Though they do sound expensive, it’s possible to track down high quality, cheap dress shirts and ties. If you shop wisely, you may even be able to purchase both together for a great price!
Wardrobe Essentials
At some point or another, a man will likely find himself in need of a dress shirt and tie. These two pieces are as essential to a man’s wardrobe as a pair of jeans or a winter coat. Even men who work from home or don’t spend much time in social settings may eventually need these two items, whether for a sudden job interview, meeting, wedding or another formal event. Of course, they’re also perfect to wear to the office.
Focus on Details
Just because something is cheap doesn’t necessarily mean it’s of poor quality. That said, it is important to focus on the details when it comes to shopping for dress shirts. It’s quite easy to find dress shirts and ties at surprisingly low prices, but it can be difficult to find styles that are both affordable and perfectly made.
Shirts
A flaw in a lower priced dress shirt may not always be visible to the naked eye. In fact, it often takes a great deal of inspection to find the imperfection. After the shirt has been worn several times and put in the washing machine, though, it may begin to show obvious signs of wear and tear. No matter how cheap the shirt may be, it’s never nice to waste money on something that falls apart over time!
Avoid disappointment by focusing on a few key details:
- Material: Opt for shirts made of yarn-dyed cotton, a material that stands up well to frequent washings and maintains its color over time.
- Seams: Loose seams are a dead giveaway of a poor quality product. A dress shirt should feature smooth, tightly reinforced seams. Inspect the pockets, buttonholes, sleeves and plackets to ensure all seams are in place.
- Wrinkle-resistant: Shirts that are marked “wrinkle-free” make life so much easier. They save time and are ready to wear as soon as you pull them out of the dryer. Even better, they’ll look just as good at the end of a long day as they did in the morning.
- Stain-resistant: Just as helpful – thought not necessarily essential – is a stain-resistant fabric that is easy to wipe up with a dry cloth. This could come in very handy during your lunch break!
Ties
Similarly, avoid falling for a cheap tie if it’s not up to quality standards. Fortunately, it’s quite easy to determine by focusing on these points:
- Material: If it feels rough, it’s not worth the money – no matter how little.
- Stitches: Turn the tie around and examine the area where the two sides should join together with a stitch. This stitch is necessary for maintaining the tie’s shape.
- Lining: Very cheap ties are not likely to be lined with pure wool, but try to find one that is lined with a high content of wool, even if it’s blended with something else.
Finding Cheap Dress Shirts and Ties
Keeping these points in mind, you can confidently shop for cheap dress shirts and ties and understand that you don’t have to skimp on quality even if you pay a little bit less. These shops offer great selections at low prices:
- Loehmann’s: Shop Loehmann’s for high quality dress shirts at significantly discounted prices. Look for designer labels like Perry Ellis, Ralph Lauren and Michael Kors. Note that the selection changes rapidly here.
- Marshalls: The popular discount retailer carries a vast selection of dress shirts at marked down prices. You will often find dress shirts prepackaged with coordinating ties, occasionally for as low as $20.
- The Silk Tie Factory: No matter what type of tie you favor, you’ll probably find it at this online retailer. The company carries ties sourced from Italy and Asia, all at low prices.
With a polished dress shirt and coordinating tie in your wardrobe, you’ll always have something pulled together to wear.
