Simon Peters founder of menswear brand Simon and Simon launched his label with a classic white shirt. The classic white shirt is the brand’s signature piece in the collection, made from a mix of cotton and lycra, which enhances the shape of the athletic male torso. The garments are designed with a range of different collars for different occasions; from the classic point, classic spread, penny, mini cutaway, chiselled and three button collars.
The traditional shirt was worn as an item of men’s underwear until the twentieth century. Although the woman’s chemise was a closely related garment to the man’s, it is the man’s garment that became the modern shirt. In the Middle Ages it was a plain, undyed garment worn next to the skin and under regular garments. In medieval artworks, the shirt is only visible on humble characters, such as shepherds, prisoners, and penitents. In the seventeenth century men’s shirts were allowed to show, with much the same erotic import as visible underwear today. In the eighteenth century, instead of underpants, men relied on the long tails of shirts to serve the function of drawers.
Shirts are made up of fabric to cover the body, sleeves, cuffs, lower hem, neck (collar size) and other features such as buttons and pockets. The white shirt is the greatest multitasker. It can take you from a black-tie occasion to relaxing at the weekend because it’s an all-purpose purchase, that doesn’t mean you can be lazy about buying one.
To get the best-tailored, longest-lasting and most versatile shirt for your money, you also need to understand the industry secrets behind cotton weight, button manufacture and collar construction.
