15 Best Dress Shirts for Men, According to Style Experts

By Leah Melby Clinton

A good men’s dress shirt is a sartorial asset. The right one should be comfortable, flattering and work both on its own and under a jacket or sport coat. Since dress shirts are a closet staple, there are also hundreds to pick from, making a trusted recommendation invaluable. We polled personal stylists, fashion label founders and other dapper men working in the fashion industry to find out what they reach for regularly. These are their most-trusted styles. 

Machine-washable favorite

This pick is a favorite among Los Angeles-based personal stylist Rayne Parvis’s clients, and for good reason. “Hands down, it’s my top selling button-up dress shirt,” she says. The compact knit fabric, a cotton-poly blend from a premiere Japanese mill, according to the brand, is resistant to snags and offers a structured fit. Parvis describes its everyman fit this way: “It enhances muscles if he’s in shape and still looks great and tailored even if he’s not,” she says. And since it comes in nine colors, “once a client knows he loves the fit, he gets it for different occasions,” she adds. Also worth noting: Since the fabric is machine washable, it’ll save on trips to the dry cleaners. The brand recommends hanging the shirt to dry and using a cool iron if needed.

Soft and comfortable classic

Mizzen + Main takes the moisture-wicking, quick-drying fabric typically associated with workout wear and uses it on a classic-cut dress shirt, resulting in a versatile option that’s great for all seasons. “We get this question often: ‘Are those shirts as soft and comfortable as Mizzen + Main’s?’” says stylist Grant Alexander, owner and creative director of Chicago’s G Alxndr styling. “Most of the time the answer is no; just feel one and you’ll understand.” The spandex in the fabric provides wrinkle-resistant stretch and the wide variety of colors, prints and sizes (including trim and classic cuts and a tall length) means there’s one for any occasion.   

C-suite approved

“You know when you pick something up and instantly know it’s quality? That’s this shirt,” says Alexander. He loves the feel of the brand’s signature twill, made using extra-long staple cotton that’s known to be soft and durable with just the right amount of subtle shine. The thread count has a slightly heavier feel and “doesn’t wrinkle easily.” The men he styles, from corporate executives to start-up entrepreneurs, love that it doesn’t wrinkle and works for everything from a standard day at the office to a formal fundraising dinner. 

Athletic feel

This option from Lululemon has a similar fitness-inspired feel with a dressed up look, and it comes in a wide range of sizes, extending up to 5XL. Though it has the appearance of a traditional dress shirt, it’s actually made of a sweat-wicking cotton-polyester blend with four-way stretch. Additional room at the chest and waist means it won’t fit too snugly, allowing you to move. An underarm gusset is another helpful detail, featuring two seams rather than just one to add even more mobility.

Parisian fit 

“Figaret is my destination for Parisian shirting at an approachable price,” says antiques dealer Cole Myers, who splits his time between Kansas City, Mo., the location of his shop Myers & Monroe, and Paris, a city that’s influenced his fashion sense. He opts for the semi-slim style (although slim and classic cuts are also available), which forgoes synthetic fabrics in favor of a mix of cotton and cashmere, a nod to old-school dressing that Myers appreciates.

Flattering details 

Suit Supply

Royal Oxford Slim Fit Shirt

$99 at Suit Supply

This shirt is “one of the best, actual slim-fit silhouettes,” according to Alexander, and is a top pick for his styling clients who ask for “modern” looks. Clients might not initially notice details like offset underarm seams, a stitch that allows the sleeves to follow the arm’s natural angles, but they do appreciate “the comfort and ease of movement” it provides. He routinely advises clients to wear this all-cotton option with jeans or slacks and says it looks just as good on its own as it does layered under a suit jacket. 

Modern classic

Unique design features are something Nolan Beck-Rivera, a Richmond, Va.-based interior designer and owner of the home goods shop Jolene, looks for when shopping for dress shirts. This striped pick caught his eye because of the shirttail hem, a cut where the shirt sits higher at the sides and extends lower in the front and back. Typically designed for comfort—it allows shirts to stay tucked in more easily—though you can also wear it loose. “It really makes it look like a considered design object instead of just another button-down,” he adds.

