A Shirt in White.

My wardrobe is in general a monochrome of black and white (with the occasional gold flash) and come summer I can hardly wait to fill it up with all things in white.

White is the most pristine of all colors and nothing signals good breeding and taste as a good white shirt in a great fabric. I have often debated (with the people in my head) whether white or black is my favorite color and even though black inches above in an overall sort of way, I can easily say that I love the white things in my closet a lot more.

The pleasures of a good white shirt are various. It is versatile, goes from formal day to casual night without as much as a whisper.  It pairs well, with black, blue, brown, navy, khaki, white and most of the colors in between, including fuchsia. It’s an all weather accomplice and a summer best man, looks good in all fabrics, and looks cool even if heavily worn in. White shirts complement all skin tones, help you look fresh as hell and give out a relaxed and easy vibe when worn on formal occasions making you instantly congenial and approachable. White shirts are as much Monday morning as they are Friday evening. They look great with shorts! And if you wear only white shirts, it certainly means you have someone back home to clean them.

A day linen white shirt paired with khaki shorts

White shirts are an investment piece and hence a luxury. So what are some white shirt basics that we should keep in mind while choosing and wearing and most importantly keeping them?

The cut – The point of wearing a white shirt is to look relaxed. Hence opt for classic construction than a slim one to allow the ‘ease’ of white wearing to come through in a boxy cut.  Spread collars work better on white shirts for the same reason. Barrel cuffs allow you to roll up better, another necessity for a white summer day-to-night shirt. Try to choose the split yoke, to allow the fabric to stretch more comfortably. Keep contrasting shirt elements (patterned collars, cufflinks and the likes) to the minimum as they will break the look. All in all let your Italian sprezzatura shine through in the casual elegance of your white formal or polo shirt. You can subscribe to The Sartorialist for your daily low down on this cool Italian nonchalant way of wearing anything.

Old Italian men in all-white on The Sartorialist

For an easy induction into choosing and comparing various fabrics, cuts and tailoring of white shirts, head to the White Shirt Bar at Thomas Pink for an afternoon consultation over a drink. They keep over 140 styles and combinations and are a perfect starting point into white shirt luxe.

 

Thomas Pink's trademark White Shirt Bar with over 140 styles of white shirts to choose from

The fabric – Apart from the cut and the construction, the fabric and weave of a white shirt defines its level of formality and occasion of use. As a general rule, shirts should be made of 100% pure fabrics like cotton, linen, wool or a blend of these. Two additional terms are necessary to know regarding a good shirt weave:

Ply : 2 ply weaves are usually finer and tigher than single ply and create more breathable fabric

Yarn Count : The number you see on shirt fabrics indicates the size of thread in the fabric and thus number of threads per inch. Thus, higher yarn counts leads to a softer and lighter fabric as the threads are finer.

Thus a 2 ply 200 yarn count shirt manufactured in a high quality mill is what will give it its feel and fall.

3 most commonly used weaves are Poplin , Twill and Oxford. Poplin is a plain weave made with higher thread counts making the material more durable and giving the fabric its silky hand feel.

Twill requires weft and warp weaving to create interesting shirt patterns that gives this kind of shirt its trademark sheen and even softer hand feel.

Oxford is a type of weave created with weaving hick yarns in a basket weave. Single colored threads are usually crossed with white to give the oxford its unique thick textured appearance. Can be used both casually and occasionally.

 

Shirt fabrics and weaves - knowing the basics

The keep  - It can be a real pain in the everywhere to keep white shirts white and not have them change colors after a few washes. Hence when you invest in a white shirt you buy the lifelong hassle of keeping it white. Though this could be a daunting challenge, remembering a few key things and keep white shirts whiter, longer.

• Wash whites by themselves and as far as possible, group by fabric type
• Wash whites in hot water for best results
• Use a high quality detergent (with brighteners) with a combination of 3/4^th cup bleach.
• Pre-treat any stains by adding a few drops of vinegar or baking soda and applying on the stained area. Or just use a mild clear shampoo for easy stains
• Dry them in bright sunlight on a hanger
• Steam iron only

The brands – If you are not going bespoke, here are a few brands where you can find a perfect fit and yet buy in bulk :

Brooks Brothers – Great quality white shirts at a moderate price. They have a huge selection of collar and sleeve-size combinations.

Hugh and Crye – Experts in shirting, Hugh and Crye have Fit Finder, a sizing system to find the best fit for your white shirts. Their SILO oxford button down whites are perfect for an easy, unplanned day. Just in the details and shop online.

Charvet – a high end Parisian shirtmaker who used to make shirts for the royalty. For a special experience of bespoke shirt making, head to Charvet at Place Vendome for 18 measurements and wait 30 days to get your hands on it. Here's a cool Style.com video on bespoke shirt making at Charvet.

Charvet Store, Place Vendome, Paris

Ermenegildo Zegna – When Italian luxury menswear meets high quality cotton twill, you get the most luxuriously textured white shirt in the world for $345.

The Zegna twill

Ralph Lauren – Do we look any further for the Sunday lunch chic white polo?

Benetton – Safe bet for your summer double pocket white linen shirts

I hope this post has helped you get better aquainted with the basics of a good white shirt. Now spend some time to hunt down your favourite white and make sure you wear nothing else to the next ten black ties and brunches.

Expert Tip : Ladies, I will have a separate post for your white shirts coming out soon. Till then, find the perfect white shirt for your boyfriend and wear it with that Italian nonchalance!

In a light, white cotton button down at Dune du Pyla, 60 kms off Bordeaux
June'13