Yes, this! Also using this to understand "cost per wear" and that a $200-300 shirt can end up costing you less overall, in addition to looking and feeling so much better, than a bunch of cheap shirts you have to replace and look and feel awful. Quality requires investment of money, or time (if vintage shopping or sewing something yourself).
@@claremiller9979 seriously. I can't tell you how many cheap shirts I've bought that after the first laundering, I legitimately can't wear ever again because they distorted so much. Then on the other hand I have high end shirts that are 15 years old that look brand new... It's not a myth!
@@bivensrkthis is very true. I have a nice pair of combat boots instead of some low grade standard issue. They feel so nice. I’ve taken them on long distant marches (10-20 miles practicing for a marathon). They are still in super good shape. I was honestly so tired and sometimes out of oxygen for a bit so I just kept trucking along with no care how I treated my boots. I just got some custom shirts. I’ve been wear RTW stuff that just doesn’t fit me because that’s all I knew and could afford at the time. I will only go custom from now on personally. It’s what will fit my odd body shape (very broad shoulders for my height) and complement my shape at the same time. I honestly don’t even care what other people think of me in my custom shirts. I got them for myself because I didn’t feel comfortable in what I was wearing. I feel confident and comfortable in what I am wearing when I go to work or go somewhere a little fancy (I have French cuff on all my shirts). I am just really glad to have watched his ironing video because I didn’t know about the infused collar. Mine is unfused and this was the first time I’ve ever really ironed. I followed his steps and I got some compliments at work on my shirt specifically.
He is an advertisement guy....I am happy with my Next and M&S suits, accessories and Clarks shoes...buy them on discounts and replace them with new ones every 3-4 years. Still look decent and feel very comfortable...No fuss more fun😉
It would be very helpful for these types of videos if you could name some brands for each level of quality. Also, it would be nice if you made some recommendations in the medium and high end shirts that you admire for quality.
An even better way to know is, if you live in a city with men, just visit your local habadashery. They should know this information, and you can also see and feel, discuss the differences in quality. See what looks good on you
I am a precision machinist, now called a Scientific instrument maker. I can appreciate the precision. Great video, thank you for teaching me something I knew nothing about. I learned from you about how to look at clothes and the details to look for in made quality.
I own some high quality shirts but I have to say that for everyday wear Charles Tyrwhitt's shirts are fantastic value, especially the promotional offers. Far superior to many more expensive department store shirts I have bought.
Fast fashion and high street brands have been improving their stitching and else since this video was created... A better tell is the fabric: the certain luster, the subtle, delicate balance between stiffness/softness/support/elasticity, the way it follows your moves, etc. Good cotton fabric has a neat surface with very little "facial hair". If you look at the yarn under a microscope, you'll see thinner yet denser, smoother threads in quality shirts. Even though an expensive dress shirt is very thin, there are clear, neat, 3-dimensional ridges and grooves on the fabric, which reflect lights and create a certain soft luster. The yarn used to weave cheap fabric are looser and fuzzier, and the ridges and grooves are blurred because of the loose, hairy threads. Cheap cotton fabric looks hairy if you look at it from a certain angle. Also, a good dress shirt doesn't create a muffin top even if it's oversized. I'm a 5'4", 100 pounds skinny woman, and quality men's shirts in XL size nicely follow my shoulders and waist when tucked in, while cheap cotton shirts often pop up like a balloon.
Thank you for the video, always very informative. I would also suggest to check the seams at the bottom of the armhole, close to the armpit: in bespoke shirts and (very) high quality shirts, the sleeve under seam DOESN'T match the side seam of the body of the shirt. That indicates a much complex contruction of the shirts, in which the sleeves are set and sewn (usually by hand) only after the body has been finished, so that the sleeves fall in a more natural position and follow beautifully the arm movements. In medium and low quality shirts (let say the 99% of the shirts in the market), the sleeve under seam runs uninterruptedly, from the wrist, through the armpit, to the hip. That's because it's sewn AFTER the armhole seam is completed. That indicates a much easier construction, resulting in a flat shirt. Lately, many shirt makers try to imitate high quality shirts adding a lot of features usually found on them, like mother of pearl buttons, high density stitches, and sometimes even hand made details (i.e. the superficiality), but they cannot replicate an hand stitched armhole, it's just to complicated and time consuming.
Pro tip: If you’re slim, buy shirts from Korea/korean websites. Korean’s are so obsessed with dressing and appearing richer than they are and thus produce high quality garments that look more stylish than most American clothes. Usually “stylish” or “dapper” clothes in America are in the hundreds and even thousands of dollars. In Korea you can get a custom fitted shirt for $30. Even a $20 non custom shirts usually fits much better than American shirts because shirts from usa have no contouring lines to them. And usually stuff in Korea is super expensive Or just as expensive as in the US. But because of high supply and high demand, nice clothes are relatively cheap.
Your videos are spot on, not necessarily aiming for people that want to be a dandy, but someone to be successful and well groomed. When I retired from the Air Force and went into insurance sales, people automatically presumed I was the boss as I had 30 suits custom made for me and dressed to the nines, and kept my wardrobe updated as time passed.
I have a lot of experience with low-end shirts and it's these kind of videos that make me appreciate the craftmanship of higher quality items. Personally I don't think it's worth it to buy expensive stuff unless you understand what makes it special. I know a lot about guitars and often times people don't simply understand what they should be looking for in a quality instrument. I don't think shirts are any different.
THIS! SO THIS!!! I went to check the oil of a rather expensive SUV and saw that the dipstick had a braided surface to it all the way down and that the measurement area was a crosshatch pattern, instead of a cheap piece of tin. You’re absolutely right, knowing what goes into that price is extremely important!
@@bivensrk wow, they make cars so cheap some have just a cheap piece of tin? Every car I've ever owned since my first car have had braided/crosshatch pattern on the stick. But I live in America, and I've only owned AMG-Mercedes and an e36 Bimmer. I guess they don't consider those cheap.
