Dress shirts versus sport shirts - and why that matters!

We’ve chatted with the associates this fall and we have found that a lot of our clients are loving a more casual look in their wardrobe.

Casual sport coat and jean looks are now being allowed in offices and this is great for a few reasons.

The look is a stylish look that translates well from office right to after work fun! It’s also easy to add some personal touches in patterns and colors in shirts, pocket squares, and accessories. This only adds to an already winning look.

But you may be asking - how do you easily wear a sport coat and jeans to work and then out after?

The key to pulling off this look is making sure you know what shirt to wear by knowing the difference between sport and dress shirts. The sport coat and jeans look is best styled and worn by pairing those two components with a great sport shirt.

So what are the differences between a sport shirt and a dress shirt?

Traditionally, a dress shirt has a more conservative color and style because it was designed to be worn dressed up. The collar is stiffer so that a tie can be worn easily underneath.

They are made of cottons or cotton fabric weaves (like a twill or pinpoint oxford) that can appear to have a bit of a shine.

All of this adds to the dressiness of the shirt and helps your overall style of your look. Dress shirts work the best with suits and ties.

A sport shirt, on the other hand, has bolder patterns and more detail. A sport shirt can have exciting interfacing (the material that the cuffs and collar are made out of) and fun, interesting buttons.

Sport shirts are made out of more than just cotton- you can find them made of things like flannel, linen, or fabric blends. Sport shirts still have structure but not as much as a traditional dress shirt.

Sport shirts can be worn with sport coats, under sweaters and knits, and even alone. Sport shirts are extremely versatile, which makes them an easy addition to your wardrobe.

So why choose a sport shirt instead of a dress shirt? A sport shirt was designed to be dressy enough to pair with a sport coat but casual enough to be worn with jeans.

This look (sport coat, sport shirt, and jeans) appears effortlessly styled and cool so it works for so many situations. Change your choice of pants and dress it down a bit more (think a lighter denim). You can change your shoes from a leather boot to a monk strap or lace up and you’ve got a look that is perfect for your holiday work party.

The structure of a sport shirt is the perfect compliment to a sport coat and has so many possibilities and situations it’s hard not to write a whole novel on this topic!

You can choose a sport shirt with a bold pattern and pair it with a simple pocket square. Add in a great casual watch and some bracelets as well as great socks and shoes and you are ready for anything on a Friday after you've clocked out for the week.

Your wardrobe and clothes should be stylish and work for you. Creating looks with stylish and trendy pieces can be fun and easy and Ticknors is here to help.

Make an appointment or stop in to see us and let us help you get some great looks for 2019.