Six Shirts for Your Rotation

Whether layered amongst other items or worn as a standalone on top, every man needs to have several shirts in his rotation that are able to create different looks for different occasions.

Things to consider are season, where warmer colours like burgundy work well in winter and a bright white is best in summer. Fit – slim fits when dressing up and more casual styles for downtime. Fabrics such as oxford, poplin, linen and more. And then whether you’re rocking a mandarin, button-down or club collar.

Build a bulletproof wardrobe by stocking up on these different shirt options so that you can create numerous looks with ease. The clincher? At this price point (shirts from R299!) you can get your grown-ass man wardrobe started for less than what you spent on your last pair of premium kicks.

Mandarin Collar

Also known as the granddad-collar, this shirt was created by factory workers ripping the collars off of their shirts so that there was less fabric able to get caught in machinery. While the utilitarian roots are strong, nowadays it’s the type of shirt that will make you stand out when worn with smartly tailored trousers and a blazer.

Button-down collar

Conjuring up thoughts of Ivy League preppies, cable knit sweaters and signet rings, this shirt is considered less formal than say, a traditional oxford, but is still a great way to play with the dress code. Button to the top and wear yours with crisp denim, fresh sneakers and no tie.

Navy blue oxford

Navy is a big colour for the season, and our menswear team reports how they have to replenish this particular style more than any other on the page. Close enough to the summer go-to, the chambray, the oxford is more breathable, more supple and softer than a Drake track. Turned up chinos and desert boots complete the look.

Black shirt

If you’re looking to build a wardrobe with items that will never go out of style, a black shirt is a bold choice that’s not just for funerals, but will shave kilograms off of your frame. It’s not necessarily a formal shirt, however, it can be dressed up with a black suit to create a serious look. Think Diego Simeone, just less mob boss.

Textured Shirt

This textured shirt has a different hand feel to the other shirts on this page, almost linen-like. Wear with chinos, sneakers and a lightweight bomber or windbreaker in a similar hue for that tonal Yeezy look that we just can’t get enough of.

White shirt

We’re assuming you’re the type of guy who doesn’t need his clothing to shout for him. A man who would never wear anything as loud or brash as a slogan T-shirt. Well a crisp white shirt makes as big a statement in summer, and when worn with a tan it’s the type of shirt that has people asking if you recently had your teeth whitened.