The case for black dress shirts? - Page 3

The first picture isn't bad, but I still don't care for the black dress shirt.

 

And even they have the good sense to wear a white collar.

They are perfectly fine, just like any other garment, think where you wear one.

Everyone should have one black dress shirt but no more.

I have one. Need it for funerals.

No, you do not. White or grey shirts perfectly fine for funerals.

I wear black button downs with jeans sometimes.  It's a decent look TBH.  

No you don't. Much better options. In fact, Id say it's straight up disrespectful to dress like you are going clubbing at a funeral.


No it's not, unless, like Unbel said, you are trying to look like you are going clubbing.

Thanks for the perspective. I usually go black on black with no tie. Did not know it was considered a faux pas for funerals.

The idea with funerals is conservative and formal. Dark suit, ideally black, but not necessary, white shirt (conservative!) and dark, serious tie. Black works there too.

You're going fairly informal and not really conservative at all.

eh I'm ignoring classic theory as well as SF conformity but I think black 'dress' shirts have their place. I wouldn't encourage anyone to go out and buy them per se, but as someone who owns a couple from pre SF days and am required to wear black/white for service industry work, I do find ways to use them. If you're young and going out to a bar or club, it looks fine with jeans. If you want a nightclub/bar dressy look, I think a charcoal suit with black shirt looks good, and I've seen once a black shirt with navy suit look good but I think that one's harder to pull off. It's tough to do well with something like beige or a lighter grey, but I think it's doable. Some examples below...

beige


charcoal


light grey

 

Not only is it a black shirt, but it commits the double offense of pairing black with brown.

Oh I think a black dress shirt has its place:

If you are a neo-fascist and want to show solidarity with Il Duce and his followers (as somebody already pointed out).

If you wish to emulate the John Travolta character in "Saturday Night Fever."

If you want to play Nathan Detroit in a local theater production of "Guys and Dolls." (I owe that one to Manton.)

Otherwise best shunned, IMO.

There is no per se rule about colors.  If you can make it work, then work it.  I like charcoal pinstripe suit or vested medium gray suit with whitish track stripes + black shirt + dark cherry, burgundy, or purple/lavender tie.  Black shirt looks good with gray or tan/light brown sport coat.
 

I know that's the most formal. It's just that the funerals I've attended, people wear black polos usually cause the weather's rather hot...Felt like it would look pretty weird being the only one going full on formal.

These can also be added to the short list of acceptable reasons to wear a black dress shirt!