The beginning of a New Year means re-examining fashion styles, and this is certainly the case when it comes to men’s business wear. Dress shirts play a prominent role in men’s suit choices, and you will find a wide selection of different types of men’s shirts out this season. Top trends include men’s French cuff shirts, long sleeve shirts, the spread collar shirt and short sleeve dress shirts.

French cuff shirts have a double cuff, with the top layer of material folded back on top of itself. This creates four layers of fabric that need to be attached to keep the shirts closed at the cuff, and this thickness of fabric would make using a button impossible. Therefore, cuff links are worn with these dress shirts.

The spread collar formal shirt is a hot trend in men’s work wear, and it is often worn with men’s French cuff shirts for a highly polished and stylised look. It has a wide collar that does not have button-down collar points, which are considered a more casual look than that offered by the spread collar.

Long sleeve dress shirts offer more warmth in the winter months and can be replaced with short sleeve dress shirts in spring and summer. Short sleeve shirts are considered a little less formal than the long sleeve varieties but certainly more comfortable to wear when the temperatures heat up.

The type of cloth you select for long and short sleeve shirts will vary. Men’s shirts may be made from silky fabrics or from Oxford cloth, which is a type of woven material and a classic choice for men’s shirts.

Since you want to look your best in the work environment, it is always a good idea to iron your shirts prior to use. Crisp collars and cuffs, as well as fronts and backs with no wrinkles, will go a long way in giving you an elegant appearance on the job.

Coming up with the perfect shirt design for a new team, or even an older one that wants a more updated look, can take some time and study. The effort should include a little bit of fun and maybe some whimsy, too.

The things to consider when setting shirt design styles include

• Pricing: Some custom designed shirts can get rather expensive. Before deciding upon a $75 jersey with a custom design fee that will be tacked on, consider what team members now, and perhaps in the future, can afford. There are some great options in the more affordable market.


• Materials: The standard, retro shirt of days gone by was made from polyester. Offering a full collar and often a button-up design, these shirts remain in vogue today. Still, some teams prefer cotton shirts that provide better breathing or even special jerseys. Plain old t-shirts of 100% cotton often work well, too.


• According to studies undertaken, the average man will spend up to twelve hours a day in his dress shirt. While that may seem like a lot of hours it may well be so for many men when you add up hours spent traveling to and from work, hours at the office and after-hour meetings. For this reason, it is important when selecting men’s shirts, that they are as comfortable as possible. An important factor in determining how comfortable a shirt will be to wear is the material the shirt is made from.


• There is a wide variety of material to choose from, ranging from polyester or cotton-polyester blends, to silk and linen. If a shirt is worn every day to the office, it is important that it is made from a fabric that is easy to wash and care for, and does not readily show perspiration stains. The best choice is one that is wrinkle resistant, which would be a cotton/polyester blend shirt. These are usually either 80/20 or 60/40 blends. They are machine washable and can be dried in the clothes dryer. If you are unsure, washing and drying instructions should be included on the label.


• Some men prefer 100% cotton men’s shirts. These often wrinkle easily and are not always the easiest shirt to iron. However, they do have the advantage of being very cool to wear as they allow the skin to breathe well.


• The fabric itself also comes in a wide variety of weaves, independent of whether it is a 100% cotton or cotton blend shirt. Popular weaves are Oxford, Poplin, Cotton Twill, and Broadcloth. Oxford and Poplin are normally used for more casual dress shirts, while Cotton Twill and Broadcloth weaves are best used for formal dress shirts. Frequently the name of the weave will be included on the shirt label. A shirt worn for a very formal occasion should be made from white cotton fabric.


• Colours: Every team should have its set colours. Before picking ones for your shirts, try and find out what other teams on the same league have used. If possible, come up with a different combination to help your team and its shirts stand out a little from the crowd.


• Logo: This doesn’t have to be terribly fancy, but it can be a fun addition. Consider the team’s name, obviously, being in the design with something bowling related. Go with a neat design for the team name. Pay attention to how many colours are used in the logo. The more colours, the more expensive the end design will be likely.


• Style: This goes beyond the cut and material of the shirts. The style might be the background material colouring. Some teams really enjoy bold, bright, colourful patterns. No one says a great shirt can’t be a whimsical paisley or Hawaiian design with the team’s logo on it.


• Reprint ability: Makes sure the design easy to remake whenever you need to make a shirt for new employees. If it’s a special design, keep the art work or ask the shirt printer to do so.