have a huge dial and does not have distracting colours and lights.

 

Occasion:

Interview: Wear a point-collar cotton white shirt (full sleeve, tucked in) with blue formal trousers to garner aesthetic points with the interviewer.

 

Chinos/Khakis –

Chinos and Khakis are man’s most practical and versatile option to go with white shirts. They are the perfect blend of smart trousers and casual trousers. So it is important to be informed about the types that is appropriate for the rendezvous.

 

Some best practices:

  • Formal: More formal occasions require mid-weight cotton with a structure that resembles a suit or separates trouser. Aim for a pair that sit nicely on the hip with the same rise and length in the leg as a formal trouser, and one with tapering at the ankle. 

  • Casual: Though khaki is the original chino hue, venturing into colour for your next pair is a good idea. nothing says ‘classic’ like neutral navy and grey chinos for both formal and casual events and on-trend marsala or dark red. Otherwise, try something more earthen such as forest green, charcoal or taupe sand.

  • Shoes to go with: Chinos go well with almost all kinds of shoes.

  1. Boots – Smart casual and semi-formal

  2. Sneakers – Weekend casual

  3. Loafers/boat shoes – Party, casual

  4. Lace up shoes – Classic black or brown lace up shoes gives a formal look

 

Occasion:

Productive day at work: Pick a spread collar white shirt(full sleeve, tucked in/out, buttoned all the way up), a light shade/blue shade chinos and brown boots/shoes for a good productive day at work.

Weekend with friends: A linen white shirt(full/half sleeve, tucked out), a pair of chino pants(of any colour) and a pair of loafers/sneakers for a day out with friends.

 

Denim: The OG –

Confused about what to wear for a date night? Go with the all-time classic, a white shirt and a denim. Denims are a timeless fashion staple for men.

 

Some best practices:

  • Semi-casual: It is recommended to keep it subtle when picking a denim for casual day at work or a date. Stick with a solid coloured denim that is not torn, faded or stone washed. Avoid funky colours.

  • Fashionable: If you want to pull off the trendy look, go with a pair of ripped jeans.

  • Shoes: Every shoe type goes well with a denim. Pickup a pair of solid coloured boots or leather shoes to make it semi-formal. Or mix it with sneakers or loafers to make it casual.

 

Occasion:

Casual day at work: A spread collar white shirt(full sleeve, tucked in/out), a solid dark coloured denim is perfect for a Friday at work.

Hang out with friends: A Chinese collar white shirt(rolled up full sleeve, tucked out), a pair of denim(of any colour), a pair of boots/sneakers is perfect for a hang out session with friends/cousins.

Brunch/Dinner: Impress your partner with an ironed white shirt(spread/button down collar, rolled up full sleeve, tucked in), a solid denim and a pair of brown boots.

 

Shorts –

It is extremely important, to sport the right fit in the array of shorts for men fashion or they could look baggy and extremely underwhelming as opposed to the stylish piece of clothing they actually are.

 

Some best practices:

  • Formal: A work place that is not too rigid about a formal dress code and supports casual wear is a true blessing in itself. Nothing can be better than being able to wear shorts and being comfortable while working. A well pressed cotton shorts goes best with a white shirt for a casual day at work.

  • Casual/Trendy: Denims are everyone’s staple must have in the closet but when you can do the same with your shorts, why not? They look casual and yet trendy. Same goes with cargo shorts.

  • Classy: The trendiest and modern of all are chino shorts which are both comfortable and look striking. You can pair your chino shorts with a nice white shirt, tuck them in to give that more formal and dapper twist to your outfit.

 

Occasion:

Beach holiday: Sport a relaxing cotton/linen white shirt(half sleeve, tucked out), a light coloured cotton/chinos/denim shorts along with flip flops or casual loafers.

To work: If it is the kind of work place that youngsters strive for, one without strict dress code, style up with neat cotton shirt(rolled up full sleeve, point collar, tucked out), cotton shorts and dark boat shoes to go along.

 

As you can see, the look and feel of a shirt are not just defined by your choice of fabric and the details alone but also heavily by the choice of clothing and accessory that you choose to wear it with. To be honest, we, at Otto clothing love white shirts a notch more than we do other colours. That is part of the reason why we established a separate brand that is dedicated to manufacture whites alone – Minister White! Please do checkout our stores for your next clothing choices. Be informed about fashion. Own the day !

 

 

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