Bamboo blend

Bamboo fabric is beloved for its breathability and stretchy, soft feel, qualities that make it an ideal dress shirt for wearing all day (or night) long. “Without a doubt, this is a favorite of each client that tries it,” Alexander says of the dress shirt he recommends most often. It “feels luxurious and drapes beautifully,” while the bamboo and microfiber blend is odor- and wrinkle-resistant. It’s also machine washable for added convenience. He advises clients to “dress it up with a jacket and no tie or go sophisticated-casual with jeans, rolled-up sleeves and one less button fastened.”

Vintage inspiration

A dress shirt can be more casual depending on location. Alvie Franklin Faulkenbery IV, the Austin, Texas-based founder of the shoe brand Alvies, has worn snap-front shirts since inheriting a stash from his grandfather back in college. “What makes them special is that you can rip them off easily and jump into a river,” he quips, referencing their versatility. “Worn-in” vintage options are Faulkenbery’s favorite, but you can find the same “light and airy” feeling with this cotton-jersey option.

Southwestern staple 

Another favorite of Faulkenbery’s is the Guayabera, an embroidered style with roots in the Philippines, Cuba, Mexico and other Latin American countries. The silhouette can run the gamut from casual, short-sleeve options to dressier versions with “a nice Texas spin,” notes Faulkenbery. “I wear them year-round to dinners and parties,” he says, preferring the U.S.-made pieces from Texas Standard. For a slightly more formal look, this long-sleeve pick is a solid option. Made entirely of linen, a fabric known for its lightweight, breathable feel (as well as its tendency to wrinkle), it’s a great alternative to traditional dress shirts for beachside weddings or other formal events in warm-weather locales.

Beach formal 

Since it’s so breathable, linen helps you stay cool, making it a go-to choice for dressed-up moments in steamy climates. Cash Lawless, an editorial hairstylist turned financial coach who splits his time between Los Angeles and Dallas, fondly remembers a stylish event on a private beach at Jamaica’s GoldenEye resort where “everyone” was in linen. The shape of this pick is nearly identical to that of traditional dress shirts, yet the fabric gives it a gauzy, lightweight feel. It’s an ideal option for outdoor events if you’re prone to sweating in warmer weather.

Sleek short sleeves

Theory

Kayser Regular Fit Short Sleeve Polo

$95 at Nordstrom

How do you make a polo shirt feel dressed up? That’s a question clients routinely ask Parvis, who says the key is “a clean look with no logos.” She regularly recommends this one from Theory and has found that clients love the fit, since it’s slim but not tight and doesn’t have cuffed sleeves that hug the biceps too tightly. The fabric—a blend of recycled polyester, spandex and modal, an eco-friendly alternative to cotton—is soft with a silky sheen that also comes across as more dressed up than a traditional piqué polo. 

Versatile option

Buck Mason

Perfect Oxford One Pocket Shirt

$98 at Buck Mason

Beck-Rivera likes this “lightweight, relaxed and comfortable” style for everyday and also for fancier moments: “It’s formal when it needs to be,” depending on what you pair it with. The shirt is made from cotton that’s been washed and brushed, giving it a soft, comfortable look associated with aged garments. The slim, tailored cut is flattering worn with jeans or slacks, and the back yoke detail helps to give the illusion of broader shoulders.

Soft silk pick

As an alternative to cotton or synthetic blends, silk is a luxurious option that’s lightweight and soft on the skin. It feels “very artist-designer when worn untucked,” says Beck-Rivera. This “oversized” style is his go-to for creating an “androgynous” fashion moment, though it’s easy to make it feel less dramatic by tucking it in. “It’s a contemporary look,” he remarks.

Stretch-cotton style

This thoughtfully constructed shirt is this classic option made of stretch cotton. Its slim cut, a favorite of insiders we spoke with, is fitted at the chest and shoulders before tapering in at the waist. It’s nearly impossible not to find your ideal style and design: This one is made in over 20 prints and colors with four fits (slim, standard, tailored and athletic) and ranges from XS to XXL.