The Top 5 Men’s Dress Shirts

Most men don't enjoy shopping for clothes, and my husband is no exception. When it came time for him to start a new office job, I decided to go on a journey to find him the best men's work shirt available on the world wide web. I had him test out the top 15 men's dress shirts available and narrowed it down to the best 5 to make your next digital shopping trip easier.

Amazon Essentials Men’s Regular-Fit Short-Sleeve Poplin Shirt

This inexpensive shirt is easy to own and comes in a bundle of colors

The Amazon Essentials Men's Regular-Fit Short-Sleeve Poplin Shirt is probably the easiest purchase you'll make this year because it's low-maintenance and economical.

Best Overall

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If you love Amazon’s Essentials line of basics, you will appreciate this short-sleeve shirt that any man could wear to an office job or backyard barbeque. We found that this fit true to size, and would probably fit best on someone under 6 feet tall.

This shirt is inexpensive, looks good, is easy to wash, and comes in a ton of classy color options. This is definitely the best of the men’s shirts available and I will continue to buy this for my husband years after he wears through them.

Pros:

Inexpensive
30+ colors
Machine washable
Doesn’t wrinkle easily
100% cotton

Cons:

May be too short for men over 6 feet tall

Calvin Klein Men’s Dress Shirt Slim Fit Non-Iron Herringbone

This sophisticated, comfortable, and adjustable Calvin Klein shirt is a great choice

The Calvin Klein Men's Dress Shirt Slim Fit Non-Iron Herringbone is great for men who want a perfect fit because you can pick your sleeve and neck size as well as adjust the cuffs as needed.

Most Customizable

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This dress shirt was our second pick because it offers a classy looking spread color, smooth textures, great fabric, and a lot of colors. Calvin Klein knocked it out of the park with this slim fit shirt, which I suspect would look good on most body types.

You can purchase just the shirt, two shirts in one pack, or a shirt and a tie together. We tried out the Bordeaux color, which is a lovely dark red that reminds me of fine wine. I love how it looked on and it washed well. My husband liked the flexibility of being able to button the cuff tighter and appreciated that you can buy a custom size to fit both your neck and sleeve.

Pros:

Custom sizes for different neck and sleeve lengths
30+ colors
Does not need ironing and is wrinkle-resistant
Machine washable
Herringbone texture looks classy
Slim fit style is very modern
100% cotton
Adjustable cuff with two-button positions

Cons:

Not stretchy

Van Heusen Men’s Shirt Regular Fit Poplin Solid

Wrinkle-free and machine washable makes this dress shirt a winner

The Van Heusen Men's Shirt Regular Fit Poplin Solid was made for relaxed wear, fitting comfortably, and being easy to wash.

Lowest Maintenance

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The Van Heusen shirt was created to be wrinkle-free and easy to take care of. This shirt has a regular, classic fit to be more comfortable. There a couple of nice features – a classic point collar, adjustable cuff with two buttons, and a chest pocket.

The best part? You can throw this in the washing machine and do not need to dry clean it. It’s made from 65% polyester and 35% cotton. My husband loved how the magenta color was vibrant but still looked business-like with his standard black dress pants, and I suspect this shirt will be worn often.

Pros:

Did not wrinkle
Adjustable cuff with two buttons
Includes chest pocket
Machine washable
Comes in 20+ colors

Cons:

Would not fit a “big and tall” man

Van Heusen Men’s Dress Shirts Regular Fit Lux Sateen Stretch Solid

Sateen fabric is stretchy, easy to wash/dry, and wrinkle-free

Van Heusen Men's Dress Shirts Regular Fit Lux Sateen Stretch Solid is a shirt that takes your regular work outfit from blah to "wow" with its slightly shiny, breathable fabric.

Most Comfortable

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My husband designated this dress shirt as being the most comfortable one because he loved how stretchy and soft the fabric is. The sateen has a bit of a shiny look to it, so this would work best for the stylish man looking to step his work fashion up a notch.

This shirt is 55% cotton and 45% polyester, has a spread collar, and fits regularly. I felt this shirt ran true to size, but may look a little too long on shorter men.

Pros:

Machine washable & dryer friendly
Sateen fabric is stretchy and vibrant
Wrinkle-free
Adjustable cuff
Chest pocket
Not too thin or too thick

Cons:

The fabric is not moisture wicking

Amazon Essentials Men’s Slim-Fit Wrinkle-Resistant Long-Sleeve Dress Shirt

Good go-to inexpensive shirt in classic patterns and styles

The Amazon Essentials Men's Slim-Fit Wrinkle-Resistant Long-Sleeve Dress Shirt is great for men seeking a traditional cut, style, and pattern.

Best On A Budget

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Our last men’s dress shirt pick is another one from Amazon Essentials. The manufacturer actually recommends against dry cleaning these shirts, and we had no issue with machine-washing the shirt.

One note is that this shirt is labeled as slim fit but isn’t really – it fits like a regular cut shirt. Overall, it feels like a more traditional shirt in both the rounded hem, double pleated back, patterns offered (solid, plaid, striped), and the regular fit.

Pros:

Inexpensive
Comes in 12+ colors
100% cotton
Machine washable
Chest pocket
Did not shrink (washed on cold, delicate)

Cons:

Single-button cuffs are not adjustable
Plastic collar stays are not good at maintaining its form
Not slim fit

Frequently Asked Questions

What kind of tie should I wear with my dress shirt?

This depends on the material, occasion, pattern/color, and of course your personal preference. Here’s a guide:

Classic checked shirt – solid color ties of any material or larger stripes
Striped shirt – wear any solid, classic stripe, or foulard tie (“wallpaper” tie with a symmetrical, repeating pattern)
Herringbone shirt – most ties except for casual knits will look good with this shirt
Mini houndstooth shirt – choose any pattern or solid color, but avoid casual ties

Should I wear my dress shirt untucked or tucked?

This answer depends on your hem. Shirts made with a flat bottom hem are meant to be worn untucked. If the shirt has visible “tails”, varying in length around the shirt, it should always be tucked in. There are always exceptions but generally tails=tucked in.

How should a dress shirt fit me?

There are several factors when it comes to finding the right fit.

Here’s what to look for:

A collar that frames your face, and touches the skin all the way around the neck but not pressing against it. You should be able to slip 2 fingers comfortably in between your neck and the collar.
The shoulder points of the shirt should sit perfectly at the edge of your shoulders. The hole where the sleeve joins the shirt body should be large enough so that it doesn’t cause tugging or twisting of the should seam.
The torso should allow you to button up the shirt without issues, and the underside of the placket should rest lightly against the midpoint of your ribcage.
The shirt sleeve should be slightly wider at the upper arm than the cuff, with a smooth and even taper. There should be about 1-2 inches of fabric when the arms are hanging down straight so you can move freely.
The cuffs should fit close to your body while still allowing space between the fabric and your wrists.
The shirt sleeve length should come all the way down to your large wrist bones at the base of your pinky and ring fingers. The cuff should also touch your watch when you wear it.
The bottom hem of the dress shirt should end a few inches below your beltline, so your shirt can stay tucked in then you raise your arms. If you are wearing the shirt untucked, the hem should lay just far enough to cover your belt.