Slim Fit vs Tailored Fit Dress Shirts: Which One to Choose?

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As fashion has evolved over the years and men’s fashion, in particular, has become more experimental and brought up to a similar standard to women’s fashion, we’ve seen more variety in the tailoring of clothing. However, not everyone knows the differences between all these different tailoring styles, and it’s essential to find the right fit that complements your outfit and body.

Today, we will be looking at two different types of fit when it comes to men’s dress shirts. We’ll be comparing these designs and deciding what fit would be suitable for you in terms of the aesthetics you may want. Let’s begin with the slim fit.

Slim Fit Dress Shirt: Overview

Many people think that slim fit and tailored fit are the same and are interchangeable. However, they have a few subtle differences that set them apart from each other, so much so that you can end up with an entirely different look depending on the fit you go for.

Slim fit dress shirts are tighter fitting than tailored fits, as the name would suggest. They are typically worn by teens and young adults looking for a modern touch to their suits and smart wear. However, age has no bearing on what you should wear. The tightness of the slim fit makes it more suited towards leaner individuals with a thinner frame, as it can become very uncomfortable and even difficult to move if you have a bulkier build.

Slim fit dress shirts are also nearly impossible to tailor after they’ve been made. Tailors will often make alterations and adjustments after the fact to help make the dress shirt fit better. However, as the shirt is designed to be skin-tight and cling to your chest and hips, there is little to no additional fabric that allows for alterations in the collar, shoulders, and waist. Of course, if you’re on the thinner side, you wouldn’t typically need to worry about this, as the shirt is designed for your body shape.

Aesthetically speaking, the slim fit dress shirt is designed for younger men to sport a more modern, personal style. They came first and are still mostly designed for young men and teens who would typically not have to worry about shifts in their weight, muscle mass, and body type.

For this reason, they were considered a “safe” pick for young men looking for a modern dress shirt, despite it not always working out that way as people are more diverse beyond what the common body shape and type is for their age.

Tailored Fit Dress Shirt: Overview

Tailored fit falls in between slim fit and traditional fit on the spectrum of tailoring styles. It is often tighter than traditional fit but not uncomfortably so, as it leaves room for movement and breathability. It is by no means skin-tight and clingy. Instead, it is designed to fit you comfortably.

Much like the slim fit was designed for younger men and teens who want to step away from the classics, the tailored fit is for older men looking to stray away from traditional dress clothing into more modern designs without necessarily diving head-first into the more experimental clothing styles. These shirts are excellent choices for those with bulkier bodies, as they will still afford you freedom of movement without necessarily looking baggy on you.

One massive advantage of tailored fits is that they can be tailored after being made. This means that they have a comfortable amount of extra fabric that can be used to alter the dress shirt so that you can bring it closer to your body size and shape. This makes it fit more comfortably and look better on your body. This customization is one reason why tailored fits are so popular, especially for those who have unique body shapes – no one gets left out.

Looking at what the tailored fit can offer you aesthetically speaking, you can expect a shirt that can end up just as fashionable as slim fits thanks to its ability to be customized. This means the shirt can be quite flexible in its aesthetics. Because tailored fit shirts fill the gap between the slim fit and traditional fit, they can swing either way at the end of the day. They are the most versatile option and can be made to follow any trend no matter what aesthetic you are going for.

Slim Fit vs Tailored Fit Dress Shirts: Direct Comparisons

Now that we’ve discussed each type of fit, we can start to make some direct comparisons and decide which shirt you’d want to wear depending on what you want to look like.

Slim fits are more sleek and stylish in design, so you would wear them to events where you would likely sport more modern styles, such as formal events, award ceremonies, galas, and luncheons. Tailored fits are more contemporary in their approach while still retaining some of the sleekness of slim fits. They can be worn for the same events as slim fits (if tailored for such things), but they can also be used for more comfortable wear, such as lunch with friends, office wear, or just everyday clothing if you’re so inclined.

Slim fits also make you look more youthful and fresh for the day, and they are easy to style, as they are generally only worn with a sleek aesthetic in mind. In comparison, the tailored shirt can look closer to traditional attire but doesn’t have to. It can fit perfectly into any aesthetic you are looking for. Just be aware that slim fits will not look as good on you if you are of a bulkier build, so you’ll likely want to lean more towards tailored clothing for a perfect fit.

Pros and Cons

In summary, the pros and cons of slim fit shirts are:

The pros and cons of tailored fits are:

Conclusion

Slim fit and tailored fit both have a place in the fashion world. Slim fit can be more limited on aesthetics and who it may fit, but it has a nice, sleek, modern feel. Tailored is what we would recommend for most people, however. The customizability means you can make the shirt work for just about anything, all the while staying perfectly comfortable.