Usually, when we think about dress shirts, we think about business attire. There are other occasions when you may want to wear a dress shirt as well.
If you’re invited to a cocktail party, you’ll find yourself in need of a party dress shirt. Dress shirts are great for other kinds of parties as well. Here’s how to style a men’s party dress shirt.
Don’t Overspend
If you’re not accustomed to wearing dress clothes to a party, you may think that you need to spend a week’s pay for your outfit. This can be unnerving, especially if you’re considering having more than a drink or two at the party.
Don’t worry; you can put together a great outfit for the party without worrying about spending so much that you’ll be scared to drink.
Go Untuckable
Why worry about keeping your shirt tucked in throughout your party? A shirt made to the perfect untuckable length looks great all night with dress pants or jeans.
If you want to make sure that your dress shirt is right for a great party, choose Twillory’s untuckable men’s dress shirt with glow-in-the-dark details. You’ll look classy when the lights are on and be ready to party when it’s time to dance.
Pick Performance
If you want a dress shirt that you can tuck in for a more formal party, it’s a good idea to pick something with performance fabric. This fabric resists wrinkles, so you won’t have to worry about slouching a bit as you relax and enjoy yourself.
Stretch material is more comfortable than other types of dress shirt fabric and allows a fuller range of motion. Furthermore, the hyper-breathable and moisture-wicking qualities of this shirt will keep you much more comfortable during your party than other shirts.
Pay Attention to the Details
Details like the type of cuff links you choose can help to define your party style. Here are a few details to think about when planning your shirt.
Fit
For a party, you probably won't want a baggy classic fit dress shirt that is designed to be worn under a blazer. You want a more casual shirt like a slim fit dress shirt, an extra slim fit shirt, or even a short sleeve dress shirt. Consider the weather and the venue when it comes to deciding sleeve length, since you probably won't want to wear a long sleeve shirt to a summer poolside party.
CuffFor most parties, the button cuff will be appropriate. This cuff gives you more options in how you wear the dress shirt and is less formal.
However, the French cuff or the barrel cuff can also be a fun touch if you want to add a little bit of flair to your dress shirt.
CollarA button down shirt's collar style can totally change your menswear look. This is one of the best ways to make it clear that your shirt is for a party and not a work shirt that you put on in the evening.
- Point collars are the least casual and the most likely to be seen in a business casual workplace, so unless you have a very formal party and need a tuxedo shirt, this is probably not the best collar for your collar dress shirt. They can help to balance out round faces, however, so it may be worth choosing a pointed collar for this reason.
- Spread collars have a wider spread than pointed collars, making them look more casual, and also flattersoval faces.
- Cutaway collars are the widest and look best with angular faces. They also tend to be a bit more casual on average than pointed or spread collars.
- Button-down collar scream casual, thanks to their history as functional garments for sports players who needed to wear collared shirts.
- Hidden button-down collars enable you freedom of movement without worrying about your collar getting stuck in a strange position, but enable a more formal look than button-down collars.
- Flex collars are also casual as they are stretchy.
Formal dress shirts don't have any pockets. This tradition heralds back to a time when a gentleman wearing a dress shirt did not need to carry anything with them, and as such did not need pockets.
On the other hand, shirts for safari, sports, fishing, or work would have pockets because you may need to carry things with you for those occupations. One or two pockets indicate that a shirt is less formal, making them a great choice for parties.
PatternChoosing a great party shirt lets you play around with patterns in a way that you may not wish to with white and light blue solid dress shirts for work. Have fun with a take on the simple black dress shirt by choosing a black skull contrast like this one by Twillory.
The contrast will be evident if you roll up your sleeves, as most people do at parties at some point. As an added benefit, this shirt is made of a non-iron material, so you don't have to worry about getting wrinkled throughout the party.
If you want a pattern that is casual and bold, consider a bright gingham, plaid, or herringbone. If you're looking for something fun but not too eye-catching, consider windowpane with strongly contrasting colors.
When in doubt, remember that a solid black, white, or blue oxford dress shirt with jeans or contrasting dress pants is always a party hit.
Rolling Up Your Sleeves
Most men will tend to roll up their sleeves at some point during a party. Rolled up sleeves let you cool off and indicate a relaxed attitude, such as the one you should have at the party.
Generally, sleeves are rolled below the elbow as a sign that you’re ready to relax. However, rolling your sleeves above the elbow is also appropriate for a party. It's up to you.
If your rolled-up sleeves tend to be a bit uneven and messy, consider these tips for rolling up your sleeves properly for a party.
- Roll the sleeve the width of your cuff two times, leaving the top of the cuff exposed to show contrast in color or design.
- Smooth creases and folds, ensuring that the line is even
- Roll from the bottom of the sleeve and cover the cuff again, again leaving the top exposed
- When you are ready to unfold, just hold the top the cuff and pull down
Choose a Great Men's Party Dress Shirt
A dress shirt is a great choice for many parties, whether you're going for semi-formal, formal, or casual. To be sure that you also have fun while wearing your shirt, choose a stretch dress shirt like these by Twillory with wrinkle-free fabric and a little bit of stretch to allow you mobility.
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