How to Choose a Formal Shirt: Slim or Tapered, Collar and Cuff
Formal shirts · 49 Ashe Street, Tralee
Most men who come in for a shirt want the same one: white, a closer fit than the old regular cut, and a collar that holds a tie.
That shirt is the Remus Uomo Rome, the shirt we sell more of than any other: close to four hundred in the last year, roughly one a day, and seven out of ten of them white. If that's what you're after, buy the Rome formal in your collar size and you're done. If you want to know what slim and tapered, formal and semi-formal, single and double cuff actually mean, read on.
Start with the fit
Slim fit or tapered fit?
Remus Uomo cuts its formal shirts two ways, and the fit is in the name.
The sit-down test
Button the shirt, sit down and lean forward as if you were at a desk. If the buttons strain or the shirt rides up at the waist, go for the roomier fit. The Rome shirts are a cotton blend with a little stretch, which forgives a lot.
Neither is a full, straight classic cut. If that's what you wear, ask us in the shop, or look through the rest of our formal and dress shirts.
The collar
Formal or semi-formal?
The collar decides where you can wear the shirt. These are the three Rome collars, close up.
- Formal. A spread or point collar and a plain front, made to be worn with a tie: weddings, funerals, interviews, court, the office on the days that matter.
- Black buttons. A formal shirt with one detail that looks deliberate next to a navy or black suit and a dark tie. It's the second most popular Rome we sell.
- Semi-formal. A cutaway collar with a concealed button-down: the collar points are buttoned underneath, so the collar keeps its shape with the top button open and no tie. Friday at the office with a tie, Saturday under a blazer without one.
- Stud front. For black tie: small black studs instead of buttons, a double cuff and a point collar. Our Ashton stud front is in the shop at €89, and our black tie guide covers the rest of the outfit.
The cuff
Single cuff or double cuff?
A single cuff, also called a barrel cuff, buttons. A double cuff, or French cuff, folds back on itself and closes with cufflinks.
Sizing
How to find your collar size
Shirts are sold by collar size, and the collar is the one measurement that has to be right. The body is set by the fit you chose above.
- 1Measure your neck where the collar sits, just below the Adam's apple, with the tape snug but not tight.
- 2Add a finger's width, about 1.5 cm, and round up to the next half size.
- 3Check it buttoned. Two fingers should slide in between the collar and your neck. Between sizes? Go up: a collar a touch loose looks fine, a touch tight and you'll feel it by the speeches.
| Collar, inches | Collar, cm | |
|---|---|---|
| 14½ | 37 cm | |
| 15 | 38 cm | |
| 15½ | 39–40 cm | Most men |
| 16 | 41 cm | Most men |
| 16½ | 42 cm | Most men |
| 17 | 43 cm | |
| 17½ | 44 cm | |
| 18 | 45–46 cm |
Remus Uomo sizes in inches; European brands such as Venti and Eterna size in centimetres. More than three in four of the Rome shirts we sell are a 15½, 16 or 16½.
Long arms, or a neck that never matches the chest? Our made-to-measure shirts start at €195, cut to your neck, chest and sleeve.
Where you're going
Which shirt for which occasion
| Occasion | Shirt | Cuff |
|---|---|---|
| Wedding guest | White formal, spread collar | Double with cufflinks, or single |
| Groom and groomsmen | White formal or black buttons | Double cuff |
| Funeral | White formal with a black or dark tie | Single or double |
| Interview or court | White or light blue formal | Single |
| Office, every day | Semi-formal, with or without a tie | Single |
| Debs | White formal with a slim tie or a bow tie | Single or double |
| Black tie, Christmas ball | Stud front with a black bow tie | Double cuff |
| Night out with a blazer | Semi-formal in navy, pink or black, collar open | Single |
Order online
The Remus Uomo shirts on our website
All three are slim-fit Rome shirts in white, in collar sizes 14½ to 17½. Delivery in Ireland is free over €95, and Click & Collect from the shop is free.
In the shop
More shirts at 49 Ashe Street
These aren't on the website yet. Call in, or ring ahead if you're coming for a particular size.
| Shirt | Fit and details | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Rome semi-formal | Slim. Cutaway collar in navy, light blue, pink and black | €69.95 |
| Ashton formal | Slim. Narrow point collar, white, single or double cuff | €59.95 |
| Ashton stud front | Slim. Black studs and a double cuff: the black tie shirt | €89 |
| Seville formal | Tapered. White with black buttons, or plain navy | €69.95 |
| Daniel Grahame Windsor | Slim or tapered. White: the best-value white shirt in the shop | €40 |
Keep it white
Looking after it, and what to wear it with
- Before the wash, close the collar buttons and take out any collar stiffeners or studs. Wash as the care label says, with other whites.
- Hang it straight out of the machine. On a hanger, not the radiator. That alone halves the ironing.
- Iron it slightly damp: collar first, then the cuffs, then the body. The Rome's cotton blend creases less than pure cotton; a stud-front dress shirt deserves a proper press before black tie.
The white Rome is the shirt under most of the Remus Uomo suits we sell. Add a tie from our tie and pocket square sets, from €29.95, and for the shoes, see how to choose shoes for a suit.
Casual shirts, fabrics and the other brands we stock are in our guide to men's shirts in Tralee.
Straight answers
Questions we get asked
What's the difference between a slim and a tapered shirt?
A slim shirt, such as the Remus Uomo Rome, is narrow through the chest and waist, with a higher armhole and a slimmer sleeve. A tapered shirt, such as the Seville, has more room through the chest and waist before it narrows towards the hem. If a slim shirt pulls across the chest when you sit down, go for tapered.
What is a semi-formal shirt?
A shirt with a cutaway collar and a concealed button-down: the collar points are buttoned underneath, so the collar keeps its shape with the top button open and no tie. It works with a tie at the office and open-necked under a blazer. The Remus Uomo Rome semi-formal is €69.95.
How do I find my shirt collar size?
Measure around your neck where the collar sits, just below the Adam's apple, with the tape snug but not tight. Add a finger's width, about 1.5 cm, and round up to the next half size: 39–40 cm is a 15½, 41 cm a 16 and 42 cm a 16½. If you're between sizes, go up.
What shirt do you wear with a tuxedo?
A white dress shirt with double cuffs for cufflinks. A stud front, with small black studs instead of buttons, is the most formal choice; we have the Remus Uomo Ashton stud front in the shop at €89.
Can I buy Remus Uomo shirts online?
Yes. The Rome formal (€69), the Rome formal with black buttons (€65) and the Rome semi-formal (€69.95) are online in white, in collar sizes 14½ to 17½. Delivery in Ireland is free over €95, otherwise €6, Click & Collect from the shop is free, and you can return an online order within 30 days.
Not sure of your size?
Get your collar measured
Call in to 49 Ashe Street, Monday to Saturday, 9am to 6pm. We'll measure your collar and check the fit before you buy.
Ryle Menswear · 49 Ashe Street, Tralee, Co. Kerry V92 CF24 · free delivery in Ireland over €95
More: formal & dress shirts · ties · black tie guide