Whether it’s for work or a wedding, nothing makes a man feel smarter than pulling on a crisp shirt, especially when it’s box-fresh and just ironed.
But there are so many styles to choose from out there, from short- and long-sleeved to smart and causal (smart-casual, anyone?!), not to mention the variety in prices and labels. Plus, it’s hard to keep up with so many different iterations being sent down the runway – what’s hot this month is not the next.
This is why we could all do with someone pointing us in the right direction, helping us navigate shelves and websites positively bursting with different fabrics and cuts, and separating those long-term investment pieces from the fast-fashion fads.
Callum McCall, co-founder of menswear brand Flax London, says: “Increasingly, the consumer mindset is about buying better things, less often. As a shirtmaker, that’s exciting because it allows us to focus on impact, provenance and quality across every stage of making a shirt. We can invest time and energy into sourcing the very best fabrics, made in an environmentally and ethically conscious way, that will only get better with time. There’s never been the same breadth of fabrics and depth of quality as we see in today’s market.”
Good news indeed for us gents. Here, we round up the best shirt brands for men, from independent labels to fashion powerhouses and high-street heroes. It’s time to get shirty.
See our edit of the best men’s shirt brands below
Best High Street Shirt Brands
Arket
Arket's shirts will work harder than any others in your wardrobe. Whether you wear them to work or on the weekends, there's a great selection of smart-casual heroes which can be easily dressed up or down. The best part? Everything by the Scandi label is designed to last, so these are button-ups you'll wear for years to come.
Buy now, Arket
Cos
Price: ££
For elevated shirting on the high street, Cos is your best bet. A label which is known for premium fabrics and boxy silhouettes, everything by the Stockholm-based label looks and feels expensive. There’s evening-ready silk shirts, laid back Oxfords, utility-inspired options as well as heavy duty overshirts. All the bases are covered.
Buy now, Cos
Gap
Price: £
Though Gap has always been known for its quality basics, since Zac Posen took the helm in early 2024 the menswear offering has gone up a notch – shirting, included. From a simple white button-up that’s cut to the perfect relaxed fit to an autumnal checked flannel, these are shirts you’ll reach for every morning. Now all you need is the denim to match.
Buy now, Gap
Charles Tyrwhitt
Price: £
A familiar name on the high-street, and a favourite among young professionals, you can always count on Charles Tyrwhitt to have you covered. Quite literally, with a wealth of shirts in their wardrobe, from work shirts for meetings, to tuxedo shirts for special occasions, and linen shirts for easy, breezy days. Quality and fit aside, they’re known for options, so expect plenty of ‘em in terms of collar, cuff, size, fit and style.
Buy now, Charles Tyrwhitt
ASOS Design
Price: £
You can always count on trusty ASOS to come up trumps in a fashion emergency. Cousin’s wedding? Sorted. Job interview? Done, and done. Summer barbecue? In the bag.
Its own label ASOS Design is a veritable treasure trove of shirts for any season and all occasions. Better still, there’s a huge variety for varying tastes, from smart and classic to casual and trendy, not to mention seriously fashion-forward styles for the bold and the brave: checked, gingham, graphic and more.
But the best bit? Prices aren’t going to break the bank, meaning you can fix up, look sharp for every event.
Buy now, ASOS
M&S
Price: £
From their food to their fashion, say what you like about Marks, but you can never say that their quality isn’t up there with the best. The same is true of their men’s shirts, which have moved with the times to not just offer quality in terms of how they’re made and what they’re made with, but real variety for the younger generation, too. Now replacing a sea of soulless white shirts is a curated collection of contemporary styles for the modern man. Home or away, work or play, there’s something to suit.
Buy now, M&S
T.M. Lewin
Price: ££
Summer weddings. Work soirées. TM Lewin has rightfully become a tried-and-trusted source for shirts with men across the land. Their styles stick to do what they do best – traditional tailoring and classic colours – and we thank them for it. The range spans formal, casual and dress from slim to regular fits, so there’s always something for everyone, while their signature non-iron shirts have become a saviour to many.
Buy now, T.M. Lewin
Best Lesser Known Shirt Brands
Wax London
Price: ££
Wax London is an expert in the shirting game. Every piece is thoughtfully designed using sustainably sourced fabrics – their signature overshirts, for example, are crafted from French upholstery fabric sourced from an independent family-run mill. Dressed up or down, they’re a staple in any man-about-town’s closet.
Buy now, Wax London
Neem London
Price: ££
Neem London not only manufactures with a transparent supply chain using responsible fabrics, but also encourages a circular process - offering its customers the chance to recycle old garments if they no longer want them. Considering the fact that it’s a small brand, there’s a surprisingly large range of shirts available, from the relaxed fit ‘comfort’ collection to the flannel overshirts.
Buy now, Neem London
Colorful Standard
Price: ££
The clue’s in the name when it comes to Colorful Standard: responsibly-made staples in every shade of the spectrum (and then some).
In addition to tees and sweaters and hoodies, amongst other apparel, you’ll find their classic Oxford shirt: from subtle charcoal to showy orange, some may argue it’s the only shirt you’ll ever need, made from 100 per cent cotton and featuring a unisex design.
