To wear a dress shirt under a jumper, choose a shirt with a stiff collar (Oxford, spread or button-down), a fine-knit jumper in a plain or subtly patterned fabric, and let the collar sit outside the jumper neckline. Roll the shirt cuffs down so a centimetre shows below the jumper sleeves.
Wearing a dress shirt under a jumper can be a creative way to make a fashion statement whether you are looking to achieve a casual or formal look. However, you need to understand some fashion dos to be able avoid styling your shirt and jumper wrongly. Read along to find tips to help you create a style powerhouse with your shirt and jumper.
Pick the right dress shirt
To avoid bunching under the jumper, be sure to choose a dress shirt that fits you well in the shoulders, sleeves, and waist. If you can’t find a shirt that is fitted, you can take the one you have to the tailor for fittings. Additionally, it will be beneficial to choose a thin dress if you are trying to achieve a neat, crisp look.
Choose a short-sleeved shirt in warmer weather
Besides looking great under a jumper, a short-sleeve dress shirt will keep you cool in the warm weather by reducing the number of layers on your arms. Likewise, it will prevent your shirt from causing lumps under the sweater sleeves.
Wear a crew neck jump for a professional look
Pairing your dress shirt with a crew neck jumper is a great way to maintain a professional appearance for your business meetings. Wearing your jumper and shirt like this will serve you the classic vibe as you walk into the office or conference room. You can pair the look with some slacks and leave the collar of the shirt tucked in if the collar of the jumper is very tight.
Wear a V-neck jumper with a tie
When pairing a dress shirt with a jumper, wearing a tie will immediately upgrade the style to a classic professional look. The rectangular shape of the collar of your V-neck jumper will frame the tie neatly. As long as your jumper and shirt fits properly, you will be able to pull off this look cleanly.
Wear neutral colours for a conservative look
Wearing neutral shades of blue fabric will bring out your professional side more. Choose neutral shades like black, gray, white and the likes for your tie, jumper and shirt. Even though your outfit will still look nice if you pair neutral shades together, avoid wearing the same shade throughout.
Mix solid colours with patterns
If you have a fun personality, mixing solid colors with patterns will help to show your personality. You can choose to wear a patterned shirt with a solid-colored tie or a solid shirt under a patterned jumper. However, don’t wear several patterns in one outfit as it creates quite unpleasant similarities. You can check out our men’s wool jumper and ladies wool jumper.
Tuck your shirt in
For a date night, presentation at work, or an interview, you can tuck your shirt into your trousers to impress. Letting your shirt hang out under your jumper is a bit sloppy and will ruin the impression you are trying to make. Ensure that you do the tucking neatly to avoid lumps in your trousers.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes – it’s a classic smart-casual layering combination. The key is a shirt with a structured collar (Oxford, spread or button-down) and a fine-knit jumper that lies flat over the shirt without bunching.
An Oxford, spread-collar or button-down shirt in cotton or a cotton-blend. Avoid soft-collar or camp-collar shirts, which won’t hold their shape under the jumper neckline.
Tuck the shirt into your trousers, not into the jumper. The jumper sits over the tucked shirt, and the shirt hem stays under the jumper hem.
Yes – about a centimetre of shirt cuff should show below the jumper sleeve. It’s a small styling detail that reads deliberately smart rather than accidentally scruffy.