• Wear collar stays. There is nothing sexy about collars that are curved like a potato chip.
• Don’t go crazy with the cuff link designs. Plain metal, plan color, or the classic knots. Say no to the Sponge Bod Square Pants cuff links.
• Wear natural fabrics. I prefer at least 95% cotton. Beware of polyester blends (often found in the “wrinkle-free” specimens). They don’t breathe as well, so guess what happens in your pits.
• If you don’t know how to iron your own shirts, then learn how to do it. In the meantime (i.e., indefinitely), have them pressed at the cleaners. Easy on the starch. No matter how great a shirt you own or how well it fits, it if is wrinkled, it is no go.
• Get measured for shirts, then buy the right size. The critical measurements are collar size (measure tight around your neck, then add 1″) and sleeve length (cuffs should rest about 2″ below your wrists when unbuttoned) — you can always (and should, really) have your off-the-rack shirts taken in for a better fit.
• You should show about a half inch of cuff when under your jacket sleeve. Follow the guidelines above for shirt sleeve length, and then have your jacket sleeves adjusted by a tailor. Don’t buy longer sleeves to achieve this effect — you’ll end up looking like a scarecrow.
• Plain front for a night out, but consider a pocket for the office.
• Don’t lose a good shirt to collar stains. Act civilized and shower before throwing on the nice duds.