In praise of the blue shirt: an essay

[storeynicholas]

Thank you Marcelo, for the one serious reply...

Sorry Bird of Sydney!! personally, I think that it is difficult to beat a plain light blue, cream or white shirt.
NJS

[storeynicholas]

NJS

Thank you! I have learned something today!!
NJS

Learning "something" is better than learning "nothing."

Trey[/quote]

Oh!
NJS

[Trey]

BirdofSydney:

I do not think we were being "unserious". We were just having a bit of fun. As we know, that happens alot here. Such is the nature of our global conversation.

Seriously - could anyone imagine Cary Grant in North by Northwest in a blue shirt? Which brings up an intersting point. When, if ever, did we stray from the white v. blue collar shirt days? I cannot imagine any elegantly dressed man in Cary Grant's NNW days wearing anything other than a white shirt. Blue, back then, before, and even after, connoted less formaility. Can you imagine the Rat Pack going out for a night on the town clad in blue shirts?

My point - blue shirts are great. In homage to your post, I wore one today. Perhaps what we should explore, if we do this "seriously" is what "rules" we adhere to today regarding when and where one dons a blue shirt.

I pose this because the rules have changed regarding blue shirts. So - what do you gentlemen perceive the "rules" regarding blue shirts to now be?

Trey

[koolhistorian]

Good minimalist approach, but you will get tired with that quickly - gone trough that phase some time ago! It is very good when you start an wardrobe - in fact, good quality blue shirts are never wrong - but then you will feel the need for some variation. BTW, crisp white is a very, very pale blue - if not cotton will be going either yellowish or grayish - I remember white shirts and linens being "blued" with special tablets after washing - no I am not that old, but quality washing powders and washing machines were not available in socialist Romania, so the only way was the very traditional. On the other hand, up until the '70, in continental Europe, the only "business color" was white for shirts, other colors and combinations being either sporty or "british".
I can understand Matt Fan, he is going on great efforts to build up an extremely high class wardrobe, so going blue is a very safe and sound way, but eventually he will "need" some other color.
Cheers,
Dan

[BirdofSydney]

I do not think we were being "unserious". We were just having a bit of fun. As we know, that happens alot here. Such is the nature of our global conversation.

I know, I was just having a crack too, hence the smiley face!

Thanks for your post though, it hit on a couple of the very points I was thinking about when I wrote the initial post but it was already quite long and I didn't want to make it longer.

In terms of "rules", I think that for solids, lighter blues are preferable to darker, and preferable a fine poplin, broadcloth or Oxford, to absolutely avoid looking like workwear.

I dislike French blue solids and with white collar they are even worse. The colour is too strong to compliment any tie, I feel, other than maybe black. French blue worn with a yellow tie is particularly unappealing to me. Any fil-a-fil that looks even remotely like chambray is probably best avoided too.

Regarding stripes, the narrower they are, the darker you can get - I would wear a navy pencil stripe, a mid-blue bengal, and a sky-blue butcher stripe. Pencil stripes in two alternating blues can be very attractive. I have a nice banker with a white ground and pencil stripes in clusters of three, each cluster of alternating darkness.

A very fine check (3-4mm) is an interesting alternative to mix it up (also looks good in pink), but I find that anything too large (1cm or more) makes one look distinctly like an exercise book. On the other hand, a linen buttondown with a larger check is a nice option, the fabric and styling making one look less mathematical.

Upon further reflection, I am suspecting that my taste may be influenced by the fact that pale blue in particular suits my complexion very well - I have fair skin, blue eyes and light brown hair. However, its popularity as part of the Neapolitan look obviously means it goes well in other circumstances...

[storeynicholas]

Just going back to CG for a moment - he always maintained a deep sun tan (something that picked up from Douglas Fairbanks Sr) - and it got darker and darker - by the time of To Catch a Thief, he's mahogany - but what better to set it off than a plain white shirt?
NJS

[Costi]

A plain blue shirt is a good ingredient for many elegant combinations, but I agree with Signor Marinella (apropos the Neapolitan culture of the blue shirt): "Never a blue shirt in the evening". Given the right shade I think plain pink is a good simple alternative to white whenever and wherever blue is not the ideal option.

[Trey]

Costi -

The "no blue" after 5 "rule" was why I steered this conversation back on the serious track. I usually wear white shirts for business, but I always wear suits [legal profession]. For more "casual"/country wear, I have shirts in various colors, shades, fabrics, patterns. I find blue shirts look better with many of my more rustic colored clothes that look good this time of year [tweed's, cords, etc.] White shirts do not look as good with these jackets.

