Men's Shirts in Tralee: Fit, Collars and Fabrics Explained

A shirt is the piece you wear most and think about least. Get the fit and the collar right and everything on top of it — suit, blazer, knitwear — sits better. Here's how we size men up in-store at Ryle Menswear on 49 Ashe Street, Tralee, and what we keep on the rails.

Start with the fit, not the size

Three fits cover nearly everyone. Slim follows the body closely — best if you're lean and wearing the shirt tucked. Regular leaves room through the chest and waist without looking boxy; it's the safe choice for most men and for a shirt worn under a suit. Relaxed or casual cuts sit easy and work untucked with jeans or chinos.

Two checks tell you if a shirt fits. The shoulder seam should land where your shoulder actually ends — not halfway down your arm. And you should be able to fit two fingers inside the buttoned collar comfortably. If either is off, no amount of ironing will save it.

Collars — and what they're for

• Classic / Kent: the everyday collar. Works with a tie or open.
• Cutaway or spread: wider gap, suits a bigger tie knot — sharp under a suit for a wedding or business.
• Button-down: casual by origin, great with a blazer and no tie.
• Wing collar: black tie only — for a tuxedo and a bow tie.

Rule of thumb: the wider your face, the better a longer, narrower collar sits; a wider spread balances a slimmer face.

Fabrics worth knowing

Poplin is smooth and crisp — the classic formal shirt. Oxford is a heavier weave with texture, ideal under a blazer. Twill drapes softly and resists creasing, so it travels well. Linen and linen blends breathe in summer and are meant to crease — that's the look. For an Irish summer wedding or a holiday, linen is hard to beat.

The brands we stock

On the rails right now: Gant (classic Oxfords and poplins), Farah (casual and retro cuts), Venti (formal, easy-iron), Tommy Hilfiger, Paul & Shark, R2 Amsterdam and Bugatti. Browse what's online in our shirts collection — a good part of the range is in-store only, so it's always worth calling in.

When off-the-peg doesn't fit

Long arms, broad shoulders, a neck size that never matches the chest — plenty of men are simply between sizes. That's what tailored shirts are for: cut to your measurements, collar and cuff style your choice, from €195. If you've ever had to choose between a collar that chokes and a body like a tent, this is the fix.

Shirts for a wedding or a debs

For a wedding suit, a white or pale blue poplin with a spread collar is the reliable answer, and it photographs well. For a debs, white with a slim tie or a bow tie keeps it classic. Bring the suit or a photo of it and we'll match the shade in a minute — the same way we do with ties and pocket squares. Not sure which tie? Read how to choose a tie.

Looking after them

Wash at 30°, close the collar buttons before washing, and hang the shirt straight out of the machine — that alone halves the ironing. Iron the collar and cuffs from the inside out, and store shirts hung rather than folded if you've the wardrobe space.