How Many Shirts Should I Own | Shirt Collections By Paul Brown
How many shirts should I own?
How many shirts should I own is a good question. As a shirt-maker, my answer would be as many as possible!.
However, realistically I recommend nine shirts for your wardrobe. This will cover shirts to wear at all occasions and events.
The nine shirts combine key styles, fabrics, and colour options that will enable you to create several stylish outfits to wear.
It is always worth noting that the number of shirts you need to own is correlated to the quality of the cloth and the manufacturing process. Well-made men’s shirts will last the test of time, and the fabric will become softer and more enjoyable to wash after washing. A quality shirt should always be viewed as an investment. It has always been true that a smaller wardrobe of quality clothes is worth far more than the alternatives. The saying less is more is true in this case.
Shirt #1 and #2: Button Down Collar Shirts
Without a doubt, the most versatile shirt on the market and one that easily transitions between smart work wear to the weekend. The button-down collar shirt originated in men’s polo, where the polo players didn’t want the collar waving around, so they had it fastened down with buttons. Other classic features include a box pleat in the back for extra movement and single button cuffs.
Lastly, we have shirts made from Oxford fabric, a luxurious basket weave. This stunning cloth remains our best-selling shirt cloth.
Like many men’s shirts, button-down shirts benefit from our signature styling. This includes contrast button holes and fabric inside the collar and cuffs.
Colour and outfit options
We recommend that you own both a white and light blue oxford shirt. These colours are easy to style and create an outfit from.
The white Oxford is perfect with your favourite pair of blue jeans. Our light blue oxford is paired with our brown corduroy trousers for a more formal outfit.
For our jeans and trousers, you will find an unparalleled selection of waist, inside leg, and build options online. This is part of our hugely popular create-your-own trousers, which we launched in 2018. There are over 200 unique combinations per colour.
Shirt # 3: The Linen Shirt
Firstly, the number of linen shirts in your wardrobe will depend on where you live. If you are in the UK, one or two shirts will be plenty. On the other hand, if you live in a hotter climate, it is worth investing in linen as it is more absorbent and dries better than cotton.
Colour and outfit options
Our favourite linen shirt is our light blue one finished with the hugely popular Liberty London print “queue at the zoo.” We use the same print on our men’s pink Oxford shirt with a similar effect. Pair with white chino shorts for a clean and stylish outfit.If the light blue or Liberty print is not your taste, consider our navy linen shirt finished with brown corozo buttons and striped linen for the interior collar and cuffs.
Shirt # 4: The Polo Shirt
Another wardrobe staple, the polo shirt has evolved into a shirt that can even pass for casual business attire. Our polos are made using a fine pique cotton cloth from the Italian shirting mill Canclini. Like our tailored shirts, the polos include contrast paisley prints.
While most polo shirts have a standard collar, we have mixed in some granddad collar polo shirts, which have proven a big hit among our customer base.
Colour and outfit options
We recommend our navy British made polo shirt as this is again versatile. Could you pair with your tan-coloured chino or chino shorts?
Shirt # 5: The Short Sleeve Shirt
Every man should have a short sleeve shirt to dig out for those hot summer months or your beach holiday.
Colour and outfit options
We recommend the navy twill short sleeve shirt and have paired it with our light blue chino shorts.
Shirt # 6: The Double Cuff Shirt
At some point, you will need a formal shirt for those important occasions, whether a wedding, a business interview, or an event where you must wear a tie. Our formal double-cuff shirts are finished with a Windsor collar which is the perfect spread for several tie knots. We still include our signature styling, noticeable with the notched double cuff that unveils a small amount of contrast.
Colour and outfit options
Either the white or blue double cuff shirt – you can also consider the pinstripe. We recommend wearing the shirt underneath with a navy or grey suit. Providing the suit is not a bold check or stripe; you can play around with the tie. Consider a printed cotton tie or wool rather than silk.
If you need a nice coat to layer up, wear our grey field jacket or beige trench coat. Like our men’s shirts, these coats are all hand-cut and made at our Suffolk factory in England. They are both stylish and practical by utilising a water-repellent 100% cotton twill cloth from the famous mill British Millerain.
Shirt # 7: Striped or check shirt
We often find that men prefer one over the other, with more men choosing to wear stripes over check or gingham.
Colour and outfit options
We recommend our blue striped shirt worn with blue jeans. Try our blue oxford shirt if you are a check or gingham fan. We have paired this with our beige corduroy trousers and khaki green field jacket.
