Slim & Fitted Dress Shirt Review Palooza

Slim Fit Dress Shirts:  Calvin Klein, Alfani RED, and Van Heusen

Fit is everything.  And that goes for your dress shirts too.  Your dress shirt should leave just enough room at the sides to move comfortably, but not so much that if you take your jacket off you’ll resemble a flying squirrel.  Buy a traditional fit boxy dress shirt and you’ll look downright swaddled.

Thankfully there are fitted /trim fit dress shirts out there, but not all brands get it right.  They vary in quality, feel, and how much they’re tapered at the sides.  Six of the most accessible versions were tried on in person, photographed, and measured.  Below you’ll find the results of the first half with the remaining three coming next week.  Now, the messy details:

Measurements of all shirts tried on: 15.5 32/33
The Methodology: De-pin, put on, and photograph with right arm hanging relaxed at side to show cloth overflow at waist.  Marked where the cloth overflow seemed greatest above the belt-line with a pin.  Measured at that point from side seam to side seam to get above the belt line widest point.  Please excuse the awful fitting room lighting.
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Calvin Klein French Cuff Tonal Texture Stripe – $44.99 (reg. $79.50) | 21″ at widest

Yep.  A french cuff.  This looks like it’s a recent addition to the Calvin Klein exclusive at Macy’s collection.  The fabric is nice, thick, and 100% cotton.  The collar is a semi spread leaning full spread which would work well with a fuller tie knot.  The tonal stripes are highly similar to the Alfani Red Tonal Stripe dress shirt, but more densley packed.  You could easily use this shirt as an alternative for a black tie event.
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Alfani RED Smooth Dress Shirt – $27.99 (reg. $45.00) | 21 1/4″ at widest

Unlike its brother the Alfani Red tonal stripe dress shirt, this one goes with a plain cloth that’s unfortunatly 70% cotton and 30% poly.  You don’t have to look too carefully to see the tell tale lines of synthetic blend on either sides of the placket.  The tail is super long .  The collar is a terrific semi-spread.  A little bit bulkier at the belt.
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Van Heusen Fitted Dress Shirt – $40.00 | 21 1/4″ at widest

As soon as you put this on you’ll know the majority of it is polyester.  The almost burlap like scratch gives it away.  65% poly, 35% cotton.  The collar is a VERY traditional point.  It’s pretty fitted through the torso, but it seems like the designers forgot to slim down the sleeves as well.  Way too poofy through the upper and even lower arms.
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Final Grades

Calvin Klein:  A- Wish they made it with a standard button / barrel cuff too
Alfani RED:  B- Nice Price point, but the tonal stripe 100% cotton version is much better
Van Husen:  F This shirt is why the mainstream American Male doesn’t like wearing anything but t-shirts.

Next Week:  Kenneth Cole REACTION, Geoffry Beene, and Murano. Feel free to leave the brand name and where to get your favorite slim fit dress shirt in the comments section below.