Have you ever worn dress shirts of Olymp and did not look as good as you expected? Don’t worry, it has happened to all of us. Luckily, we are here to walk you through the steps on what to look in a perfect shirt and how can you look your best in a dress shirt.
- Nail the Fit:
The way your shirt fits can make or break your outfit. No matter how expensive your shirt is, and how good the fabric, if it does not fit you perfectly it is not going to look good on you. So make sure that the shirt you are buying is of the right size for you. The shoulders of the shirt should fall on the edge of your shoulders, the collar should not be loose or tight on your neck. It should be nice and snug on your chest and it should be tailored around your belly area.
You can use above picture as a reference for a good fit vs a bad fit.
- Collar and cuffs:
While looking for high quality dress shirts of Olymp, paying a close attention to the build of shirt’s collar and cuffs can give you good idea about the quality of shirt. The collar and cuffs are usually made from the layers, the upper layer, the bottom layer and the interlining. The interlining is the material that gives the stiffness to the shirt’s collar and cuffs.
An iron fused interlining is the cheapest method of sewing cuffs and collars as it requires very little effort in production procedure. It may be cheap and easy but it does not last long as the glue on the iron fused interlining will gradually lose its strength and the collar and cuffs would lose their shape. On contrary, a hand sewn interlining is difficult to craft and needs an expert tailor but it will last you way longer and the shirt will hold its shape. So in a high quality shirt, look for a hand sewn collar and cuffs.
- Stitching of the shirt:
When it comes to the stitching quality of the shirt, the rule of thumb is the higher the stitch count per inch, the better is the stitch quality of the shirt. While bulk production, companies tends to hasten the process and while doing so the stitching quality decrease and there are fewer stitches per inch as the producer want to produce as many pieces as possible in shorter time and compromise on stitching quality is made. Higher stitch count per inch is an indicator that the dress shirts of Olymp will last you a long time and the stitches won’t break after multiple washings.
Moreover, look for a single needle lock stitch on the shirt rather than a chain stitch, that is more suitable for the jeans rather a dress shirt.
- Fabric:
The fabric of the shirt is probably the most expensive aspect of a shirt. You should chose a fabric that works best for your style and also keep in mind the season/weather that you will be wearing your shirt in. The thread count is the most important factor while deciding the quality and price of fabric. Usually, the higher thread count per inch speaks for a higher quality fabric.
Do not get fooled by the terms like ‘yarn number’ and ‘ply’ that is a measure of the thickness of the thread and not the fineness of the fabric.
Oxford and twill are most common fabrics for shirts. Avoid Polyester and synthetic fibers that gives a shiny and clumsy look to a dress shirt resulting in looking cheap.
The weather is also a deciding factor when it comes to choosing a fabric, if it is hot out there you would like a lighter fabric that allows for the passage of air to keep you cool. While in winters, you would want to opt for a heavier thicker fabric to keep you warm.
Moreover, a 1-3% blend of spandex or elastane gives your dress shirts of Olymp a very comfy and stretchable feel.
- Buttons :
The buttons on a shirt may be a good indicator of the quality of the shirt, most shirt makers use plastic buttons that are cheap and available in bulk, but are prone to heat damage while ironing the shirt and are more prone to wear and tear with every wash. The high end shirt makers use Mother of pearl buttons that are obtained from various shells of marine animals. Pearl buttons are more distinctive in their looks and gives a luxurious touch of the shirt.
Other uncommon materials for shirt button are wooden and metallic buttons, these come with their separate care instructions.
- Button holes:
Button holes may be a distinguishing feature between a luxury and average dress shirts of Olymp. Most shirt makers use the machine sewn button holes that are easier to craft and take minimum effort and time. While looking at a shirt, make sure that there is no fraying of fabric at the inside of the cut slit of the buttonhole and the thread properly covers the slit of the button hole.
All luxury shirt makers use hand sewn button hole that demand a high level of precision and a skilled tailor. Hand stitched buttonhole are a hallmark of quality shirt but these shirts tend to be more expensive than the mass produced shirts
- Pattern matching:
Perfectly matching patterns on shoulder seam, collars and cuff of the shirt are an indicator that certain amount of attention to the details was paid while crafting the shirt.
On the other hand if the patterns don’t match closely at the shirt pocket, cuffs or collars it indicates that compromises were made to save the fabric and cost and hence the shirt is not of the highest quality possible.
- Tightly sewn on Buttons:
While looking for a quality shirt pay close attention to how the button are sewn on the shirt. Loosely attached buttons that are more likely to fall off are an indicator of a cheap shirt. Buttons that are neatly and tightly sewn on the placket speaks for the quality of the shirt.
- Price to value ratio:
Usually, the more you pay for a shirt the more likely it is to be a high quality shirt. But, it is not always true. Don’t be fooled by the brand tags and prices. Pay close attention to the finer details of the shirt to make sure you are not getting ripped off by brands and shops.
- Company History and customer support:
While choosing a brand for your next dress shirt, research about the company history and the reviews of customer. How long have they been in business? Usually the older companies that have a good reputation and customer reviews are more likely to provide you with a better quality shirts.
Also pay close attention to the customer services, and follow back on the purchases you made. See how the company behaves after they have taken your money. The better the customer care, the better is the quality culture of the company.
With all being said, best of luck for your next purchase of the dress shirt.