Shirt # 8: Going Out Shirt, Perhaps a white dress shirt?
Every man should have at least one shirt for those special occasions. Whether it is a date or going to a nice restaurant.
Colour and outfit options
We love our white Bucklesham shirt finished with contrasting grey buttons, buttonholes, and a bold Liberty paisley print. Pair with our red chinos.
If this is too bold, then consider either our pink Oxford or blue Duxford shirt to be worn with our twill chinos.
Shirt #9: The Denim Shirt
Another classic shirt which every man should own.
Colour and outfit options
Either black or blue are excellent choices. You will find blue more versatile than black. We have paired our blue denim shirt with red shorts, our black denim shirt with lovat chinos, and our black trench coat.
Made in England
All our shirts and clothes are hand cut and made in England at our Suffolk factory. We use single-needle stitching throughout, and many of the seams are stitched between two to three times to ensure they will never fail. We spare no material expense and use only the finest shirting mills with high-quality buttons and interfacing.
Caring for my shirts
We recommend a 30-degree wash and iron on the inside of the shirt on medium heat. Do not tumble dry; hang the shirt straight from the washing machine for best results.
Sizing and Cut of our Shirts
Our shirts are a tailored fit and are a good balance between a slim fit and a classic cut. Sizes range from small to XXL, including a small/medium in-between size. If you prefer a slimmer or looser cut, go up or down a size accordingly.
Conclusion
We have assembled nine key shirts you need to own to cover all bases. If you can afford more, consider adding a few in each style. Also consider your lifestyle. If it is more formal, then invest accordingly. If more laid back, then consider short sleeve or polo shirts.
Price, Value and Money well spent
Our classic garments are always made in the UK from fine fabrics and are built to love and to last. They do not go out of shape or come apart after several washes so you can wear them again and again. Contrast this to much cheaper high street versions that end up stuck in your wardrobe after being worn just once, never to see the light of day as they were ill fitting or didn't survive the laundry. You pay a price up front but value is only apparent with the passage of time. The adage of ‘don't buy cheap, buy smart ‘fits here and you will do your bit for the environment as well. Buying from us is money well spent.
Sustainability and Size
I cannot leave this blog without mentioning sustainability. It means many different things to many different people. It is well known that the fast fashion industry does enormous harm to the environment, particularly oil based fabrics and single use garments. You should consider this fact every time you shop for clothing. Here at WISC we make classic garments that are built to last from natural fabrics to help minimise our impact. They are designed to be worn again and again without losing their shape or appearance. Multiple use also means that they become value for money. We also make most of our products to order so that unwanted stock is never a feature. Size is also a factor in sustainability. If clothes fit well they will be used a lot and the issue of returns for ill fitting garments becomes redundant. We stress this on our site and in addition to an extensive detailed size guide, we offer a special ‘design your own trouser’ section for this very reason. If you generally purchase and wear off the peg chinos for example and try to make them fit, why not visit our website with your measurements and we will make you a pair. Going forward we continue to look at ways of improving our sustainability credentials further. You should also always consider recycling or donating any clothes you really don't want or need.
We Make a Wide range of Clothes
Here at WISC we make a selection of products for both men and women including trench coats and boxer shorts. All are made from the best material and manufactured to the same exacting standards. Our collections are on sale to view and buy online so why not pop onto our site and put something in your basket. You will be supporting British manufacture and of course they make great gifts tooFrequently asked Questions
Do you make all of your shirts and clothes in the UK?
Yes we design, cut and make all of our clothes, including shirts and trousers at our own premises in Suffolk, UK
Do you Ship your Clothes Worldwide?
Yes, we ship to 40 countries including the USA at favourable shipping rates. UK delivery is free
Do people change their collection of shirts every year?
If you buy quality shirts then this is entirely unnecessary as shirts should last a long time. Our shirts are made to love and to last and whilst from time to time it makes sense to freshen up the collection with a new buy, shirts should be worn again and again if made well
Are your shirts made of cotton?
Yes our mens shirt collection is made from high quality Egyptian or pima cotton
How many times should you be able to wear the shirts that I own?
All the shirts you own should be able to be washed and worn many times without going out of shape or falling apart
Is a white dress shirt only suitable to wear at work
A white dress shirt is very versatile and looks good both at work and leisure. It can be dressed up with a more formal outfit yet looks good above a smart pair of jeans
