Speaking of the material, cotton is preferred, of which there is a variety: oxford cloth (which has a bit more heft) is the working man’s go-to, but there are also options enhanced with wrinkle-resistant and moisture-wicking technology that are ideal for traveling or standing in the sweltering heat at a summer wedding. This doesn’t mean it has to be super fitted, but you don’t want anything baggy you need to be able to tuck it into your pants without excess fabric spilling over. The best options-or at least the ones that show others that you mean business-are sharp and streamlined.

Of course, not all white dress shirts are the same. You need a tailored suit, tie, and white shirt to telegraph propriety and, depending on how you put your fit together, power. From paintings by Seurat and Magritte to episodes of Mad Men to congressional meetings televised on C-SPAN, visuals of men of stature and notoriety are seldom without the style. Since the Gilded Age-and perhaps even before then-gentlemen worth their salt were required to wear a white dress shirt, a button-up with a collar and cuffs. Sure, you can be subversive and throw the rules out the window (don’t let anyone deter you from what you feel is right at the moment), but if you’re a stickler for tradition, you’re going to want to reach for this tried-and-true topper. There are occasions that require ’em, scenarios where you need to keep up appearances, ones with prescribed dress codes. Even in this period when men are wearing suits shirtless, flaunting their chests with abandon on the red carpet, the dress shirt is still the base of any formal fit.

The white dress shirt: a staple, the foundation of any wardrobe.

Red dress up shirt