@hannuback when you do know what to look for (by watching gentlemen gazette videos over the past 6-10+ years and buying/owning/going to shops so you can consistently see and learn, then googling those items even) you can easily see quality, in not just your clothes but what other people wear. I can tell if their shoes are Italian or just some knock-off to look nice from the local store. Blazers/Coats are the easiest to tell, shirts I used to love double and triple-stitching which most people never even know existed. Then single needle stitching for custom jobs.
@@mr.s1961 Not sure if you're being sarcastic and I also realize I might not have been very clear. The metal is probably similar but it's obvious that the design labor going into making the dipstick was more than that of something like an Accord.
I have had shirts made to measure in Thailand. What a wonderful experience. You choose exactly the quality of fabric and pattern. .These are the best fitting shirts I have ,and cheaper than lesser quality off the shelf shirts at home.
Plus bitting them and tapping them with their car keys 'sir, please stop that tapping'... it would be best to take some antiseptic wipes with you. Oh well.. time to go to Saville Row, hmmm... 'Turnball and Asser' here I come...(James Bond/Sean Connery's shirts).
Man, here I am thinking that my $25 shirts from Kohl's were a great deal; granted their sticker price were $60. Guess I have better chances finding good quality shirts at the Thrift Shop. Couldn't help but to look at my own shirt as I watched the video; result, I'm wearing a below average collar shirt with plastic buttons.
This is what I do. I am lucky to live near a large banking centre, so we have rich bankers that change and donate their shirts on a seasonal basis, most of which are in very good to excellent condition. They get a big tax cut and I end up with a $200+ shirt for $4 about 1 out of 5 visits.
I can’t tell how I came right to your channel. I am a school teacher and I can’t afford high quality products but it is funny how I found myself engaged to what you say.
Thank you for taking the time to describe all the very small points that make shirts quality shirts. This will definitely help me find some nice quality ones. Please talk about the fabric types & qualities as well in your future dress shirt videos!
Tbh If you don't have a really weird body shape I don't think bespoke shirts are worth it. Just get decent made to measure shirts for about 90 - 150 dollars per piece. If the fabric is decent and thread okayish (if they become lose it's usually easy to fix) you are good to go and the shirts will last you a long time.
This video made complete sense and I will remember to appreciate all the fine details and workmanship that went into making the quality shirts that i have. As far as brands go I found incredible value in the Hart Schaffner Marx Brand shirts that Dillards sells, also Lacoste has incredible quality in casual mens shirts. The Bugatchi brand is just OK but has great designs.
We are all coming out of a Pandemic , who cares if we wear a 30$ shirt or a 300$ shirt when we are all working from home. My neighorbood Dry Cleaners has closed down and that is the times we live in.
This series is by far one of the most useful and comprehensive on youtube. I had to laugh on "you may be the weird guy licking at buttins at the store but at least you know it's a quality shirt" though :)
seeing Charles Tyrwhitt immediately listed as low quality hurt my soul, especially after I found their (cheaper) shirts off the rack shirts to be better than the Jos A Bank/Brooks Brothers shirts I'd been spending $70+ on. I don't doubt that better quality is more expensive, but man have I had a hard time when it comes to off the rack shirts.
Very interesting! Sometimes l strike it lucky in charity shops aka thrift shops. Go in after New year when people have eaten so much that they have to get a new wardrobe! I once got an Armani suit for £20 then had It altered to my size. Mind you that was before the downturn in 2008. Go to the richer parts of town. Some of the shops are canny and spot the good stuff and sell it on eBay.
good as always!But I was wondering if in the future you were planning to make any videos on dressing well as a young man and how to transition your wardrobe from casual to formal.If not,thank you anyways for all you do.
Sooo yeah for all of you out there who don't afford 150$+ shirts (heck, even 50$ might be a tad too much for some of us)...give T.M. Lewin a try. London based, they say they make shirts for some 150 years or such. I placed two orders with them, most shirts can be slightly amended (neck circumference + sleeve length), fabrics are brilliant (even non-iron cotton, no polyester), plus they have lots of the "quality hallmarks" presented in here (minus the mother-of-pearl buttons). Prices usually start from ~30 euros but in sales you can get them for as low as 17 euros). I'm rather picky, while not having too much budget to spend. ;) (p.s. @gentleman's gazette, try them yourself)
Wow... this is very helpful. I just realised that one of my shirts from Boss is not that good after all. A tailor once told me that Boss's quality is not that good compared to Kenzo's...
to determine mother of pearl or real pearls you slide them against your front tooth if it's smooth it's plastic if it's chalky it's mother of pearl or real pearls
I have a $30 shirt from zodiac an Indian brand it has 21 stitch per inch and mother of pearl buttons on it and the patterns on shirt also properly matched and it's a giza cotton shirt feels so good in hand
i got to tell it, in Rome there are a lot of independent tailors who create a quality bespoke shirts from 70 euros to 100. Sure if you want a shirt made by hugo boss or armani price is more higher. Personally, i don't need to spend a lot of money for 1 shirt, with 400-500 euros tailors can create bespoke suits in Rome with a high quality. Anyway i found your channel really interesting for video and style advice. Keep it up
I'm watching because I'm teaching myself how to design and draft a shirt pattern and sew it. I'm a woman and never paid any attention to the details in mens clothing. I'm fascinated by it actually. I'm sure these types of details can transfer to womens clothing. We too have higher end and lower quality clothes. As someone who sews as a hobby, this is also interesting and helps me know some more details i can work on. I would love to sew high quality garments.
Can you possibly do a video on how to look stylish and gentlemanly in warm climates? Like for instance, Australia. It's tempting to just pop on some shorts and a t-shirt, but need some tips on how to be stylish without sweating to death in suits etc. thanks
Hardest thing is too wear nice expensive shirts in tropics,the sun and sweat ruins the.m. .Expensive shirts you can wear only at night. In Bangkok or even better in Phnom Penh is large choice of polos and shirts that coast around 7 too 12 dollars. Take time to look around and buy what suits you.I found some nice cheap vintage shirts from Hong Kong and not so bad Polos made in Vietnam or Cambodia.Few I was wearing for a long time..
"What's your plan for the weekend?" "Gonna lick some buttons at the stores" 😂 But really cool. That knowledge will come in handy when I buy new shirts.
