FlyerTalk Forums - Best Travel Dress Shirts?

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Gave up on BB years ago and started getting Eton shirts, mostly because of the incredibly good fit and the ability to travel well. Surprised only one post mentions them, but they're not easy to find. In a pinch it's possible to wear most of them without pressing.

Add my vote for the Brooks Brothers non iron dress shirts as long as you can get them on Sale for under $50. I did notice that the white shirts developed stains under armpits pretty quickly. Probably due to my anti antiperspirant and unwillingness to wear under shirt. As a result, I tried Costco's Kirkland Tailored fit dress shirts. The fit is good although not close to Brooks Brothers. The thing is they cost $17.99 so when they deteriorate after a year or so, I just throw them away and buy some more. The solid colors are good, but the patterns are too loud for my taste for business dress.

Quote:

Originally Posted by techman41973 (Post 25080549)

Just found these. wonder if anyone tried these
http://www.mizzenandmain.com/collections/the-shirt
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/12/19/fa...weat.html?_r=0

I own around 20 Mizzen and Main shirts. They're awesome. The new ones they've just come out with are even better. Made in the USA. The company is based here in Dallas. I've been to a few events they've held, great people.

Quote:

Originally Posted by jaws revenge (Post 18792302)

The two I wear are Brooks Brothers and Landsend. Great for traveling and everyday wear.

I concur with the Brooks Brothers option!

I've had very good luck with the Jos A Bank Traveler shirts (both dress and sport) and good enough luck with the Kirkland Signature Non-Iron shirts. To qualify, I wear a dress shirt ~4-6 times/month when visiting customers, and another ~2-4 for nights out, so my each of my ~20 shirts probably gets worn ~6 times/year... Some favorites and staples probably get worn ~10-12 times/year, while some bolder patterns might only get 1-2 wears/year (some only get worn with particular sweaters/vests, for instance), but on average 6 times/year sounds about right. I also do dry clean only unless I need a specific shirt for a casual evening with jeans, so washer/dryer wear and tear is minimized as well. As such, wear and tear due to heavy use just isn't an issue for me. If I were wearing a button-down 5 days a week, 48 weeks a year I'd probably be buying higher quality shirts made to last.

What I do really like about Jos A Bank is being able to be measured for and try on so I know a specific size and fit that I know is going to fit well, and then being able to order from the clearance section online with confidence in what I'm receiving. This approach allows me to consistently pay less than $20/shirt, sometimes as low as $15/shirt when they occasionally have coupon codes that work on clearance, without having to repeatedly go to the store. As such, my ratio of Jos A Bank to Kirkland is slowly rising since there's no real savings to be had with the Kirkland shirts and I prefer both the fit (specifically the Tailored Fit) and available styles of the Jos A Bank offerings.

Ultra Club shirts are really comfortable and a great light travel shirt. Pricey, but you get what you pay for.
http://www.spazeapparel.com/ultra-cl...willshirt.html

https://www.amazon.com/G-H-Bass-Co-S.../dp/B00G0NEW0K

GH Bass Explorer Shirt:
Some nice solid colors
Lightweight and breezy but strong fabric
Nice style

Quote:

Originally Posted by drbobguy (Post 18792075)

I have no good answer, but like you I hate ironing and avoid it at all costs. Why iron when there are shirts with materials that resist wrinkling?

For me though I only chose time tested products that I've had success with in the past, I really like cheap Van Heusen Poplin shirts for business casual. For some reason I don't quite understand not all synthetic/cotton blends are created equal, some of them still wrinkle somewhat. I would love to hear other suggestions.

The other thing to do of course is careful packing. The main thing is to avoid friction between cloth layers and secondly any style of packing that avoids folds will help (bundle packing).

I really can't stand Van Heusen shirts... they wrinkle like crazy, wear our fast, and aren't particularly flattering to wear (for me, anyway). However, their microfiber slacks are an amazingly good traveling pant. I rarely have to iron them... and they only cost around $20!

If you want something at the price of Van Heusen shirts, go to Nordstrom Rack and pick up the Nordstrom Men's Shop brand shirts. They make a great Trim Fit option. They have a split yoke and use single needle stitching on the side seems. I've regularly found them under $20 and they are far superior to Van Heusen.

Quote:

Originally Posted by britishcanuck (Post 25094895)

I've tried them on and they are awesome... just be aware that they are a very trim/athletic for and will run small for most men.

I always crisply starch and iron my dress shirts simply because the ones marketed as "non-iron", etc, wouldn't pass inspection back when I was in the military.

Old habits die hard.

Best travel shirts on a budget...

I've been frequently traveling for business for the last four years and have always been interested in finding the best travel cloths. Before anyone gets offended, I've made the same mistakes I'm preaching against, so don't think I'm judging you or closed minded. For this post, I want to focus on those who are on a budget and think that their $19 Puritan shirt is a great deal. I'm also looking at you gents who think buying a big name, like CK or TH, means you've got the best quality (they're ok... if you can get them for $15). Before you CT, TML, BB, & BR fans get to sanctimonious, you're in my cross hairs too (CT & TML look good but are not great quality, BB & BR are simply overpriced for the "quality" you get).

If you're on a budget, I recommend:

Nordstrom Men's Shop Smartcare ($16-$80). Yes, normal pricing is outside the "budget pricing" category, but you can regularly find them for under $20 at Nordstrom Rack. These are the best I've seen at resisting wrinkles, the fabric is of high quality, and the construction is excellent. Their Trim Fit option is very good.
Twillory ($45-$80). This is for those people paying $30-$40 for CK/VH/TH. This is a much nicer shirt and you can find it on sale for around $45.
Ledbury ($35-$160). Ok BB & BR fans, wear this shirt and you'll never go back. This is truly a luxury shirt. I know the regular price takes it out of the "budget" category, but I've periodically seen them on sale at the Nordstrom Rack for $35-$45. The feel of the cotton and the mother of pearl buttons will win you over! Whenever I find one in my size on clearance, I buy it!

There are many more brands I could talk about (Tie Bar, etc) but these are the best to start with and can all be found in stores.

I get "bespoke" 100% cotton dress shirts made by my Bangkok tailor for $50 each........provided I order 25 at a time. It takes 5 years of daily wear in rotation before they start to show wear at the collars and cuffs.