Casual shirts are designed to complement suit jackets, with no strict fabric rules, styles remaining traditional or slightly modified, and color and pattern choices being more flexible. Whether to wear a tie with a casual shirt when paired with a suit is entirely a matter of personal preference and the desired look. Additionally, as a special rule, dark, slightly glossy casual shirt fabrics are favored by performers, often worn by actors and designers with suits for formal occasions. Such dark shirts, if well-tailored, can maintain a gentlemanly demeanor while exuding a relaxed and handsome vibe, gradually becoming a fashionable evening casual attire choice for some young, discerning trendsetters.
Home shirts, as the name implies, are designed for home and casual wear, hence the prevalent styles are loose American fits. Stripes and plaid patterns are widely used in their designs. While the fabrics are primarily pure cotton, linen, and wool, emphasizing comfortable textures, they do not overly emphasize high-end quality or special effects due to their home use. They are usually paired with sweaters and casual pants. As the dress code at colleges is quite relaxed, home shirts have become the daily attire for many students and professors. When paired with flannel or other non-formal fabric suits, the suits are referred to as "suit jackets."
Hermès' vacation shirts are predominantly made from lightweight materials like pure linen, cotton, or silk, offering a completely unrestricted style with a more free-cut silhouette. The collars and cuffs are unlined. Influenced by colonial culture and the tropical vacation trend, these shirts are traditionally made of pure linen, and can be paired with vacation suits and trousers of the same fabric, as well as knitted garments.
Popular derivatives of shirts include the Hawaiian shirt and the flip collar shirt. The Hawaiian shirt, designed by A. Akona, a Polynesian from Hawaii, is typically made from brightly colored, bold-stroked traditional Polynesian print fabrics, offering loose and comfortable wear suitable for tropical climates. It was introduced in the United States in 1940 and gained widespread popularity. The flip collar shirt refers to a versatile shirt with a removable collar, usually featuring long sleeves with flap pockets on the chest, and a squared bottom. It is worn without a tie or tie knot and is commonly made from plain, sturdy fabric, serving as a casual outerwear top for men during early summer and late autumn. The short-sleeve version is also known as the Hong Kong shirt, which shares the same basic style as the Hawaiian shirt but primarily comes in white or light colors.
When selecting shirts, we should choose different styles based on the unique characteristics of our body shapes. For instance, if you have a short neck, opt for a low neckline or a V-neck shirt to elongate the proportions of your neck.
