Almost everybody owns a formal shirt. An explanation about this prominent and ubiquitous item of clothing would be futile. But a historical evolution of a shirt would definitely prove worthwhile. The concept of a shirt had existed even before the Middle Ages. But at that point of time a shirt was worn only as a night gown or underwear. It had neither a collar nor cuffs and had to be worn by pulling it over the head. The Middle Ages saw a collar introduced to the garment. The eighteenth century shirt had enormous collars decorated with embroidery and lace. At the end of the First World War, shirts underwent tremendous transformation.
Modern shirt with buttons in the front came into being at this time. Shirt fabrics or "shirtings", as they are called by those in the industry, come in a wide variety of weave types. They are made from a range of fibers, with cotton being the most common. Different brands have their own signature collection of formal shirts.
Features of a formal shirt
* Buttons: Buttons are extremely essential components of a formal shirt. Every tailored formal shirt has at least seven buttons on the front, regardless of size. Formal shirts can also have buttons on the collar and cuffs.
* Collars: Collars are key features of a formal shirt. Having a collar is a must, however styles may vary. Formal shirts can have the Windsor collar, spread at the edges, a Straight Collar or the Tony Collar that covers the entire neck including the knot of the tie. Button-down collars are also popular with formal shirts.
* Cuffs: Cuffs cover the wrist. The barrel cuff is the one in which the sides of the cuff overlap and the French cuff in which the edges of the cuff are pulled out to the side and linked together.
* Placket: This is often overlooked, but properly stitched placket adds to the beauty of the shirt.
* Pockets: Single pockets are more common with formal shirts. They can be button-shut or can have a cover flap.
Formal shirts are generally tailored out of white piqué cotton that has the feel of a woven textured fabric. Formal shirt boasts of the finesse of its weave and smoothness of its feel. A formal shirt has not lost its relevance even in this changing world of fads.
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