As soon as summer arrives, men’s short-sleeved shirts have become the “all-rounder” in the wardrobe – you can wear trousers to show professionalism at work, jeans are very casual on weekends, and printed and atmospheric on vacation. But in the face of a variety of cotton short-sleeved shirts and business casual short-sleeved shirts on the shelves, many people will worry: choose expensive ones are afraid of stepping on pits, and choose cheap ones that have no texture, where should you start? Today’s guide will help you choose the most suitable one for you from the core dimensions of fabric, scene, version, etc.
1. Fabric and function: choose the right material and be comfortable all summer
The fabric is the “soul” of a short-sleeved shirt and directly determines the comfort and practicality of wearing. The characteristics of different fabrics are very different, and choosing the right one not only breathable and not stuffy sweat, but also saves a lot of care trouble. Combined with the factory cases I have come into contact with when I was purchasing, I have sorted out the core characteristics of the most common fabrics:
Fabric type: | Core strengths | Suitable for the scene | Shopping tips |
|---|---|---|---|
Cotton short-sleeved shirt | Skin-friendly and breathable, with strong moisture absorption, and the cotton content of more than 95% is the best | Daily commuting, home leisure | Look for “combed cotton”, which is more durable than ordinary cotton and is not easy to pilling |
Linen short-sleeved shirt | Breathable and cool, with a natural pleated texture and a moisture absorption rate of 12%-15% | Vacation, outdoor light activities | Slight folds are a normal trait, and there is no need to pursue “perfect flatness” |
Quick-drying short-sleeved shirt | The water evaporation rate is 3 times that of pure cotton, and it is washable and wearable | Sports, business trips, outdoor work | Look for the combination of “nylon + spandex”, which has better elasticity and quick-drying effects |
Ice silk cool short-sleeved shirt | The contact cooling coefficient was ≥ 0.15, and the cooling was significantly reduced in summer | Commuting in hot weather, daily shopping | Avoid exposure to the sun, otherwise it is easy to deform |
No-iron short-sleeved shirts | After resin finishing, the flatness after machine washing reaches level 4 or more | Business office and frequent business trips | Prefer “pure cotton iron-free”, which is more breathable than chemical fiber ironing-free |
There was a customer who was in sales before, and he always complained that the shirt stuck to his body after wearing it for half a day. According to the needs of his customers who often run outdoors, I recommended the UPF50+ sunscreen short-sleeved shirt, which can not only block more than 98% of ultraviolet rays, but also solve the problem of stuffy sweat in quick-drying fabrics, and later he directly repurchased 3 pieces to wear.
2. Scene and style: Wear the right occasion and double the temperament
There is no absolute “good or bad” style of short-sleeved shirts, only “whether it is suitable for the scene”. Wearing it right is a plus, but wearing it wrong makes it look unprofessional. Combined with the dressing logic of different scenes, we will classify you:
- Business casual scene: Business casual short-sleeved shirts or POLO-collar short-sleeved shirts are preferred. Choose low-saturation colors such as white and light blue, and give priority to Oxford spinning or pure cotton iron-free fabrics. When I was shopping for office customers before, I found that wearing khakis or dark trousers is more capable than wearing a T-shirt, and it is not as stuffy as a long-sleeved shirt.
- Everyday casual scenes: Korean slim-fitting short-sleeved shirts and American retro short-sleeved shirts are suitable. The Korean version is suitable for people with a thin body and can modify the shoulder line; American retro models are mostly loose-fitted, paired with jeans and canvas shoes, and come with their own sexy style. Remember to avoid styles that are too tight, as they will look cramped.
- Resort scene: A resort print short-sleeved shirt is standard. Choose tropical plants, waves and other printed elements, and choose linen or light cotton for fabrics, breathable and photogenic. But pay attention to the printing area, small area printing is more everyday, large area printing is suitable for the seaside, avoid wearing it to formal occasions.
- Sports scenarios: Golf short-sleeved shirts or short-sleeved shirts with cargo pockets are more practical. This type of shirt usually has a breathable mesh design, pockets can also hold small balls or keys, and the fabric is mostly quick-drying antibacterial material, so it is not easy to sweat and smell during exercise.
3. Fit and size: Find the right fit and modify the body shape
Many people ignore the fit and think that “it is enough to wear it”, but in fact, a good fit can quietly modify the shortcomings of the figure. If you choose the right version corresponding to different body shapes, your temperament will be greatly improved:
Core principles: The fit of the shoulder line is the key, too wide is sloppy, too narrow shows tightness; The length of the clothes covers 1/2 of the hips is the best, too long to press the height, too short is easy to expose the waist.
Body characteristics | Recommended fit | Lightning protection reminder |
|---|---|---|
Skinny small/small people | Slim short-sleeved shirt, Asian cut short-sleeved shirt | Avoid loose dropped shoulders, which will make you look thinner |
Standard body shape | Standard fitted short-sleeved shirt | Follow the principle of “shoulder line alignment shoulder seam” |
Slightly fattening/fattening | Loose dropped shoulder short-sleeved shirt, fattened plus-size short-sleeved shirt | Don’t choose a model that is too slim, it will expose the shortcomings of the figure |
Muscle fitness type | Muscle fitness short-sleeved shirt, elastic waist short-sleeved shirt | Choose fabrics with micro-elasticity to avoid tightening the meat |
4. Colors and patterns: novices do not make mistakes, veterans play style
The color and pattern are the “appearance” of short-sleeved shirts, novices can start with the basics, and veterans can show their personality through patterns.