Wish you would have mentioned a few brands for different price ranges. Your 100 vs 500 shoe video pointed me to Cobbler Union, and I have fallen in love with the shoes I ordered from them.
If you need to click a shirt's buttons against your teeth in order to perceive that it's technically better, then nobody around you notices or cares, and it probably isn't worth the extra $300.
I looked my shirts, and a I seen my £45-60 shirts is good button sewing. Why can buy a £300 shirt because my cheapest shirt is good quality? And why can buy more expensive shirt just for the buttons? The material of my shirts is as good quality as the £300 shirts
The buttons are just a tell-tale sign of higher quality. I couldn't tell the difference between a cheap shirt and a good one, but my bro got me a $150 dress shirt once. I thought it looked "fine", but when my girlfriend saw me in it she was really impressed and she had no idea it was a gift or what it cost. Shoes are another area we guys don't see a difference but women sure do.
few comments: i have seen split yokes only on english (branded) shirts. another way to check buttons-turn them around, MOP buttons, you can see remains of shell, and there are iregullarities.better shirts (anything above 30$) are usally very long, so no fear someone will see your vertical smile if you bend. And lastly, i have found out that all shirts, regardless of price, stain equaly. My favourites are shirts priced 60-100$ (and i hunt for sales)
"You may be the weird guy who licks buttons in a store..." this video was worth that line alone, not to mention the sounsands of shirt lickers you've just created. Good show! ☺
I'm all for paying for for good quality as long as it has equal value. Aside from the puckering mentioned, what value do things like a higher stitch-count confer? If it means the shirt is more durable and better fitting, I can get behind it. If it's simply a measure of showing how expensive my shirt is, I have trouble justifying mid-to-luxury range prices.
If the topstitching stiches are long and thereby not too tightly pressed against the fabric, the thread'll become shaggy, and then tear. You would say it depends on thread's quality, but only difference between bad and good thread is that good one will last a bit longer.
I agree. It's nice to know these things, but they aren't really going to be noticed by someone unless they are in the business. You are right - not worth the extra money. David Donahue shirts fit me like they are custom made. Over $100 full price, but you can find them at Nordstrom Rack for much less. Careful with the neck size. When I last bought them the size on the tag was a half inch bigger than reality. Don't know why they do that. Maybe to allow for shrinkage, but mine never have.
I'm very much a value guy but for something like this, value is as much in the durability and personal use as it is in impressing those around you (if you detect they'll notice - every group/job/etc is different). There's absolute no reason anyone needs more than 100 HP in a basic consumer car that costs $13-15k, but people pay a lot more than that to stand out.
Thank you!! To you and your staff. These videos are very informative. I have always loved being well dressed. However due to life events I have not been able to, up until 2020. I have found d amazing deals on ebay and thrift stores. All thanks to the advise in your videos. At work people already start to ask why I'm all dressed up (engineering field) amd all I did different was to have a well made dress shirt. Keep up the good work!!! Thank you kindly and I cant wait be able to afford some fort belvedere merchandise, beautiful garments.. much respect keep it up!!!
Vintage Ben Sherman button down shirts are the best and not overpriced.. If you like too be nice dressed just look jazz hipsters from fifties like Miles Davis or Dexter Gordon. Or early James Bond movies..
Thanks for your informational videos! Wondering if you might be able to speak more toward those of us that can’t afford the high end menswear and May not want to have to shop at thrift shops to get our clothes Thanks again!
You forgot to say that the hole should match the button. In other words, when buttoned, does the shirt lay flat, or bunch up (because you had to move the button up or down to the hole.
In Viet Nam with 25$ - 50$ you will have the high quality shirt custom made for you with whatever detail you want. By the way good video. I really like your channel.
Hi Sven. Given the tiers of quality that you mentioned, how many shirts is economically feasible for the low to mid tier demographic? There's also the question of quality vs quantity and the benefits of interchangeability which come with it.
actually I was loving that little pucker or roll where the sleeve meets the shoulder! Exactly equal and even on both shoulders. FANTASTIC fitting jacket Sven! is there a proper term for that?
Why is double needle stitching worse than single? I just bought a shirt with the shoulder seams double stitched (double top stitched?), I liked it. I thought it was a style choice.
Because of the different materials of thread and fabric, the area between the double needle stitches will wrinkle heavily after a few washes. Thus, single-needle stitches are of higher quality as it doesn't ruin the shirt.
I am surprised you didn't talk about how the cheap and high end shirts look after a wash, and/or when crumpled. Do you see any differences in their behaviour?
David Harden ...if you can afford $300 plus shirts...just hire someone to hand wash , and cool iron .... drycleaners over heat shirts and suits , damage the fibers . For a suit spot clean ,light hand steam , don't wear the same suit two days in a row - let it air out .
you should really also recommend a few (unsponsored) brands within those price ranges so we dont have to go around being like "hey, i just licked the Calvin Klein button, let me lick the Ralph Lauren one next!".
Danke dafür! Tat gut, viele Dinge, die man bisher immer nur "intuitiv" wahrgenommen hatte, einmal systematisch erläutert zu bekommen. Des weiteren funktioniert der Lecktest auch mit Möpsen (falsche sind kalt).
If you're at the point where all you can afford is a 30$ shirt, then maybe this isn't for you. But to that I say: save up for the 100$ shirt - it will last you until you grow out of it. Once you have been wearing ~100$ shirts for a while you can start saving up for the 300$ shirts
I love your videos! Would you mind giving your opinion on Suit Supply suits, shirts and products in general? Ideally I'd love a video review, but any feedback would be much appreciated. I like their styling, but I am unsure about the quality.
In the past that was an indicator of quality as it helped shirts to remain tucked in more, but as the rise of trousers has generally lowered (at least in the States), this is largely rendered useless. I've seen it done on low end shirts as well. I feel like it's similar to gussets in its incorporation. I've found that the other quality hallmarks Raphael went over are generally more reliable.
I had quite a bit going on in this outfit with the shantung tie, checked shirt, boutonniere and green suit. Therefore I intentionally opted against another accent in form of a pocket square.
