Regular Fit vs Slim Fit Dress Shirts: What’s the Difference?
Buying a man’s dress shirt used to be fairly easy since they were all cut pretty much the same. The wealthy could visit bespoke tailors to have their shirts custom made, but the rest of us just looked for a color and fabric we liked and then rummaged around until we found the right collar size and sleeve length. Things have now changed. Clothing manufacturers now offer men’s shirts cut in the traditional way, and shirts cut to fit the body more closely. However, which is better and which should you buy? This article will clear up any confusion you may have by explaining the differences between regular fit and slim fit dress shirts and pointing out the advantages and disadvantages of each.
How Should a Dress Shirt Fit?
One of the biggest mistakes we make when we buy clothes is choosing garments because they are fashionable or look good on the type of people who grace magazine covers. The clothes we buy should make us look good and not draw eyes to our shortcomings, so we should choose them based on how appropriate they are to our body shape and not because they are de rigueur.
A men’s dress shirt should be cut in a way that allows movement but avoids bagginess. Excess material can make dress shirts appear misshapen and huge, and too much fabric at the waist can lead to billowing and a muffin-like appearance. Choosing a shirt that fits too tightly can ruin a look just as quickly. Not being able to raise your arms is never fun, and just looking at shirts that fit too snugly across the shoulders and chest can be uncomfortable. In fact, the people who wear them seem coiled and ready to pounce, even when they are completely relaxed.
A gentleman’s dress shirt should fit closely but not tightly, and it should allow its wearer to move around without feeling constrained. If you want to achieve the perfect fit, you will have to match the cut of the shirt with the shape of your body. So that brings us to the questions of what is regular fit and what is slim fit? And how do they stack up against one another? Let’s examine the cut of the shirt first.
Regular Fit vs. Slim Fit: How Are They Different?
Regular fit shirts were once the only choice and are still the standard. With larger armholes and a looser fit, the emphasis here is on function and comfort rather than appearance. A regular fit dress shirt can look perfect on a muscular or large frame, but all of that fabric can look overpowering on slimmer physiques.
Slim fit shirts solve this problem. They are cut more tightly across the shoulders and chest and have smaller armholes, which is fine if the person wearing them is relatively thin. They also taper slightly to enhance the natural shape of the male torso, so there is less material at the waist. Unfortunately, some people like the look of slim fit shirts but find them just a little too tight and restrictive. One way to avoid this problem is to look for shirts made of fabric blends that include stretchable materials like spandex.
Should You Buy Regular Fit or Slim Fit?
So is it a slim fit vs. a regular fit shirt for you? And how can you tell? The answer to these questions will depend on your body type. Thin people usually look better in slim fit shirts, and regular fit shirts are more flattering for larger people, but what about the vast majority of us who fall somewhere in the middle? To answer this question, we have to look at the science of somatotyping.
Human bodies come in all shapes and sizes, but scientists place them into three broad categories called somatotypes. The three body types are:
- Ectomorphs: This is the classic tall and thin body type. Ectomorphs have thinner bones, longer limbs and flatter rib cages.
- Mesomorphs: Individuals with this body type look naturally athletic. Mesomorphs add muscle mass more quickly and have upper bodies with a pronounced V-shape.
- Endomorphs: People with endomorphic bodies have rounder bones and often struggle to keep their weight under control. They tend to store fat most often on the thighs, hips and buttocks.
Very few of us fit neatly into these categories, but we all lean toward one of them. If you have a primarily ectomorphic body, you should stick to slim fit dress shirts. Endomorphs will probably find regular fit shirts more comfortable, and mesomorphs could be happy with either option.
Our Regular Fit Dress Shirts
W.R.K. has you covered no matter what type of dress shirt you need. Our diverse range of regular fit dress shirts includes classic solids that will look good in just about any situation and bright checks and patterns for those searching for something more distinctive. In addition, our regular fit shirts have back darts to prevent bunching and sagging at the waist, and they are made out of fabric that wicks moisture away from the skin to keep you looking cool and composed all day.
Our Slim Fit Dress Shirts
If you think a regular fit shirt would be too loose and baggy, you should consider one of our slim fit dress shirts. Our shirts contain 14% spandex to add some stretch and make them more comfortable to wear, and they are cut narrower at the waist, arms and chest to define and enhance the shape of the upper body.
Finding the Perfect Fit
Every clothing manufacturer claims that their garments fit the best, but the truth is that all off-the-rack clothing is designed to fit as many people as possible. However, picking the right dress shirt and finding the proper fit is easier on the W.R.K. website because we provide visitors with information like the height of our models and their neck, sleeve and chest measurements. We also take the risk out of buying with a 30-day exchange program.
We hope we answered any questions about slim fit dress shirt vs. a regular one in this post. If you would like to be notified of new arrivals, sales or coupons on our products, be sure and sign up for our newsletter or go to the store to get your WRK shirts now.