Novices prefer white basic short-sleeved shirts and light blue business short-sleeved shirts, these two colors can be called “all-purpose colors”, which do not violate with any bottoms, and look clean and white. If you want to brighten up your look a little, a pink age-reducing short-sleeved shirt is very suitable, choose low-saturation bean paste powder, and yellow leather can also be worn.
Those who have a basic outfit can try patterned models: striped classic short-sleeved shirts choose pinstripes to be more exquisite, suitable for business scenes; Plaid British short-sleeved shirts give priority to small plaid to avoid bloating large plaids; Camouflage military short-sleeved shirts are suitable for pairing with cargo pants to create a sense of street trend. It should be noted that the pattern model should follow the principle of “simple on top and simple on the bottom”, and the solid color of the bottom is more coordinated.
5. Price and channel: spend the right money and buy the right goods
The price of short-sleeved shirts ranges from tens to thousands, and the corresponding channels and brands are also different for different budgets and needs. As a purchase, I have compiled cost-effective options for each price range:
- Affordable FMCG (50-200 yuan): Uniqlo U series short-sleeved shirts and ZARA basic short-sleeved shirts are the first choice. Uniqlo’s cotton model is skin-friendly and durable, and ZARA’s design is more fashionable, suitable for young people who pursue cost-effectiveness. Note that FMCG products are easy to break code, and it is more cost-effective to start when changing seasons.
- Mid-range brands (200-800 yuan): You can choose Tmall’s flagship short-sleeved shirts, such as Youngor and Heilan Home. Shirts at this price range have better fabrics, finer workmanship, and functions such as iron-free and antibacterial, which are suitable for business people to wear on a daily basis.
- High-end light luxury (more than 800 yuan): suitable for people who pursue texture, such as Zegna and Armani’s short-sleeved shirts, the fabric is mostly Egyptian long-staple cotton or mulberry silk blend, which has a delicate feel and a more ergonomic fit.
- Special channels: Amazon’s popular short-sleeved shirts are suitable for overseas shopping, Decathlon sports short-sleeved shirts are extremely cost-effective, and the original short-sleeved shirts need to be reliable, and you can buy products close to brand quality at a low price, but pay attention to distinguishing authenticity.
6. Selling points and pain points: solve your practical problems
When buying shirts, many people are attracted by selling points such as “wrinkle-free” and “breathable”, but the key is to identify your pain points. For example, for people who travel frequently, anti-wrinkle travel short-sleeved shirts and quick-drying boarding short-sleeved shirts can solve the problem of “wrinkles are difficult to care for”; For those who wear white shirts in summer, anti-light short-sleeved shirts are just needed to avoid embarrassment; For those who prefer a practical design, a short-sleeved shirt with hidden pockets and a short-sleeved shirt with a detachable collar support will be more intimate.
Here is a small purchasing experience: when buying a machine-washable no-iron short-sleeved shirt, you should look at the “iron-free level” on the tag, which reaches level 3.5 or above, and basically does not need to be ironed after machine washing; buy a breathable and non-stuffy short-sleeved shirt, you can look at the “air permeability” of the fabric, and the air permeability of ≥ 50mm/s is very good.
7. Procurement perspective: Yigu’s product selection suggestions
Hello everyone, I’m Yigu, and I’ve been engaged in clothing procurement for many years. From the perspective of the supply chain, the core of the “cost-effectiveness” of men’s short-sleeved shirts lies in the “matching of fabric and craftsmanship”. For example, there is no need to pursue complex functions in affordable models, and it is more practical to spend money on “pure cotton fabric + hemming technology”; Mid-range models should pay attention to “functional upgrades”, and technologies such as iron-free and antibacterial can enhance product competitiveness; high-end models should pay attention to “fabric scarcity”, such as organic cotton, island cotton and other materials, which are more favored by quality customers. In addition, now the trend of environmental protection is obvious, and the demand for environmentally friendly organic cotton short-sleeved shirts is growing, and you can pay more attention to such products when purchasing, which is not only in line with the policy orientation, but also more recognized by young consumers.
8. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
- Q: Cotton short-sleeved shirts are easy to wrinkle, how to take care of them? A: Do not wring out after washing, lay flat to dry; slight wrinkles can be quickly ironed with a garment steamer; If you are afraid of trouble, choose a cotton iron-free short-sleeved shirt directly.
- Q: Which is more suitable for summer, ice silk short-sleeved shirt or linen short-sleeved shirt? A: Ice silk is selected from hot and sultry, and the coolness is obvious; Choose linen in humid weather, which absorbs moisture and breathes better, and is not easy to stick.
- Q: How to avoid wearing a “work clothes” with a fattened and oversized short-sleeved shirt? A: Choose solid colors or small stripes, pair them with slim jeans or casual trousers, and avoid sweatpants; Choose a “loose but not collapsed” version, and the shoulder line should fit.
- Q: Do I need to wear a tie when wearing a short-sleeved shirt for business? A: No need to tie a tie, otherwise it will look stiff; You can unbutton the first button and match it with a belt for a more natural and professional look.
- Q: How to match a printed short-sleeved shirt without being exaggerated? A: Choose solid color pants such as black and khaki for bottoms; choose white shoes or leather shoes, and avoid pairing them with sneakers; Accessories should be as simple as possible, just a basic necklace.