When choosing a dress shirt, you shouldn't limit yourself to solid colors. Solid-colored dress shirts only have a single color. While there's nothing necessarily wrong with them, they lack the dynamic appearance of plaid dress shirts.
Plaid dress shirts have multiple colors rather than a single color. They feature a pattern consisting of many horizontal and vertical stripes in alternating colors. Because they contain multiple colors, though, there are a few fashion rules you should follow when wearing a plaid dress shirt.
Do Preserve the Colors
Because they contain multiple colors, plaid dress shirts are susceptible to fading. All garments can fade -- it's a natural phenomenon that occurs when dye is released from a garment's material or fabric. Plaid dress shirts, however, often contain two or three different colors, each of which can fade to a lighter tone if not properly preserved.
If you're going to wear a plaid dress shirt, you'll need to preserve its original colors so that it doesn't fade. Washing your plaid dress shirt in cold water can minimize its risk of fading. Another way to preserve its original colors is to add a small amount of vinegar to the washing machine. Vinegar is an all-natural color protectant that works like commercial-grade color protectants to preserve the original colors of your plaid shirt.
Don't Wear With Plaid Pants
What's wrong with wearing a plaid dress shirt with plaid pants? Well, plaid itself is an attractive and stylish pattern that looks great. If you wear a plaid dress shirt with plaid pants, though, it will create a somewhat bland appearance that resembles a one-piece jumpsuit.
Instead of plaid pants, consider wearing solid-colored pants with your plaid dress shirt. Contrary to popular belief, there's nothing wrong with mixing plaid and solid colors. Doing so is actually beneficial, assuming you just a solid color that flows cohesively with your plaid dress shirt.
Do Accessorize With a Belt
You should accessorize your plaid dress shirt with a belt. Plaid dress shirts are naturally formal. You can wear them in casual outfits as well, but they excel when worn in formal and semi-formal outfits.
Whether you're wearing a plaid dress shirt in a formal or semi-formal outfit, though, you'll need a belt to complete your appearance. A belt does more than just hold your pants or trousers around your waist; it breaks up the otherwise monotonous design of your outfit. A belt serves as a visual marker, distinguishing your plaid dress shirt from your pants or trousers. Therefore, you should accessorize your outfit with a belt when wearing a plaid dress shirt.
Don't Let Wrinkles Set In
Wrinkles are a common occurrence in nearly all garments -- and plaid dress shirts are no exception. While some materials are less susceptible to wrinkling than others, there's simply no such thing as a wrinkleproof material. If your plaid dress shirt develops wrinkles, it will create an eyesore that harms the aesthetics of your outfit.
You can prevent wrinkles from setting into your plaid dress shirt by following some simple tips. Prior to wearing it, press your plaid dress with an iron. You don't have to set the iron to the hottest setting. Rather, start with a low heat setting and gradually increase it as needed. Another tip to protect your plaid dress shirt from wrinkling is to hang it on a clothes hanger immediately after washing and drying it. When draped on a clothes hanger, your clothes hanger will retain its original shape, which subsequently reduces its risk of wrinkling.
Do Explore Short-Sleeve Styles
Plaid dress shirts are available in both long-sleeve and short-sleeve styles. During the fall and winter months -- when it's cold outside -- many people prefer the former style. A long-sleeve dress shirt will cover your arms, thereby keeping you warm and comfortable throughout the otherwise cold fall and winter months. If you're planning to wear it during the warmer seasons of the year, though, you should consider choosing a short-sleeve plaid dress shirt.
Short-sleeve plaid dress shirts are naturally cooler than their long-sleeve counterparts because they don't cover your arms when worn. If you choose a long-sleeve plaid dress shirt, you'll have to roll up the sleeves to stay cool. You can avoid this unnecessary step by opting for a short-sleeve plaid dress shirt for the summer.
Don't Let the Collar Curl
Like most dress shirts, plaid dress shirts are designed with a crisp collar. The crisp collar helps to accentuate your neckline while also creating a more formal appearance in the process. Unfortunately, it's not uncommon for shirt collars to curl.
If you allow your plaid dress shirt's collar to curl, it will only hurt your ability to create an attractive formal or semi-formal outfit. How do you prevent the collar of your plaid dress shirt from curling exactly? One idea is to use collar stays. Collar stays are small strips of hard material that are inserted into your collars to hold them in place. You can also prevent curled collars using a steam iron.
Do Make Sure It Fits
A plaid dress shirt is only useful for creating an attractive outfit if it fits. If your plaid dress shirt is too big or too small, it won't have a positive impact on your outfit when worn. It may, in fact, have a negative impact by creating a messier, more-unkempt appearance.
When choosing a plaid dress shirt, you need to make sure it fits. Don't just choose a plaid dress shirt in a standard size, such as "medium" or "large." Instead, consider choosing a custom-sized plaid dress shirt. Custom-sized shirts, such as those sold here at StudioSuits, are designed in custom sizes to achieve an appropriate fit each and every time. They don't use standard sizes. Custom-sized plaid dress shirts live up to their namesake by featuring a custom size that's designed using your body measurements.
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