Like any guy who works in an office, I wear a lot of white dress shirts. And like every guy who works in an office and wears a lot of white dress shirts, I’ve searched far and wide for that Goldilocks dress shirt: the one that’s cheap enough that I can buy five at a time but that isn’t cheap cheap; the one that can breathe and has some stretch but doesn’t feel like athletic wear; the one that, most importantly, fits well — that has buttons that button comfortably, that tucks in with none of that muffin-top-y overflow, that’s trim but not slim and has sleeves that are snug-ish but allow my arm to bend easily. I wore many a terrible dress shirt, friends. But after years of struggling to find an affordable white dress shirt I finally found one that fits all my criteria: the ASOS Design Stretch Slim Formal Work Shirt in White.
As you can tell, I’m a little picky. So trust me when I tell you: the Design Stretch is the everyday dress shirt that gives me what I need. Made from a blend of cotton, polyester, and elastane, it’s light and breathable (you won’t overheated if you wear it under a sweater or jacket) with a slight stretch that offers a bit of forgiveness. It fits well, with the hem sitting a few inches below my belt-line and leaving room for mobility but not so much that it feels like it’s drowning me in fabric. The elbows are durable enough to survive weeks of rubbing against a desk and not wear down (office life, amirite?) and the fabric is such that folks likely won’t peep your nipples if you go undershirt-less (which, if you want to not sweat as much, you shouldn’t). Don’t let the “slim” in the title deter you: it’s more trim in that it sits close to the body in, as the site says, neatly (I think white dress shirts should be neat). Oh, and it’s only $26. That’s right: $26.
Some concessions: The Design Stretch Slim is a spread collar shirt, not a button down. So if you’re a button or bust kind of gu, it’s not for you. It also doesn’t have a pocket. Finally, it might not fit everyone. Sizing goes up to XXL and run slightly narrow. So if you’re a swole fella or a huskier gent you might be out of luck. I’m 6’3 and 200 pounds with an 18-inch neck and a size large fits me fine.
Speaking of fit: dress shirts are so specific. So, why, you ask do you think this will be right for someone who’s not you? Because I’ve recommended this shirt to dozens of men: Tall, short, stocky, string-bean-y, you name it and most of them have been satisfied with fit, feel, and features. Will it 100 percent be the shirt you need? I can’t say for sure. But at $26, it’s not hard to take a test drive.
