How to determine if a dress shirt is high quality?
Here’s my two cents on the matter:
There are 5 steps that anyone can take to identify a quality dress shirt.  They are:
1. Create a Frame of Reference – What Is A Quality Dress Shirt
The first thing you need to do is get your hands on a high-end shirt (or whatever the garment in question is).
Doesn't matter if you buy it or not – your goal is to create a frame of reference as to what quality menswear looks and feels like.
The easiest way to do this is to visit the top menswear store in your area and look at their finest line of dress shirts.
Spend time examining the details of this shirt buttons, stitching, fabric feel, the build of the collar and cuffs.
Try the dress shirt on and get a feel for the fit – does it fit in the chest, waist, and sleeves appropriately?
Remember this – take notes & pictures. Â This is what you want to be looking for in EVERY dress shirt you buy!
2. Understand Dress Shirt Details
You need to understand what goes into the details of a high quality garment.
For example you'll notice that high quality shirts have more stitches per inch, that they use single stitch threading, that they are well finished when turned inside out.
You also want to examine the buttons; high quality shirts usually come with mother-of-pearl buttons vs cheap plastic buttons. Â Look at the threading that holds the buttons in place – is it tight and did they create a shank?
It’s details like this that you pay extra for.
If the shirt company has paid attention to these small details then you can bet that there are other details – invisible to your eyes – that they’ve painstakingly focused on.
3. Pay Attention to Dress Shirt Finish
Turn the shirt inside out.
Are there loose threads.
Are all the gussets tightly sewn on and finished.
Is the placket sewn on cleanly?
What about the button holes? Â Tight and smooth or loosely stitched and falling apart?
Shirts that are finished beautifully look impeccable and end up to be quite sturdy.
The finish is telling of the shirt’s quality.
4.  Customer Support – How Good Is It
How does the company treat you after they have your money?
Do they have a return policy and if so how much time do you have?
Do they have a website with a phone number or email and physical address?
Can you call and speak with a company representative if you have questions answered?
If you can positively respond to all of these questions then that is a good indication of a reliable company.
5. Â Company History
Check how long the company has been around.
If a company has been in business for five decades, that tells you that this company has made it through recessions and wars.
All this gives the consumer assurance that they will continue to be around for a long time and are a safe bet to start building a relationship with.
It is important to build a relationship with a brand or a company because then you’ll always have someone to turn to when you need that particular piece of garment.
Finally – knowing a companies history can hep you connect with their story, message and even what they stand for.
I'm Antonio Centeno, the founder of RMRS. I'm a former Marine Corps Officer with a BA in Evolutionary Biology and Philosophy (Cornell College 98') and an MBA from The University Of Texas at Austin (07'). I studied the Science of Style in London, Hong Kong, and Bangkok and have created over 5000 videos/ articles to help men dress better. Click here to discover more about our mission here at RMRS.
Ready to earn more money and command respect with the right clothing? Want to start dressing sharp today? Click here to discover The Style System , the BEST Professional Style Course on the planet!
We associate quality with price.