I liken it to food. I can get busy with some Taco Bell just fine, but I also used to work in Fine Dining and know the obvious and not-so-obvious details that make the difference. I'll never be a guy who spends hundreds each week on high end dining, but when I get invited to a dinner with an executive, for example, I can shine right up and play the part well. I have a rep at my job as the guy who isn't afraid to get his hands dirty but also isn't some low-brow oaf who makes fun of silverware at a nice restaurant. "I guess this extra fork is in case you drop one??"
question, i have been noticing around that many people are wearing suits without ties. is that the new trend? what do you think about men wearing suits with no ties and having the top button undone? its a more casual look but they are in a corporate setting. is that the future?
Any recommendations to resources for someone interesting in making their own shirts? In my mind, once a person has made a pattern that suited them well, creating articles of clothing with different materials should be fairly easy, correct? Or is that oversimplified?
If it takes this much education to tell a premium from a cheaper shirt, that to me means that lower end shirts are doing a good job overall. Most men I know wouldn’t know the difference. What do you think? Great video. What I find useful is that if I choose to buy some high end shirts I’m not going to spend 200+ and get ripped off, because now I know what to look for. I just wondered what you thought in relation to when it’s best to go budget and when its best to spend up, assuming you can’t afford to spend up on every item? Might be a good topic if you’ve not already covered it.
Steve W unfortunately what it comes down to is details. Some small ones you can pass on, some are more important. Buttons, small stitching details you can live without. But the fabric matching seems and the quality of the cut... That's what really matters. And of course the fabric itself...you can't fake that. And that's where I notice cheaper clothing begins to die, they don't age well, the get destroyed by the wash and look terrible in due time. I've boughten many dress shirts. From $30 Old navy shirts to $300 Tom Ford Dress shirts. My honest humble opinion, if you can... Spend a little more and get yourself a decent shirt around the $80 mark, I find that to be a sweet spot for quality and craftsmen ship. If your going to spend up and when. I'd say a few shirts in your wardrobe should be top quality, as an example... A crisp white shirt is a staple in every man's arsenal. He should own one for whatever the occasion. Rather it be a Interview, a professional meeting, a formal event or a wedding. If you can only afford $30ish dollar shirts, this white one should be your $80 shirt. If you can afford $80 shirts this special white one can be justified with say a $220 Eton shirt
Also,when the seam on the underside of the sleeve doesn't line up with the side seam where they meet in the armpit,then you know it's not a cheap shirt.
If you’re spending $300 on a shirt, it had better be bespoke tailored or else infused with essence of phoenix tears and finished with unicorn horn buttons in the case of brand-label off-the-shelf. As a wise man once said, “Be better than The Gap.”
Remember the video isn't about getting you to spend more money on a shirt. It's to prevent people telling you a shirt is worth more than it really is.
Well said.
Yes, this! Also using this to understand "cost per wear" and that a $200-300 shirt can end up costing you less overall, in addition to looking and feeling so much better, than a bunch of cheap shirts you have to replace and look and feel awful.
Quality requires investment of money, or time (if vintage shopping or sewing something yourself).
@@claremiller9979 seriously. I can't tell you how many cheap shirts I've bought that after the first laundering, I legitimately can't wear ever again because they distorted so much. Then on the other hand I have high end shirts that are 15 years old that look brand new... It's not a myth!
@@claremiller9979 yea, $150 pair of boots vs $50 pair of boots example holds up over SO many different use cases, it’s amazing! Including this one!
@@bivensrkthis is very true. I have a nice pair of combat boots instead of some low grade standard issue. They feel so nice. I’ve taken them on long distant marches (10-20 miles practicing for a marathon). They are still in super good shape. I was honestly so tired and sometimes out of oxygen for a bit so I just kept trucking along with no care how I treated my boots.
I just got some custom shirts. I’ve been wear RTW stuff that just doesn’t fit me because that’s all I knew and could afford at the time. I will only go custom from now on personally. It’s what will fit my odd body shape (very broad shoulders for my height) and complement my shape at the same time. I honestly don’t even care what other people think of me in my custom shirts. I got them for myself because I didn’t feel comfortable in what I was wearing. I feel confident and comfortable in what I am wearing when I go to work or go somewhere a little fancy (I have French cuff on all my shirts). I am just really glad to have watched his ironing video because I didn’t know about the infused collar. Mine is unfused and this was the first time I’ve ever really ironed. I followed his steps and I got some compliments at work on my shirt specifically.
I am watching this guy. Bought shoes from AceMarks based on his other video. Now shirts.
Slowly going broke while looking filthy rich lol.
He is an advertisement guy....I am happy with my Next and M&S suits, accessories and Clarks shoes...buy them on discounts and replace them with new ones every 3-4 years. Still look decent and feel very comfortable...No fuss more fun😉
😂
Ace Marks = garbage. Blake stitch
D William
You should watch the Trenton & Heath review of their shoe
You should also look in shops that sell used clothes whenever you get the chance. Sometimes you can find something nice for very little money.
It would be very helpful for these types of videos if you could name some brands for each level of quality. Also, it would be nice if you made some recommendations in the medium and high end shirts that you admire for quality.
I agree
New video out a few weeks ago about this!
An even better way to know is, if you live in a city with men, just visit your local habadashery. They should know this information, and you can also see and feel, discuss the differences in quality. See what looks good on you
I am a precision machinist, now called a Scientific instrument maker. I can appreciate the precision. Great video, thank you for teaching me something I knew nothing about. I learned from you about how to look at clothes and the details to look for in made quality.
I own some high quality shirts but I have to say that for everyday wear Charles Tyrwhitt's shirts are fantastic value, especially the promotional offers. Far superior to many more expensive department store shirts I have bought.
Fast fashion and high street brands have been improving their stitching and else since this video was created... A better tell is the fabric: the certain luster, the subtle, delicate balance between stiffness/softness/support/elasticity, the way it follows your moves, etc.
Good cotton fabric has a neat surface with very little "facial hair". If you look at the yarn under a microscope, you'll see thinner yet denser, smoother threads in quality shirts. Even though an expensive dress shirt is very thin, there are clear, neat, 3-dimensional ridges and grooves on the fabric, which reflect lights and create a certain soft luster.
