REVIVING THE CHECK SHIRT
The Formal Check
Thankfully, I haven’t yet been in the position of having to wear a suit to work every day, although I’m sure it will happen eventually. Despite this I can still understand the issues that many professional men face, particularly that you end up wearing pretty much the same thing, day in, day out.
Personally, I don’t think there is anything better than a well fitting suit and crisp plain shirt in white, blue or pink – the basic colours we all know and rely on. But let’s be honest, this will quickly get boring, even if you do vary your ties. Fine stripes make a nice alternative but sometimes you just need something more. The formal check shirt could be just the answer.
When it comes to wearing check shirts with your suiting, flannel plaid isn’t going to work; it’s just too casual. Here you want to be considering lightweight cotton dress shirts with small scale checks such as gingham, or larger, muted checks like Prince of Wales or windowpane.
The easiest to pull off will be any small check pattern that features a classic neutral base tone such as white or blue. These can be worn with your existing solid-colour ties or contrasted with stripes and patterns, just remember to vary the pattern sizes.