One-piece collar shirts are a useful style of shirt for men to consider for their wardrobe. In today’s more casual dressing environments, they offer a less formal alternative to the traditional dress shirt.

A one-piece collar shirt refers to a type of shirt where the collar and the main body are are constructed from a single piece of fabric, as opposed to the traditional shirt where a separate collar piece is attached to the shirt body. The resulting collar forms an attractive curved shape which tends to stand up much better than some traditional shirts. These types of shirts can’t be worn with ties and they are designed to be worn open. The advantage of this is that the first button is often a bit lower on the chest which serves to make a deeper v-shape and frames the face much more effectively.

These shirts can be worn with a variety of outfits:

• Firstly, they can be paired with suits. They are one way to dress down a classic wool suit. The appearance of the one-piece collar automatically makes the outfit look less formal. For example, it could be a white or light blue poplin shirt. This would keep the overall look fairly formal and appropriate for a professional setting.
• Secondly they can be worn with a sports jacket and odd trouser combination. This works especially well when you don’t want to wear a tie with the outfit. This could be a poplin fabric or an Oxford fabric.
• They can also be worn with odd trousers, chinos or denim for a much more casual yet stylish look. These types of shirts give a more sartorial look, however, so are a good way to elevate your appearance.
• We can also wear them with shirts for a more relaxed look, but also keeping a sartorial edge. For example, they would pair well with tailored shorts in cotton or linen.

See our article on shirts for a fuller discussion on mens’ shirts options.