white, blue, or...orange dress shirts?

so, the other day, i was doing my usual online browsing and i stumbled upon an interesting article by The New York Times entitled, " For Men's Shirts, It's Bright Colors And Bold Patterns." in the article it claimed that men were choosing brighter, bolder shirts - think crazy stripes and checkered patterns. ok, sure the article is a little dated (ahem, published in 2003), but it got me thinking about men and their choices in dress shirts. what should a man have in his dress shirt collection?

while it is great to see men being more fashion-forward, selecting unconventional colors and patterns, in my opinion, nothing beats a crisp, white shirt (this also goes for women too). while some argue that fair skinned individuals should not wear white because it does not enhance their skin tone and hair color, i believe that white shirts are classic, professional, and effortless (meaning you can just put on the white shirt and pants, and go).

blue is also another closet essential. blue is probably the most flattering shirt color that anyone can own. most men can wear a medium blue. if you have a warmer, darker skin tone, you can get away with darker blues. and, if you have a fairer skin tone, you can wear lighter blues.

what about bolder colors? bright greens, pastels, oranges, and reds? i once had a manager who wore a shiny red shirt to work (think disco) and it definitely worked on him. but, if you are less adventurous, i would recommend starting with the pink shirt. personally, i love pink shirts (no, not the brand, but the color). if you are a pink dress shirt virgin, i would recommend starting with a lighter shade. wear it under a blazer, sweater, or suit. according to a Men's Health article, women are drawn to men wearing pink. i totally agree.

stripes, checks, and other patterns...so many to choose from. but, if it looks like something from that book, The Magic Eye, i would stay clear away from it. you wouldn't want onlookers to suffer from eye strain, now, would you? i would pick simple designs with simple colors (under 3 colors are probably the best).

with all of that said, practice good judgment when selecting dress shirts for your work or play wardrobe. if in doubt, go to 9tailors.com (once our website is up and running, you can get your questions answered through our style help.) or ask a girl friend.

oh, by the way, only 25 days to our website launch!

sam shih