Whether open-collared or buttoned-up, it’s the epitome of versatile, which means there’s no shame in buying one for every day of the week.
Buy now, Colourful Standard
L’Estrange
Price: ££
What first caught our eye with this London-based label was something they billed as ‘The 24 Trouser’: the elusive pair designed to transition you from day to night with smart looks and natural stretch.
It was excitement indeed, then, when we discovered their ambition was even bigger than creating the perfect trousers: to design a complete modular wardrobe for men.
Included in this is The All-Day Shirt and it’s music to our ears: comfortable enough for play but smart enough for work. There are options, too, from the material – merino, linen – to the style, whether collared, collarless or Oxford. The Holy Grail, if you will.
Buy now, L’Estrange
Percival
Price: ££
Percival’s MO is designing menswear classics with a twist. With a starry fanbase including Tom Holland, Chris Evans and Andrew Garfield, it’s perfect for guys who are understatedly fashion conscious. It could be a simple linen shirt that’s given a beachy upgrade with embroidery or simply a textile with an unusual texture or print. Either way, these are interesting pieces you won’t find anywhere else.
Buy now, Percival
Best Mid Range Shirt Brands
Sunspel
Price: ££
Quality basics are what Sunspel, the beloved British brand, does best, so it’s hardly surprising that their long line of luxurious shirts offers some of the most covetable in the business.
In addition to classic long-sleeve Oxford shirts and short-sleeve linen shirts – after all, you’ll need one in every colour, right? – they’ve just launched their classic camp collar style in a fancy botanical print created by renowned fashion illustrator Rosie McGuinness. Sure to stand out in a crowd this summer.
Buy now, Sunspel
Gant
Price: ££
If you like your shirting with a side of prep, look no further than Gant. A Scandi brand which takes its style cues from Ivy League nostalgia, its collections are supercharged with a collegiate aesthetic – think classic Oxford shirts and college-inspired crests. Amp up the look with denim, loafers and glasses à la Tom Ripley.
, Gant
Lee
Price: £
For lived-in denim shirts, there are few emporiums finer than Lee, the designer brand famed for the much-loved, universally flattering material. Their Western Overshirt is a case in point, inspired by traditional workwear but updated with a more relaxed silhouette, creating a staple for any man’s wardrobe that can be worn by itself or layered. Elsewhere, their shirts cover everything from flannel to Western and resort, meaning there really is something for everyone.
Buy now, Lee
R.M. Williams
Price: ££
Who needs a bit of Aussie in their lives? Born in the Outback, R.M. Williams is best known for rugged footwear steeped in rustic heritage, but their shirts are worth snapping up, too.
The workwear-inspired iterations are your best bet – from the Springwood Workwear Overshirt layered over a simple white tee to the Angus Workshirt worn by itself with a few buttons popped – and are all finished with quality touches such as their signature branded buttons and two-piece collars. Manly AF.
Buy now, R.M. Williams
Mr Porter
Price: £ - £££
Mr. Porter is home to to countless designer brands, stocking luxury labels like Loewe, Jacquemus and Louis Vuitton as well as more accessible brands like Carhartt and Portuguese Flannel. Better yet, one of their best labels is actually their own, Mr P, which offers menswear with modern silhouettes and luxurious fabrics at its heart.
Buy now, Mr. Porter
Best Designer Shirt Brands
Ami
Price: £££
Whether you recognise Ami from the latest season of Emily In Paris or the brand’s iconic heart logo, it’s a label every guy could do with in their wardrobe. The entire collection is Parisian nonchalance at it’s finest. We’re talking simple Oxford shirts. We’re talking classic button-ups crafted using premium fabrics. Entirely wearable yet expertly elevated.
Buy now, Ami
BOSS
Price: £££
This German fashion house certainly knows how to make men look good, with luxury goods spanning pretty much everything, but it’s their shirts that really stand out in premium fabrics and classic fits.
More often than not, their logo is obviously emblazoned, while their colours are kept largely monochromatic for a sleek and striking look. Though snazzy prints and colours for the summer do sneak in, and they’re just as good.
Buy now, BOSS
Paul Smith
Price: £££
Launched with a mission to foster curiosity and creativity, it’s no surprise that the Paul Smith label has become known for statement shirts, from ornate patterns to signature stripes. Better still, as everything is still overseen by the eponymous British designer, you can expect the same expert tailoring and luxurious materials that first put PS on the map more than 50 years ago.
Buy now, Paul Smith
Polo Ralph Lauren
Price: £££
American designer Ralph Lauren has rightfully become the king of the preppy aesthetic and it’s largely down to his range of classic shirts for men. Whether short- or long-sleeved, patterned or plain, what unifies them is the embroidered and distinctive logo above the left breast. Men love them because they say something about who they are – even if they’re not thudding around on horseback in the Hamptons every weekend – and women love them before they can borrow them last minute and still look effortlessly put together.
Buy now, Ralph Lauren
Jacquemus
Price: £££
Jacquemus’ shirting makes its way onto our wishlist season after season - and the current collection is no exception. Ranging from statement printed styles to understated blue and white stripe staples, the Parisian fashion house caters for everyone.
Buy now £460.00, MyTheresa
