Know Your Staples

WHAT TO LOOK FOR WHEN CHOOSING WHITE & BLUE SHIRTS!

When it comes to shirts, there are a few essential ‘can’t do with outs’ that every man should have in his wardrobe. Two of those essentials are plain white and blue shirts. In this blog post, we'll talk about what makes each colour so indispensable, and we'll also give you some tips on how to find the perfect staple shirt for your everyday work wear.

When it comes to essential shirts, the colour white is often seen as a symbol of professionalism. For many men, a white shirt is the go-to choice for business meetings or other formal occasions, but equally can be worn in casual settings. So what makes a perfect essential white shirt?

For starters, it should be made from a high-quality fabric to ensure the shirt looks crisp and sharp, even after multiple wears and washes. Our Wash & Wear Swiss Cotton is one such fabric - it’s a high performance fabric ideal for your everyday work wardrobe and it’s exclusive “Wash & Wear” finish greatly reduces the wrinkling characteristics of the fabric while increasing the breathability and comfort to the wearer. Also when considering fabrics, take into consideration the thickness and type of weave - do you prefer a textured or smooth look and feel?

Another important factor to consider when shopping for a white shirt is the fit. The shirt should be well-tailored to your body, and feel really comfortable especially when sitting down, without being too tight or too loose. And finally, make sure that the shirt is long enough to stay tucked in throughout the day (if that's how you wear them!) Ganton has three distinct fits - Classic, City Tailored, and Slim to ensure everyone can find their perfect fit!

A white shirt should also be versatile enough to be worn with a variety of different outfits. To get the most use out of your shirt, look for one that can be dressed up or down. That means choosing classic features like a classic spread collar (not button down for example which is usually suited to a more casual occasion), and opting for button cuffs as opposed to French - which need cufflinks and lend themselves more to formal occasions.

Now let's talk about the staple blue shirt. When it comes to essential shirts, the colour blue is often seen as a symbol of stability and reliability. For many men, a blue shirt is the go-to choice for casual days at the office or other semi-formal occasions. But what makes an essential blue shirt?

Much like the white, a blue shirt should also be made of high-quality fabric. This is especially important for all singular coloured shirts as there is no pattern or other colours to mask imperfections, creases, or marks. Super fine fabrics in cotton poplins and twills are great choices for an essential blue shirt like our Gold Label which we have been making for close to 50 years! 

As with the white, the fit of your blue shirt is also important. Again, it should be well-tailored to your body without being too tight or too loose. Also take into consideration your daily activities - if your work requires regular movement, you might want to choose a shirt with a little more room in the chest and shoulders, so that you're comfortable throughout the day. Or if you’re after a slim fitting shirt but still want some movement choose a shirt made with a little elastane like our Cotton Stretch range. It’s a modern and versatile fabric: practical, breathable, environmentally friendly, and above all incredibly comfortable. The special poly/elastane blended yarn is what gives the fabric it's stretch, while the superfine organically grown cotton gives it a great feel and durability.

When it comes to choosing the right blue shirt for your wardrobe, there are a few different options available. For example, if you're looking for something versatile, try opting for a classic light or sky blue that pair back with pretty much any colour pants or suiting cloth. Darker blues like navy are generally suited more to casual settings and are best paired back with lighter coloured pants.

So, when shopping for the essential staples of plain white and blue shirts, it's important to keep in mind the different features that we talked about earlier. Fabric, fit, and styling are all important factors to consider when choosing your perfect essential shirt.

We hope that this blog post has been helpful in teaching you what to look for when shopping for shirts. And most importantly, make sure that the shirts you choose are appropriate for your business setting.

Thanks for reading!