The yarn used to weave cheap fabric are looser and fuzzier, and the ridges and grooves are blurred because of the loose, hairy threads. Cheap cotton fabric looks hairy if you look at it from a certain angle.
Also, a good dress shirt doesn't create a muffin top even if it's oversized. I'm a 5'4", 100 pounds skinny woman, and quality men's shirts in XL size nicely follow my shoulders and waist when tucked in, while cheap cotton shirts often pop up like a balloon.
Is there a specific reason why you prefer an XL, seems like a medium or even a men's small would fit better? Or is it about the extra room?
Thank you for the video, always very informative.
I would also suggest to check the seams at the bottom of the armhole, close to the armpit: in bespoke shirts and (very) high quality shirts, the sleeve under seam DOESN'T match the side seam of the body of the shirt. That indicates a much complex contruction of the shirts, in which the sleeves are set and sewn (usually by hand) only after the body has been finished, so that the sleeves fall in a more natural position and follow beautifully the arm movements. In medium and low quality shirts (let say the 99% of the shirts in the market), the sleeve under seam runs uninterruptedly, from the wrist, through the armpit, to the hip. That's because it's sewn AFTER the armhole seam is completed. That indicates a much easier construction, resulting in a flat shirt.
Lately, many shirt makers try to imitate high quality shirts adding a lot of features usually found on them, like mother of pearl buttons, high density stitches, and sometimes even hand made details (i.e. the superficiality), but they cannot replicate an hand stitched armhole, it's just to complicated and time consuming.
Pro tip: If you’re slim, buy shirts from Korea/korean websites. Korean’s are so obsessed with dressing and appearing richer than they are and thus produce high quality garments that look more stylish than most American clothes. Usually “stylish” or “dapper” clothes in America are in the hundreds and even thousands of dollars. In Korea you can get a custom fitted shirt for $30. Even a $20 non custom shirts usually fits much better than American shirts because shirts from usa have no contouring lines to them.
And usually stuff in Korea is super expensive Or just as expensive as in the US. But because of high supply and high demand, nice clothes are relatively cheap.
They don't want to look rich most people from Korea want comfort and keep up with the fasion
then u probably dont know the indian market
What Korean brands do you recommend for great dress shirts?
Your videos are spot on, not necessarily aiming for people that want to be a dandy, but someone to be successful and well groomed. When I retired from the Air Force and went into insurance sales, people automatically presumed I was the boss as I had 30 suits custom made for me and dressed to the nines, and kept my wardrobe updated as time passed.
I have a lot of experience with low-end shirts and it's these kind of videos that make me appreciate the craftmanship of higher quality items. Personally I don't think it's worth it to buy expensive stuff unless you understand what makes it special.
I know a lot about guitars and often times people don't simply understand what they should be looking for in a quality instrument. I don't think shirts are any different.
THIS! SO THIS!!! I went to check the oil of a rather expensive SUV and saw that the dipstick had a braided surface to it all the way down and that the measurement area was a crosshatch pattern, instead of a cheap piece of tin. You’re absolutely right, knowing what goes into that price is extremely important!
@@bivensrk wow, they make cars so cheap some have just a cheap piece of tin? Every car I've ever owned since my first car have had braided/crosshatch pattern on the stick. But I live in America, and I've only owned AMG-Mercedes and an e36 Bimmer. I guess they don't consider those cheap.
@hannuback when you do know what to look for (by watching gentlemen gazette videos over the past 6-10+ years and buying/owning/going to shops so you can consistently see and learn, then googling those items even) you can easily see quality, in not just your clothes but what other people wear. I can tell if their shoes are Italian or just some knock-off to look nice from the local store. Blazers/Coats are the easiest to tell, shirts I used to love double and triple-stitching which most people never even know existed. Then single needle stitching for custom jobs.
@@mr.s1961 Not sure if you're being sarcastic and I also realize I might not have been very clear. The metal is probably similar but it's obvious that the design labor going into making the dipstick was more than that of something like an Accord.
I have had shirts made to measure in Thailand. What a wonderful experience. You choose exactly the quality of fabric and pattern. .These are the best fitting shirts I have ,and cheaper than lesser quality off the shelf shirts at home.
That sounds more like bespoke than made to measure. Can you recommend some shops?
Around the world there will be a spike in random guys licking buttons.
lol
next video: How to lick buttons like a gentleman
someone is prone to get hiv, no thank you. he was not thinking when he gave us that idea.
Not from licking buttons...
Plus bitting them and tapping them with their car keys 'sir, please stop that tapping'... it would be best to take some antiseptic wipes with you. Oh well.. time to go to Saville Row, hmmm... 'Turnball and Asser' here I come...(James Bond/Sean Connery's shirts).
Man, here I am thinking that my $25 shirts from Kohl's were a great deal; granted their sticker price were $60. Guess I have better chances finding good quality shirts at the Thrift Shop. Couldn't help but to look at my own shirt as I watched the video; result, I'm wearing a below average collar shirt with plastic buttons.
This is what I do. I am lucky to live near a large banking centre, so we have rich bankers that change and donate their shirts on a seasonal basis, most of which are in very good to excellent condition. They get a big tax cut and I end up with a $200+ shirt for $4 about 1 out of 5 visits.
Zone07 indochino
Yeah, I get my Stanford dress shirts at JC Penney's, originally like $70 I think, but they knock em down to $40.
@@pitiedvod Where is this if you don't mind my asking, I'd visit just to find some shirts!
I can’t tell how I came right to your channel. I am a school teacher and I can’t afford high quality products but it is funny how I found myself engaged to what you say.
Thank you for taking the time to describe all the very small points that make shirts quality shirts. This will definitely help me find some nice quality ones. Please talk about the fabric types & qualities as well in your future dress shirt videos!
My most expensive shirt was 200 euro, a purple Scapa shirt for my wedding. Still wear it and I get many compliments when wearing it.
"So you don't buy crap" Love it.
300 dollars for a shirt... God damn. it better powder my ass for that price.
good fabric doesn't come cheap.