With my navy blazers, I prefer the contrast of white shirts rather than blue against the navy. If I wear "blue" shirts with a navy blazer, I prefer a patterened shirt that includes some white in it.

I saw, in a reputable/classic men's wear store, a pale blue point collar evening shirt for black tie (there was also a pale pink shirt in a similar style). This is an anathema to me. Do others agree?

Regarding Cary Grant - the white shirt - and his "To Catch a Thief" "glow", I believe in keeping a little glow in the face - without overdoing it in this UV heavy world. Despite a colored shirt's beauty, if one has a glow, one is almost always better off showing a little white to the face. In such instances, one can have shirts commissioned in various subtle, white on white patterns, even for casual wear.

Happy Thoughts!

Trey

[storeynicholas]

Trey -
I agree with the above and with Costi's reminding us of the evening blues. I once saw a pleated light blue evening shirt in Budd's window as well as an off-white silk evening shirt but they didn't really appeal - nearly as bad as those matching claret evening ties and cummerbunds. However, I confess that I did once own a two-tone evening tie but
the less said, the better!
NJS

[couch]

I find blue shirts look better with many of my more rustic colored clothes that look good this time of year [tweed's, cords, etc.] White shirts do not look as good with these jackets.

A propos this starkness of white against fall's hues of nature, I'm reminded of some sage advice that etutee contributed in one of his commentaries on AA illustrations: the usefulness and versatility of the solid "champagne" or ecru shirt. While I agree that blue is often the perfect foil, these warm off-whites can also play a welcome role. Think of the body color in the classic country tattersall shirt, and how well it complements both the heathery and rusty hues autumn hues--as well as how much more complimentary to a paler off-season face it is than white.

[Luca]

Another ‘serious’ reply.

I found the essay interesting for two reasons:
1) I too have begun to simplify and pare down the palette of my shirt colors.
2) Inversely, to the first poster, I have steered toward white shirts, for semi-formal wear, keeping blue shirts for more informal combinations.

I think that, partly as a function of age, the well-dressed tend to naturally gravitate towards simpler, more sober, classic pieces as they age (where the main pieces: shirt, trousers. Jacket) are concerned; perhaps using accessories for that touch of interest or dandyism.

On the white-blue discussion, I would offer the following points;

> I agree that blue shirts work better with most grey suits, though white works fine, too. With blue-based suits, however, I find all but the most anodyne super-light blue to give off a bus-conductor effect. White looks better with them, and I (and many men) look better in a blue suit than a grey one.

> White shirts go with just about any tie invented by man. Not vice versa. Indeed, on those occasions where you might want to wear a more ‘interesting’ jacket or pair of trousers (obviously never both), a white shirt both illuminates but also brings back to earth the flight of whimsy. Example, I have a pair of nicely tailored but seriously pink trousers (I tend to wear at seasisde-locations). Only a perfectly white shirt and very saver navy jacket can really go with that, unless I want to look like a complete clown. Similarly, some of the nicer stripy summer jackets really need very understated trousers (v. dark khaki or dark grey or navy) and a white shirt to show them off, IMO.

> Properly laundered and maintained white shirts remain crisp for plenty of time, though I agree that white shirts do not look good with any wear on them, unlike some other shirts.

[Bishop of Briggs]

Most of the Italians pictured on The Sartorialist blog are wearing blue shirts with dark knitted ties. That look seems to be a uniform in the northern cities.

[NCW]

Just to point out, not all us inhabit some bustling metropolis. Blue and white shirts are all very well, but I am sure I am not alone in reaching for a standard Tattershall check shirt in the mornings.

[Costi]

I used the word "ingredient" with reference to the blue shirt in my previous post because I believe that idealizing as an absolute value any element of dress to the detriment of others somehow misses the point of the harmony and accord between components on which elegance relies. White, blue, pink or champagne shirts may all work well with a complementing suit and tie. In creating a personal style one makes personal choices, but they cannot be generalized as universally valid, or else elegance would all boil down to a strict recipe that could be prescribed and applied to anyone. It is interesting to discuss the merits of the blue shirt, when and why it works better than other colours, but that doesn't make blue the Holy Grail of shirtings, or green the Holy Grail of tweeds. Diversity in male dress is welcome. I appreciate the capacity to make tasteful choices on an individual level in terms of personal preferences, but I believe that just about any simple item of dress can be tastefully associated to make an elegant combination.

[marcelo]

Most of the Italians pictured on The Sartorialist blog are wearing blue shirts with dark knitted ties. That look seems to be a uniform in the northern cities.

Give up this blog and turn to THE CATORIALIST instead. There you will find a richer range of colors

http://thecatorialist.blogspot.com/