The Dress Shirt: A Brief History

Early shirts

The shirt has existed as a garment since before the Middle Ages, though at first only as men’s underwear or a nightgown. In its earliest form, the shirt had neither collar nor cuffs, but a neckline that could be tightened and buttoned, and it was pulled on over the head. In the Middle Ages, people could choose between a fixed or detachable collar. The garment was often made from linen and sometimes silk. By the 18th century, the shirt was no longer worn only as underwear. The collar grew to enormous proportions and was decorated with embroidery and lace. Later, the collar became smaller again.

The golden days of tailoring

During this period, shirts were not mass-produced in factories. A well-dressed man bought his shirts from a tailor, much as many people do again today, while the common man wore shirts made by his wife. For a long time, the shirt remained a simply designed garment, but in the middle of the 19th century it became more closely tailored to the shape of the body. The fixed collar disappeared, and shirts began to appear in more colourful designs, especially as sports shirts and work shirts. Until the end of the 19th century, the white shirt was considered an important sign of prosperity.

The modern shirt

At the end of World War I, the shirt went through a major transformation. It was during this period that the modern shirt, with buttons all the way down the front, became popular, although the first buttoned shirt had already been registered by Brown, Davies & Co in 1871. In the 1930s, the shirt with a fixed collar returned and has remained with us ever since. Twenty years later, the nylon shirt was introduced, and during the same period the more daring short-sleeved shirt became fashionable. In the 1960s, the chest pocket was introduced as the vest under the suit jacket became less common.

Today, the shirt is worn by both men and women, even if most shirts are still made for men. The styling and design variations of modern shirts are almost endless. Collars come in many different shapes and sizes and are often influenced by changing fashions. Fabrics are available in many qualities and constructions, as they always have been. You can find shirts in a wide range of qualities in almost any shop today, including well-stocked food stores. But a fine shirt - one you wear with pride - is made to your measurements by a tailor.

The tailored shirt

A tailor-made shirt is a garment you value and take care of. You look forward to wearing it from the moment it arrives, and it quickly becomes one you reach for again and again. Worn with a suit and tie or more casually with your favourite jeans, a tailor-made shirt brings the outfit together. Quite simply, it helps you feel comfortably well dressed.