Shirts for the bewildered

Dapper chaps and STW Dandies,

I need some new smartish shirts. To be worn with Chinos, jeans, etc. with a sports jacket or blazer and occasionally a tie. This is as smart as I will ever need to get and hopefully it won’t happen that often so I don’t want to splurge huge amounts of money.

Looking at the usual recommended suspects (Tyrwhitt, Lewin, Hawes) I’m struggling to work out how they fit compared to me. According to their charts I can either have them fit my chest/collar or my waist and I don’t think I’m an odd shape.

My vitals are 16.5″ collar, 44″ chest, 34″ waist. Does anybody have real world experience of how any of the above manufacturers fit in each of their styles? I prefer a slimmer/tailored fit as the “classic” cut shirts I have been given by well meaning relatives make me feel like a galleon in full sail.

Can anyone also shed light on the differences between the makers (collar stiffness, cuff diameter, etc) that might sway me one way or the other.

Help……..

TKMaxx…

M&S. Enter, up to 2nd floor, try on, purchase, leave.

Non-iron really can mean non-iron.

Why not pop into a tyrwhitt/lewin store and try them on?

M&S. … try on …

really? shirts?

really? shirts?

Yeah, man! They do customer service & everything 🙂

Tried m&s shirts. Not impressed with the fit.

Live in Dundee so nearest stores are Edinburgh and won’t be going there anytime soon.

Have minimal free time and don’t want to spend that shopping!

Looks like I may be a mini-you. 15″ collar, 38″ chest, 32″ waist.

I find the Lewin ‘Slim fit’ just so; none of that billowing around the belly. I’d size up on the collar by 1/2″ though. Their ‘fitted’ shirts are too much and best left to the super slim or teenagers.

They’re decent enough shirts, just don’t be fooled by the ‘Made in Jermyn Street since 1066’ marketing BS. They’re just mass produced (in China?) shirts; nice enough but not special. Same applies to Tyrwhitt and the rest

Yeah, man! They do customer service & everything

we’re talking about the ones in a cellophane bag, all wrapped up around a card “frame”, yes ??
It’s never crossed my mind to try on there & then

The M&S recommendation may not be so silly. When I lived in London, I wore only white, pure cotton, double-cuff shirts, mostly from Marks; occasionally, I would pick up premium brands in, say, the Selfridges sale (when the sale price had come down to only ‘rather more than’ the price of an M&S shirt. I found, without fail, that the expensive shorts were substantially less hard wearing than the M&S ones – at full price they would have 2-3+ times the price.

Perhaps people who buy expensive shirts have a lot more so wear and wash them less frequently.

Things may have changed in the past 20 years, though.

Ask at M&S and they have unpackaged shirts in all sizes to try on.

I like Charles Tyrwhitt, buy by collar, arm length and fit you want, and decent value with their usual promos and offer codes. Usually can get 4 shirts for £90 or so.

My only advice is do not wear a smart shirt with jeans. You will look a tool.

TM Lewins slim fit is fine and I am no racing snake. I actually have a 1/2 inch up on neck size and slim fit which works perfectly but could get away with same collar size.

Trad TML shirt is baggy by design.

I’m a 40″ chest with a 32″ waist and wear the fitted or super fitted shirts from Lewin, I prefer the fit of them compared to the CT efforts which I find to be quite tight across the shoulders. The length of CT shirts is better though.

I have tried M&S shirts, they’re pretty good for the money, just prefer the check patterns from Lewin. Just bought 6 shirts for £90, can’t complain at that for value for money.

16.5″ collar, 44″ chest, 34″ waist

At Charles Thyritt you’d be a slim I reckon, maybe an extra-slim if you’re lucky though the chest might be a touch snug. Find a store and try a few on though.

I wear extra-slim with suits and was, up to recently, 16.5″ collar, 42″ chest, 36″ waist.

15.5 collar, medium chest and 32 waist and TM lewin slim fit is good on me.

Next also do some nice shirts but you have to go to the big stores, or order online, for the Signature range which are very good. Next slim fit is slightly slimmer on the chest than TM lewin.

I save my m&s ones for when I don’t mind them getting dirty (climbing in lofts etc). And their regular fit is baggy, not tried a slim fit from there though.

Zara do good slim fit shirts and usually have plenty options.

Might be a bit on the short side but I keep them tucked in reasonably well.

If you were a woman . . . you’d simply find several shirts you liked the look of, order them online, then return the ones that don’t fit 🙄

Best to get measured up, go to a lewin shop or similar that offer different arm lengths and fits as opposed to just collar size, it’s worth the effort.

A well fitting shirt will make you look good, a badly fitting shirt, even an expensive one will make you look like you rescued it from a skip.

You’ve missed a fairly key measurement, which is where lewin/tyrwhitt etc come into their own – sleeve length! I’m 6’3, normal shirts have sleeves that are too short for me

You’ll be fine in a slim fit. Classic fit is meant for genuine porkers

I’m 15.5 collar with a 38 inch chest, I wear an extra slim. It’s nicely fitted rather than snug so a slim fit (which I had loads of and gradually changed to extra slim) will be fine as it’s quite a bit bigger. The bigger collar size means the chest will be proportionally bigger

Shirt + Dundee…

Gbh or joyriding?

Tried m&s shirts. Not impressed with the fit.

Live in Dundee so nearest stores are Edinburgh and won’t be going there anytime soon.

Have minimal free time and don’t want to spend that shopping!

Your nearest store that sold shirts last time I went in was Dundee!

Oh, and give Slaters a look in on the high street.

Sorry, meant tyrwhitt etc were in Edinburgh.

Thanks for all the advice.

S