$50 per yard
Tbh If you don't have a really weird body shape I don't think bespoke shirts are worth it. Just get decent made to measure shirts for about 90 - 150 dollars per piece. If the fabric is decent and thread okayish (if they become lose it's usually easy to fix) you are good to go and the shirts will last you a long time.
if you're paying $300 for a shirt, that's god's way pf telling you, you make too damn much money.
Loll! I'm gonna pay not more than $60
"you make too damn much money." No such thing as making too much money
"You may be the weird guy licking buttons at the store" - hahah
That's better than taking a lighter/match to it to see how it smells.
Alexander Croft I didn't have to go far to find this
I will confess to a button licking fetish.
I almost peed myself :-DDD
Objective Objector i will do this on Rodeo😂
This video made complete sense and I will remember to appreciate all the fine details and workmanship that went into making the quality shirts that i have. As far as brands go I found incredible value in the Hart Schaffner Marx Brand shirts that Dillards sells, also Lacoste has incredible quality in casual mens shirts. The Bugatchi brand is just OK but has great designs.
Dillards? Lacoste?
Jesus Christ....what year is it? Have we traveled back to 1983?
We are all coming out of a Pandemic , who cares if we wear a 30$ shirt or a 300$ shirt when we are all working from home. My neighorbood Dry Cleaners has closed down and that is the times we live in.
1983 would be great, usa made clothes, great quality
i didn't know G eazy quit his rapping career to teach us about style.
This guy would be great for his I Mean It video
Fr!
I love your vids. You deserve more attention then you get.
This series is by far one of the most useful and comprehensive on youtube. I had to laugh on "you may be the weird guy licking at buttins at the store but at least you know it's a quality shirt" though :)
seeing Charles Tyrwhitt immediately listed as low quality hurt my soul, especially after I found their (cheaper) shirts off the rack shirts to be better than the Jos A Bank/Brooks Brothers shirts I'd been spending $70+ on. I don't doubt that better quality is more expensive, but man have I had a hard time when it comes to off the rack shirts.
I got a $110 dollar shirt and a week later I had an grease stain on it. It happens to all my shirts. I don't think I can do expensive shirts.
Take off your shirt before you eat.
Time to attend eating school.
The gray double buttoned shirt in video looks great.
this is the first non-academic youtube video that I took down notes of. Thanks a lot !
Very interesting! Sometimes l strike it lucky in charity shops aka thrift shops. Go in after New year when people have eaten so much that they have to get a new wardrobe! I once got an Armani suit for £20 then had It altered to my size. Mind you that was before the downturn in 2008. Go to the richer parts of town. Some of the shops are canny and spot the good stuff and sell it on eBay.
good as always!But I was wondering if in the future you were planning to make any videos on dressing well as a young man and how to transition your wardrobe from casual to formal.If not,thank you anyways for all you do.
Sooo yeah for all of you out there who don't afford 150$+ shirts (heck, even 50$ might be a tad too much for some of us)...give T.M. Lewin a try.
London based, they say they make shirts for some 150 years or such. I placed two orders with them, most shirts can be slightly amended (neck circumference + sleeve length), fabrics are brilliant (even non-iron cotton, no polyester), plus they have lots of the "quality hallmarks" presented in here (minus the mother-of-pearl buttons). Prices usually start from ~30 euros but in sales you can get them for as low as 17 euros). I'm rather picky, while not having too much budget to spend. ;) (p.s. @gentleman's gazette, try them yourself)
Wow... this is very helpful. I just realised that one of my shirts from Boss is not that good after all. A tailor once told me that Boss's quality is not that good compared to Kenzo's...
@Rollo Lawson Make sense!
to determine mother of pearl or real pearls you slide them against your front tooth if it's smooth it's plastic if it's chalky it's mother of pearl or real pearls
Amazing detail, examples and information in your video. Definitely will go through my wardrobe and examine my shirts. Excellent work Raphael!
Another way to detect mother of pearl is to rub two buttons together, plastic will feel smooth, and pearl will feel much more rough.
hilditch and keys, turnbull and asser, charvet, 100hand, marol, hermes, tom ford...
or for good value charles tyrwhitt
In my opinion one of the best quality shirts for price is canali and few Napoli brands
Yeah, Canali is good. Plus, all Canali products are made in Italy. They never went global. Which is great for both the brand and the customers.
I generally go the stitching, i.e. such as loose threads just dangling as a hallmark of quality or not.
I have a $30 shirt from zodiac an Indian brand it has 21 stitch per inch and mother of pearl buttons on it and the patterns on shirt also properly matched and it's a giza cotton shirt feels so good in hand
Thanks for the tip -- them's some good-looking shirts for a great price.
i got to tell it, in Rome there are a lot of independent tailors who create a quality bespoke shirts from 70 euros to 100. Sure if you want a shirt made by hugo boss or armani price is more higher. Personally, i don't need to spend a lot of money for 1 shirt, with 400-500 euros tailors can create bespoke suits in Rome with a high quality. Anyway i found your channel really interesting for video and style advice. Keep it up
I'm watching because I'm teaching myself how to design and draft a shirt pattern and sew it. I'm a woman and never paid any attention to the details in mens clothing. I'm fascinated by it actually.
I'm sure these types of details can transfer to womens clothing. We too have higher end and lower quality clothes.
As someone who sews as a hobby, this is also interesting and helps me know some more details i can work on. I would love to sew high quality garments.
This guy knows. Thank You for the help
Can you possibly do a video on how to look stylish and gentlemanly in warm climates? Like for instance, Australia. It's tempting to just pop on some shorts and a t-shirt, but need some tips on how to be stylish without sweating to death in suits etc. thanks
Hardest thing is too wear nice expensive shirts in tropics,the sun and sweat ruins the.m. .Expensive shirts you can wear only at night.
In Bangkok or even better in Phnom Penh is large choice of polos and shirts that coast around 7 too 12 dollars.
Take time to look around and buy what suits you.I found some nice cheap vintage shirts from Hong Kong and not so bad Polos made in Vietnam or Cambodia.Few I was wearing for a long time..
That shirt on the lefts is trippy on my display.
