When it comes to fashion and clothes, my husband has impeccable style. He continues to impress during the week and weekend. As a lawyer, he always dresses to “the nines” as they say. He is smartly and eloquently dressed in his pin stripe suits and silk ties. Though his fashion and style is limited to business professional attire during the week, he enjoys rocking his own style on the weekends. In my opinion, it is the weekend when his true expression of self comes alive. There is only one flaw with his attire on the weekends- t-shirts.
He is a big advocate of wearing nice designer jeans and adventurous t-shirts, but sometimes his t-shirts can be less than glamorous. His style and fashion are quickly ruined by a shrunken t-shirt, ridiculous images, and odd lines/stripes that don’t compliment his body image. With this concern, my husband and I have started to look for t-shirts that are stylish and fashionable for his weekend warrior look. This can be a difficult task at times. We have started asking ourselves “what makes a t-shirt fit just right and look good?” As the price of t-shirts continue to rise, purchasing the right t-shirt the first time becomes more and more important. Here are some tips I have learned for successful t-shirt shopping:
Material
There are many types of t-shirts available for men these days. I have found that the type (crew neck vs. V-neck, etc) is not as important as the material the shirt is made of. The majority of t-shirts sold on the market these days are 100% cotton. My husband and I have found that cotton tends to shrink. This is troubling because the shirt you buy in the store won’t fit you after you wash it. It doesn’t seem to matter if you air dry it or put it in the dryer on a low heat setting. I found that a t-shirt made of 50% cotton and 50% polyester tends to hold its original size better. These shirts resist shrinking and seem to keep their original fit. The composition of this shirt material also makes for a super comfortable feel that a cotton shirt doesn’t seem to offer.
Length & Width
Always make sure the length of t-shirt matches the length of the torso. Do a quick spot check and determine is the t-shirt is too long or short by looking at the base of the t-shirt on the person. My rule of thumb is to make sure the t-shirt sits 2 inches below the belt line. Additionally, do a quick spot check to make sure the t-shirt is not too tight around the chest area. In my opinion, a t-shirt that is too tight around the chest area causes the t-shirt to shorten its overall length when any body movement occurs and also the fastest way that seams on the shirts tear. Since my husband is active, any arm or body movement puts pressure on the shirts seams. Having a little extra room in the chest region keeps seam tears from happening and supports the life of the shirt.
Design & Color
Nothing expresses fashion and style more than design and color. Consequently, these are the same components that ruin fashion and style as well. Beyond making sure the shirt fits (material/length/width) it is imperative that your shirt expresses your true identity in design and color. Determine which color matches your skin tone, hair and eyes. For my husband, it is dark gray and dark greens tones.
Take time to pick designs that match your personality. Pick an image or design consistent with your taste. It is strange when people wear images or designs that have no relation to their personality. After selecting a good image or design, make sure the direction of the image match your natural body physique. Experiment and determine if it is better to have the design and image run left to right or up and down? Just like horizontal vs. vertical stripes affect a person’s overall appearance, a good design and image can also affect your physique and expression of self. Since everyone is different, try a number of options. Don’t limit yourself to only one shirt, design, or image. Finally- never be afraid to ask your significant other or a store associate what their thoughts are about the t-shirt.
Fashion and Style have always been important to our family and my husband in particular. It wasn’t until he graduated from law school, found a job with a good firm, and consolidated his college loans that we could afford clothes that expressed his personality. When you go t-shirt shopping, keep some things in mind: consider the material, length and width, and design and color of the shirt before you buy. These factors will help contribute to fashion and style you are hoping to achieve. Happy shopping!
