Full-dress shirts were the early front-runners, coming with a front that was so heavily starched that it looked like a breast plate. These early shirts had detachable collars, too, which is very rare nowadays. The Marcella shirt is one of the more popular modern options, being a double-faced quilted cotton cloth, which gives the front a certain thickness and stiffness. The cloth's origins go back to the quilt makers of Marseilles but it was Lancashire textile mills that industrialised the fabric. It is very similar in structure to a piqué cloth, and these days, the two terms are used interchangeably.
At Favourbrook, we construct dress shirts in a variety of styles to suit individual tastes, preferences, and of course the diversity of formalwear events one can attend. These are most popular dress shirt styles you will come across:
- Classic Pleated Front: Timeless and traditional, featuring the distinctive pleated bib front.
- Piqué or Marcella Front: The textured waffle-like pattern adds a touch of sophistication.
- Plain Front: A modern, clean look with no pleats or texture.
- Fly-Front: With a concealed placket for a sleek and streamlined appearance.
The Business Shirt
For any smart occasion that doesn't require specific formalwear, a Business shirt is an excellent option, boasting all of the clean sharp lines of the formal shirt only without the bib details and heavyweight cotton. We have created a number of different styles in both cotton and linen fabrics, as well as a multitude of different collar styles to suit your personal style preferences. One of our favourite, and most popular styles, is the Gatsby shirt: F. Scott Fitzgerald described Jay Gatsby as having shirts 'piled like bricks in stacks a dozen high' and wrote that, upon seeing his collection, Daisy Buchanan cried because she had never seen such beautiful shirts before. Our Gatsby shirt is worthy of such admiration with its sharp, slim cut, structured formal collar with double button fastening, and French double cuff. Crafted from two fold fine quality poplin, this lightweight cloth is beautifully finished by a concealed button front and benefits from the added comfort and stretch of a split yolk across the shoulders, making it perfect for wearing with a lounge suit.