KaptenFluffen
yep. Small Houndstooth just kills your eyes when you get lost in it.
UrbanDanger ! S
Love this! Even though even expensive women’s shirts don’t have half of what he tells are hallmarks of high quality.
"What's your plan for the weekend?" "Gonna lick some buttons at the stores" 😂
But really cool. That knowledge will come in handy when I buy new shirts.
Wish you would have mentioned a few brands for different price ranges. Your 100 vs 500 shoe video pointed me to Cobbler Union, and I have fallen in love with the shoes I ordered from them.
Very nice! The discussion on buttons was delightful
Please make a video about which lower end shirt brand is best and so on...
awesome videos!
This was helpful! Recently purchased a few $200 shirts
Love the technical details.
Nice comparison of bespoke, made to measure and ready to ware shirts.
when you said "rows" 3:13 it sounded like two of you together saying it lol
If you need to click a shirt's buttons against your teeth in order to perceive that it's technically better, then nobody around you notices or cares, and it probably isn't worth the extra $300.
I looked my shirts, and a I seen my £45-60 shirts is good button sewing. Why can buy a £300 shirt because my cheapest shirt is good quality? And why can buy more expensive shirt just for the buttons?
The material of my shirts is as good quality as the £300 shirts
@@babo1982410 If you can, why not?
The buttons are just a tell-tale sign of higher quality. I couldn't tell the difference between a cheap shirt and a good one, but my bro got me a $150 dress shirt once. I thought it looked "fine", but when my girlfriend saw me in it she was really impressed and she had no idea it was a gift or what it cost. Shoes are another area we guys don't see a difference but women sure do.
Ab C. Def buttons break in the washer and dryer all the time, having a mother of pearl button won’t break in the dryer
@@jmanninja a shirt with mother of pearl buttons should probably be dry cleaned haha
I got about 10 shirts from Charles Tyrwhitt and their shirts go for about $120 a pop. They are now low end shirts at all.
I think we all want a relatively saliva-free item when we walk out of a store..
You should watch the video where he and Preston go into the thrift store and start biting down on buttons to find out the material
few comments: i have seen split yokes only on english (branded) shirts. another way to check buttons-turn them around, MOP buttons, you can see remains of shell, and there are iregullarities.better shirts (anything above 30$) are usally very long, so no fear someone will see your vertical smile if you bend. And lastly, i have found out that all shirts, regardless of price, stain equaly. My favourites are shirts priced 60-100$ (and i hunt for sales)
I'm here for the buttons 😬
Horn buttons are best. You can grind them and feed the plants...organic!!
"You may be the weird guy who licks buttons in a store..." this video was worth that line alone, not to mention the sounsands of shirt lickers you've just created. Good show! ☺
I'm all for paying for for good quality as long as it has equal value. Aside from the puckering mentioned, what value do things like a higher stitch-count confer?
If it means the shirt is more durable and better fitting, I can get behind it. If it's simply a measure of showing how expensive my shirt is, I have trouble justifying mid-to-luxury range prices.
If the topstitching stiches are long and thereby not too tightly pressed against the fabric, the thread'll become shaggy, and then tear. You would say it depends on thread's quality, but only difference between bad and good thread is that good one will last a bit longer.
I agree. It's nice to know these things, but they aren't really going to be noticed by someone unless they are in the business. You are right - not worth the extra money. David Donahue shirts fit me like they are custom made. Over $100 full price, but you can find them at Nordstrom Rack for much less. Careful with the neck size. When I last bought them the size on the tag was a half inch bigger than reality. Don't know why they do that. Maybe to allow for shrinkage, but mine never have.
I'm very much a value guy but for something like this, value is as much in the durability and personal use as it is in impressing those around you (if you detect they'll notice - every group/job/etc is different). There's absolute no reason anyone needs more than 100 HP in a basic consumer car that costs $13-15k, but people pay a lot more than that to stand out.
Thank you!! To you and your staff. These videos are very informative. I have always loved being well dressed. However due to life events I have not been able to, up until 2020. I have found d amazing deals on ebay and thrift stores. All thanks to the advise in your videos. At work people already start to ask why I'm all dressed up (engineering field) amd all I did different was to have a well made dress shirt. Keep up the good work!!! Thank you kindly and I cant wait be able to afford some fort belvedere merchandise, beautiful garments.. much respect keep it up!!!
Charles Tyrwhitt in England does amazing quality shirts, best I’ve ever bought, for about 40 dollars.
Very nice overview of quality shirts. Thanks.
how about the best brands for each price range ??
Vintage Ben Sherman button down shirts are the best and not overpriced..
If you like too be nice dressed just look jazz hipsters from fifties like Miles Davis or Dexter Gordon.
Or early James Bond movies..
Thanks for your informational videos!
Wondering if you might be able to speak more toward those of us that can’t afford the high end menswear and May not want to have to shop at thrift shops to get our clothes
Thanks again!
You forgot to say that the hole should match the button. In other words, when buttoned, does the shirt lay flat, or bunch up (because you had to move the button up or down to the hole.
In Viet Nam with 25$ - 50$ you will have the high quality shirt custom made for you with whatever detail you want. By the way good video. I really like your channel.
Could you do a video on Duck Dynasty gear?
Hi Sven. Given the tiers of quality that you mentioned, how many shirts is economically feasible for the low to mid tier demographic? There's also the question of quality vs quantity and the benefits of interchangeability which come with it.
The lapels on your jacket were beautiful Sven!
Thanks
actually I was loving that little pucker or roll where the sleeve meets the shoulder! Exactly equal and even on both shoulders. FANTASTIC fitting jacket Sven!
is there a proper term for that?
it's called a 'roped' shoulder.
Why is double needle stitching worse than single? I just bought a shirt with the shoulder seams double stitched (double top stitched?), I liked it. I thought it was a style choice.
Because of the different materials of thread and fabric, the area between the double needle stitches will wrinkle heavily after a few washes. Thus, single-needle stitches are of higher quality as it doesn't ruin the shirt.
I am surprised you didn't talk about how the cheap and high end shirts look after a wash, and/or when crumpled. Do you see any differences in their behaviour?
