Breast Pocketed Dress Shirts

[Young Scrappy]

What is your styleforum's opinion on these shirts? I just looked into my closet and 90% of my dress shirts have breast pockets. Needless to say my wardrobe needs a upgrde, I finally have some money, not that much, to do an upgrade.

My opinion is that it does kind of look outdated unless its a suit but I'm no expert and I am sure people have much more informed opinions than me.

Thanks

 

[TheFoo]

I like pockets on OCBDs, but not on dress shirts. My problem is getting them positioned in the right place.

 

[blahblahblah]

hate them and remove them on any shirt i bought against my better judgement that had one (except work shirts, obviously).
as far as i know shirt pockets are relatively recent introduction in shirts, around the 1960s, which makes sense as it was about that time when many things in men's fashion went downhill

(the most infuriating experience for me was a white french cuff brooks bros shirt - even that one had a pocket! I am totally writing off brooks bros as a shirt source. Price, fabric "quality", and now - pockets on fcs...)

 

[ccc123]

I prefer no pockets - the image of pens and or glasses - even the dreaded pocket protector is just not making it for me- the pockets seem to always be in the wrong place, are most always poorly executed and always break up a fine tailored look - they serve no real need - I mean think about what you really use them for? - nothing in my own opinion - its kind of like a wart its there but nobody really wants it! i also don't use them on a work shirt - old wood shop teacher of mine went around with a shirt pocket neatly and proudly filled with sharp pencil note pad and small tape measure - one day after a long reach on the table saw, some of the contents came tumbling out - his life was never the same hence my passion for no pockets.

 

[Coho]

Pockets on shirts have always been a great utilitarian feature. Where else would I place my car keys?

 

[nmprisons]

just got my first round of custom shirts made ... took the leap to pocket free and couldn't be happier.

 

[Gus]

I didn't think much of pockets on dress shirts until I needed reading glasses. Now the majority of my shirts have them. Every now and then I buy one without a pocket only to wish it had one.

 

[globetrotter]

I had a round of shirts made without pockets about 10 years ago. hated them, I was always looking for my pocket. now I have the pocket on the right side - I am left handed and it works better, but it is also a little bespoke touch.

 

[Joseph K. Bank]

I feel that it is a very professional style. I wish Jos. A Bank would offer their Traveler point collar dress shirts with a breast pocket.

 

[dirk diggler]

I cannot stand breast pockets in shirts - it looks like Dilbert.

 

[organix71]

I agree with mafoofan. I think a breast pocket on an OCBD is befitting the more casual nature of the shirt. Other than that, I try to avoid them. In no case should they be used really, except possibly for glasses if one isn't wearing a jacket.

 

[TheFoo]

I stuff glasses or sunglasses in my OCBD pockets all the time. The categorical hatred for shirt pockets seems to be a compensatory reaction to the notion that only RTW shirts have them. I think they deserve finer consideration than that. While a pocket might be unnecessary much of the time, I don't see what makes one inherently ugly.

 

[EdenResident]

I will never buy dress shirts with pocket.

 

[tlmusic]

IMHO, pockets on shirts are a casual feature. Therefore, the more dressy or formal a shirt is, the more incongruous a breast pocket becomes.

OCBD's look fine with pockets.

A dressy white shirt with French cuffs does not look right with a pocket to me.

 

[i6or]

i personally love them, i cant even imagine how naked my shirt would fell with out one.