First impressions are an important. Once the resumes have gone out, the phone calls returned, and the invitation extends to finally meet; it’s time to seal the deal. You need to convey a sense of professionalism and originality in the most subtle of contexts. Fashion plays a key role in emoting all of those ideas. Start with the basic dress shirt, but I want you to go one step further. Get a custom tailored dress shirt and the easiest way is online. Hit the jump for my review of Shirtsmyway.com.
Why a dress shirt? Any man, and for that matter woman, can wear one. Dress it up with a tie or keep is casual. The versatility of the dress shirt is what makes it so easy to wear. No one can look ridiculous in it. The only thing you need to keep in mind is fit and because our bodies are about as similar as puzzle pieces, tailoring important.
Shirtsmyway.com is one of several online ateliers that enable you to pick just about every detail of a dress shirt; from fabrics, collar and cuff styles, buttons, stitching, fit, and size. I’ve tried many similar services but none come as close to Shirtsmyway’s fabric choices and ease of customization.
If you’re not a fashion guy, don’t worry. Just hold my hand, take a deep breath, and trust that the end result will all be worth it. Shirtsmyway.com makes it super easy to get started. They recently launched their new site and 1-up’d the competition by showing you real photos of their fabrics instead of just tiny swatches. That’s where it starts – the fabrics. The selection is huge but if this if your first time, just know there are only three colors you should concern yourself with: white, black, and grey. If you’re a bolder man, by all mans give the patterns a go because if you ever decide to change anything, just step back and make your corrections. If you’re a fashionista then you’re in luck. You can apply different fabrics to every single component of the dress shirt. I’ve seen similar options on other sites and even then they were limited. All your choices are previewed in real-time with front and back views. You move thru your choices step-by-step and the last stop is the important one; fit.
There are three ways to get your measurements in: choose from a stock set of general sizes based on your neck. That’s just like shopping in a brick and mortar where they’ve attempted to group everyone into what amalgamates to small, medium, large, etc. Second option is to take a dress shirt you already like and measure it. The third option is to start with a clean slate and measure yourself. You’ll need someone to help you but it’s worth it. That’s the option I went with and I love my dress shirt. The great thing is once you have your measurements, you can use it over and over again. Although the site doesn’t store that info, they will soon, but I suggest writing it down anyways because once you start in the world of customized shirts, it’s hard to just buy off-the-rack again.
It costs between $75-95 which sounds expensive but we’re talking about something that was built for your body and unless you’re planning on dropping or gaining weight within the next month; this is something you’ll have for a long time. It takes 2-3 weeks but believe me when you try it on, you’ll know instantly it was made for you. Sure you could go to a local tailor but most tailors force you to buy three or four shirts at a time. With Shirtsmyway.com, it’s just a small investment for one shirt. If you’re not completely satisfied, they fix it for you.
What we loved:
- Fabric selection
- Easy to use website
- Clear instructions on how to measure your body
- High quality construction
- Choices between a normal or slim fit
- Embroidery detail under neck collar
- Custom monogram
What could be improved:
- Website storing measurement details (coming soon)
- Option to not use any fusing on collar and cuffs
Designer: YOU! (Buy it here)
