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I am going to break it down for you:

The Slim Fit – This fit is for anyone with a slim waist, yes it explains itself. But often this shirt never works if you just have a slightly visible bump as a stomach. Too much will be revealed, be careful.

This fit is usually for the more athletic types and for that reason has also been called the athletic fit.

The Modern Fit – many new brands have this fitting. It actually varies, but this fit is even at times even more tight to the body than the slim fit, so be sure to have the six pack if you are going to wear this. At least try it on before hand.

Again this one is only for people with flat stomachs. In my opinion, it’s a good fit and the name gives the shirt a cooler sound to it.

The Normal Fit – Well this one explains itself. However, normal here would describe anyone who does not want their shirt to follow the contours of their upper torso. There is no tightness to this shirt fit and its great for a relaxed feel.

The Loose Fit – If you have a significant beer belly, then there is really no other fit you
should go for. This hides it well as it has a wider area around the waist. The last thing you want is a tight fitting shirt that really emphasizes your stomach.

The fit of a dress shirt is crucial! So be sure to choose the right one.

If you may be considering to buy a French cuff dress shirt you should our post on that before hand.

There is a rare breed of shirts that instantly reflects confidence and style in the eyes of the masses and more importantly your peers.

It has most likely happened to you before, someone walks by you on the street or walks in the room and in those first seconds you realize that his shirt is a winner.

I must admit it is a rather rare happening, but there are ways to getting a shirt like that for yourself.

These are the three main components to think about:

The Fit
The fit of a shirt is by far the most important. Even with a fabric that is of the worst blend of chemicals and with the lowest yarn count, a well fitted shirt can do miracles. That’s one of the reasons why we are such fans of tailored shirts.

There is really no way that your shirt will be a true winner without it fitting you well and by that I mean truly following your dimensions. However, for the people with normal limb and body sizes out there you can be lucky enough to find a suitable match without having to go to the tailor.

All in all, make sure to get the shirt made to measure, then especially solid color shirts can be winners.

The Pattern and Color
It can be really tricky to determine what shirt pattern is impressive and which one is just too much. A few of my personal favorites include broad white stripes with thinner stripes that are blue or brown.

Be sure to sign up for the completely free eBook in the upper right column, where this subject will be looked at in far more detail. You can read more about it here.

The Collar
For a firm and confident look the collar has to follow suit. Make sure that your collar is stiff and firm so that it does not go all over the place when there is a bit of wind.

Another option is simply to go for magnetic collar stays, which is a pretty new invention. They pretty much make any collar look sharp, they are called Wurkin Stiffs.

Again do be sure to opt in for the free eBook in the upper right column. Collars and tips about collars will be a large focus in the “Shirt Element” section. Among others this will include washing tips and collar coordination tips.