It depends entirely on the fabric, hence that was not discussed in the video.
Could you write a blog post and/or discuss this in another video? :) Or if you have a recommended read, please do share it in a comment.
I suggest to use the search function on our website ;)
I wouldn't wash a 300 to 600 dollar shirt. You dryclean.
David Harden ...if you can afford $300 plus shirts...just hire someone to hand wash , and cool iron .... drycleaners over heat shirts and suits , damage the fibers . For a suit spot clean ,light hand steam , don't wear the same suit two days in a row - let it air out .
you should really also recommend a few (unsponsored) brands within those price ranges so we dont have to go around being like "hey, i just licked the Calvin Klein button, let me lick the Ralph Lauren one next!".
thank you this will help me choose quality been wearing dress shirts lately
Good explanation on shirt types
Danke dafür! Tat gut, viele Dinge, die man bisher immer nur "intuitiv" wahrgenommen hatte, einmal systematisch erläutert zu bekommen. Des weiteren funktioniert der Lecktest auch mit Möpsen (falsche sind kalt).
6:23 not as easy to hear with drums in the background!!
If you're at the point where all you can afford is a 30$ shirt, then maybe this isn't for you. But to that I say: save up for the 100$ shirt - it will last you until you grow out of it.
Once you have been wearing ~100$ shirts for a while you can start saving up for the 300$ shirts
Rye Hots how would you grow out of it!?
grow out of it style and preference wise. Like buying an expensive watch when you already own a 50$ timex
If you go to the gym and pack up some muscle
If rather save for retirement thanks
@@bullbou7003 that's actually the problem I've been Having lol
I love your videos! Would you mind giving your opinion on Suit Supply suits, shirts and products in general? Ideally I'd love a video review, but any feedback would be much appreciated. I like their styling, but I am unsure about the quality.
Another thing to pay attention to is that the bottom buttonhole is sewn on horizontally instead of vertically.
In the past that was an indicator of quality as it helped shirts to remain tucked in more, but as the rise of trousers has generally lowered (at least in the States), this is largely rendered useless. I've seen it done on low end shirts as well. I feel like it's similar to gussets in its incorporation. I've found that the other quality hallmarks Raphael went over are generally more reliable.
Didn’t know about ascolite before. Thanks
i just got that tie!
Sven, today you didn't wear any pocket square. is it a style choise or something else?
I had quite a bit going on in this outfit with the shantung tie, checked shirt, boutonniere and green suit. Therefore I intentionally opted against another accent in form of a pocket square.
You have an excellent instinct for sartorial restraint, Raphael! Good move, I'd say.
Gentleman's Gazette As I thought :)
As I'm watching this I'm wearing t shirt, painters pants and socks, all from Walmart. I'll never own a $1000 suit, yet I find this very interesting.
I liken it to food. I can get busy with some Taco Bell just fine, but I also used to work in Fine Dining and know the obvious and not-so-obvious details that make the difference. I'll never be a guy who spends hundreds each week on high end dining, but when I get invited to a dinner with an executive, for example, I can shine right up and play the part well. I have a rep at my job as the guy who isn't afraid to get his hands dirty but also isn't some low-brow oaf who makes fun of silverware at a nice restaurant. "I guess this extra fork is in case you drop one??"
Same, Im currently wearing a t-shirt, hoodie and blue jeans as i watch this.
THANK YOU RAPHAEL
question, i have been noticing around that many people are wearing suits without ties. is that the new trend? what do you think about men wearing suits with no ties and having the top button undone? its a more casual look but they are in a corporate setting. is that the future?
Chaps dress shirts fit me perfect right off the rack. The only ones.
Thank u for sharing very exclusive knowledge to commoners ,thus. Saving us from scammers
Any recommendations to resources for someone interesting in making their own shirts? In my mind, once a person has made a pattern that suited them well, creating articles of clothing with different materials should be fairly easy, correct? Or is that oversimplified?
If it takes this much education to tell a premium from a cheaper shirt, that to me means that lower end shirts are doing a good job overall.
Most men I know wouldn’t know the difference. What do you think?
Great video. What I find useful is that if I choose to buy some high end shirts I’m not going to spend 200+ and get ripped off, because now I know what to look for.
I just wondered what you thought in relation to when it’s best to go budget and when its best to spend up, assuming you can’t afford to spend up on every item? Might be a good topic if you’ve not already covered it.
Steve W unfortunately what it comes down to is details. Some small ones you can pass on, some are more important.
Buttons, small stitching details you can live without.
But the fabric matching seems and the quality of the cut... That's what really matters.
And of course the fabric itself...you can't fake that. And that's where I notice cheaper clothing begins to die, they don't age well, the get destroyed by the wash and look terrible in due time.
I've boughten many dress shirts. From $30 Old navy shirts to $300 Tom Ford Dress shirts.
My honest humble opinion, if you can... Spend a little more and get yourself a decent shirt around the $80 mark, I find that to be a sweet spot for quality and craftsmen ship.
If your going to spend up and when. I'd say a few shirts in your wardrobe should be top quality, as an example... A crisp white shirt is a staple in every man's arsenal. He should own one for whatever the occasion. Rather it be a Interview, a professional meeting, a formal event or a wedding.
If you can only afford $30ish dollar shirts, this white one should be your $80 shirt.
If you can afford $80 shirts this special white one can be justified with say a $220 Eton shirt
thanks for the wonderful video Sven!
5:00 you know it's a big deal when he's dropping an A-Bomb.
Wow! What a nice guy! Thank you for posting!
Also,when the seam on the underside of the sleeve doesn't line up with the side seam where they meet in the armpit,then you know it's not a cheap shirt.
True. I will discuss that in more detail in another video.
If you’re spending $300 on a shirt, it had better be bespoke tailored or else infused with essence of phoenix tears and finished with unicorn horn buttons in the case of brand-label off-the-shelf. As a wise man once said, “Be better than The Gap.”
" You may be the weird guy in the store licking buttons." Haha!! I'm dying! That's so funny! 😂😂😂😂😂😂
how come your background is moving ?!
"You may be the weird guy licking buttons at the store" Haha the guy called Raphael