Short Sleeve Shirts Can Be Worn For Any Occasion But There's A Right Way To Do It

Short sleeved shirts used to be the domain of IT workers and creepy men who lived in their mother’s basements. Times have changed though and it’s no longer mandatory to just rock long sleeved button shirts with rolled up sleeves – as much as we do love them.

Perhaps the short sleeve shirt movement has been spurred on by the the recent bold print Hawaiian shirt trend, or maybe it’s just a result of seeing Donald Glover and Conor McGregor rock theirs completely unbuttoned.

Nonetheless we’ve all been proven wrong. That pencil-pushing, pocket protector-wearing nerd is now the most stylish guy in the room, and now you can dress just like him for all the right reasons.

Easy Ways To Rock The Short Sleeve Shirt

All jokes aside, there’s an art to wearing the short sleeve shirt and we’ve got all the right looks to cover your needs whether it’s in the office, on a night out in town or on the beach. The short sleeved shirt is no longer a simpleton, so pay close attention if you want tickets to the gun show.

Short Sleeve Shirts & Shorts

When the weather warms up it’s tempting to call it early on work and head to the beach. For those who do make it past enemy lines, a summer-approved beach look is a no-brainer. Just about any short sleeved button shirt will go with a white singlet and a pair of mid-length shorts from decent labels like Orlebar Brown or Venroy. Throw in some white sneakers and a pair of sunglasses and you’re ready to own the city dwelling beach bum look. Just make sure your boss doesn’t know where you are.

Short Sleeve Shirt & Chinos

You maybe in advertising or just the coolest barista cat in the cafe. Regardless this work-approved short sleeve shirt look is for you. Pair it with skinny denim (no rips or tears), chinos or fitted trousers and you’ve got the quintessential summer look to keep you cool and professional at the same time.

Tucking in the shirt is dependent on your workplace but the general rule is to play it safe by tucking it in for office duty. Once you’ve determined that the dress code is casual, you may proceed to un-tuck.

And don’t forget a washed out backpack can easily complement this look. Who wants a promotion?

Printed Short Sleeve Shirts & Jeans

In case you didn’t notice, bold prints are in this season so make sure you trade up the denim and camouflage for a short sleeve shirt like Harry Styles’. For weekend duties it can essentially be paired with anything from denim to more relaxed fitting lounge pants or chinos. Make sure you pick the right bottoms to suit your occasion as weekend duty can sit anywhere between office and beach bum looks. When the weather gets brisk, be sure to pair it with a white tee underneath and as appropriate footwear. As per usual, white sneakers will work a treat here.

Rules For Wearing Short Sleeve Shirts

Fit : Fit is important with any shirt, but it might be even more important when your shirt has short sleeves. Make sure it fits correctly across the chest and body, as well as in sleeve length and width. The sleeve should end mid-bicep, and you should only be able to fit a finger between it and your arm. And remember, button them up unless you’re at the beach.

Print: Short sleeve shirts are an excellent opportunity to play with pattern. Since they’re more casual than their long-sleeved counterparts, feel free to ditch the solid and subtle colours you would wear to the office. Go bolder with patterns like ginghams, florals, checks, stripes, plaids or anything else you feel brave enough to try.

Fabric: If you don’t want to get too creative with print, you can use your short-sleeved shirt as an opportunity to experiment with fabric and textures. Seeing as it is predominantly a summer wardrobe item, you’ll probably want something lighter. Opt for cotton, linen or poplin.