You have all these great looking dress shirts in your closet and when you shop, you may factor the weight, texture and feel of the shirt when making a purchasing decision. Ever wondered about the different fabrics used for dress shirts?
This week, we are talking about three common fabrics used to make your dress shirts.
Broadcloth is made from interweaving threads (simple over/under weave pattern). It is essentially the same as the Poplin except that finer yarns are used that are more densely packed. Broadcloth/ Poplin is used for the classic dress shirt – with a smoother texture and being lightweight, making it suitable for formal occasions.
Twill is created using a diagonal weave called a “wale”. The diagonal weave makes twill wrinkle less and easier to iron. A version of twill is the herringbone twill where the diagonal ribbing switches back and forth. It is good if you like softer but heavier fabric and is suitable for formal as well as informal occasions.
Oxford is considered more casual since it is the coarsest and is created using the basket weave. However, it still remains quite soft and comfortable to wear when used for a dress shirt. Oxford shirts are better for casual weekend wear and normally to be found with button-down collars.
So next time you purchase a high quality dress shirt, be more informed about the fabric being used to make it!
Key Takeaway For Dress Shirt Fabrics
- Three commonly used – Broadcloth/Poplin, Twill, Oxford.
- Oxford tends to make the most affordable dress shirts that are used mainly for casual wear.
- Broadcloth dress shirts are finer, lighter in weight and to be worn for more formal occasions.
- Twill weaving pattern is the most unique amongst the three, making it more distinctive than the other two.
Image Courtesy: Office Dress Shirts