A shirt is a cloth garment for the upper body (from the neck to the waist).
Originally an
undergarment
Underwear, underclothing, or undergarments are items of clothing worn beneath outer clothes, usually in direct contact with the skin, although they may comprise more than a single layer. They serve to keep outer clothing from being soiled ...
worn exclusively by men, it has become, in
American English
American English, sometimes called United States English or U.S. English, is the set of variety (linguistics), varieties of the English language native to the United States. English is the Languages of the United States, most widely spoken lang ...
, a catch-all term for a broad variety of upper-body garments and undergarments. In
British English
British English is the set of Variety (linguistics), varieties of the English language native to the United Kingdom, especially Great Britain. More narrowly, it can refer specifically to the English language in England, or, more broadly, to ...
, a shirt is more specifically a garment with a
collar
Collar may refer to:
Human neckwear
*Clerical collar (informally ''dog collar''), a distinctive collar used by the clergy of some Christian religious denominations
*Collar (clothing), the part of a garment that fastens around or frames the neck
...
, sleeves with
cuff
A cuff is a layer of fabric at the lower edge of the sleeve of a garment (shirt, coat, jacket, etc.) at the wrist, or at the ankle end of a trouser leg. The function of turned-back cuffs is to protect the cloth of the garment from fraying, and, ...
s, and a full vertical opening with buttons or snaps (North Americans would call that a "
dress shirt
A dress shirt, button shirt, button-front, button-front shirt, or button-up shirt is a garment with a Collar (clothing), collar and a full-length opening at the front, which is fastened using buttons or shirt studs. A button-down or button-down ...
", a specific type of collared shirt). A shirt can also be worn with a
necktie
A necktie, long tie, or simply a tie, is a cloth article of formal neckwear or office attire worn for decorative or symbolic purposes, resting under a folded shirt collar or knotted at the throat, and usually draped down the chest. On rare o ...
under the shirt collar.
History
The world's oldest preserved garment, discovered by
Flinders Petrie
Sir William Matthew Flinders Petrie ( – ), commonly known as simply Sir Flinders Petrie, was an English people, English Egyptology, Egyptologist and a pioneer of systematic methodology in archaeology and the preservation of artefacts. ...
, is a "highly sophisticated" linen shirt from a First Dynasty Egyptian tomb at
Tarkan
Tarkan may refer to:
People
* Tarkan (name), a given name (including a list of people with the name)
* Tarkan (singer) (born 1972), Turkish pop singer
Other uses
* Tarkhan, an ancient Turkic and Mongol nobility title
* Tarkan (comics), a fic ...
, dated to : "the shoulders and sleeves have been finely pleated to give form-fitting trimness while allowing the wearer room to move. The small fringe formed during weaving along one edge of the cloth has been placed by the designer to decorate the neck opening and side seam."
The shirt was an item of clothing that only men could wear as underwear, until the twentieth century.
[William L. Brown III, "Some Thoughts on Men's Shirts in America, 1750-1900", Thomas Publications, Gettysburg, PA 1999. , p. 7] Although the women's
chemise
A chemise or shift is a classic smock type of women's undergarment or dress. Historically, a chemise was a simple garment worn next to the skin to protect clothing from sweat and body oils, the precursor to the modern shirts commonly worn in W ...
was a closely related garment to the men's, it is the men's garment that became the modern shirt. In the
Middle Ages
In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the 5th to the late 15th centuries, similarly to the post-classical period of global history. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire and ...
, it was a plain, undyed garment worn next to the skin and under regular garments. In medieval artworks, the shirt is only visible (uncovered) on humble characters, such as
shepherd
A shepherd is a person who tends, herds, feeds, or guards flocks of sheep. Shepherding is one of the world's oldest occupations; it exists in many parts of the globe, and it is an important part of Pastoralism, pastoralist animal husbandry. ...
s, prisoners, and
penitents
Confraternities of penitents (; ; ) are Christian religious congregations, with statutes prescribing various penitential works; they are especially popular in the Catholic Church. Members of the confraternities of penitents practice mortificati ...
. In the seventeenth century, men's shirts were allowed to show, with much the same
erotic
Eroticism () is a quality that causes sexual feelings, as well as a philosophical contemplation concerning the aesthetics of sexual desire, sensuality, and romantic love. That quality may be found in any form of artwork, including painting, sculp ...
import as visible underwear today. In the eighteenth century, instead of underpants, men "relied on the long tails of shirts ... to serve the function of drawers. Eighteenth-century costume historian
Joseph Strutt believed that men who did not wear shirts to bed were indecent. Even as late as 1879, a visible shirt with nothing over it was considered improper.
The shirt sometimes had frills at the neck or cuffs. In the sixteenth century, men's shirts often had
embroidery
Embroidery is the art of decorating Textile, fabric or other materials using a Sewing needle, needle to stitch Yarn, thread or yarn. It is one of the oldest forms of Textile arts, textile art, with origins dating back thousands of years across ...
, and sometimes frills or
lace
Lace is a delicate fabric made of yarn or thread in an open weblike pattern, made by machine or by hand. Generally, lace is split into two main categories, needlelace and bobbin lace, although there are other types of lace, such as knitted o ...
at the neck and cuffs and through the eighteenth-century long neck frills, or
jabots, were fashionable. Coloured shirts began to appear in the early nineteenth century, as can be seen in the paintings of
George Caleb Bingham
George Caleb Bingham (March 20, 1811 – July 7, 1879) was an American artist, soldier and politician known in his lifetime as "the Missouri Artist". Initially a Whig, he was elected as a delegate to the Missouri legislature before the American C ...
. They were considered casual wear, for lower-class workers only, until the twentieth century. For a gentleman, "to wear a sky-blue shirt was unthinkable in 1860, but had become standard by 1920 and, in 1980, constituted the most commonplace event."
European and American women began wearing shirts in 1860, when the
Garibaldi shirt
A Garibaldi shirt, also called Garibaldi jacket or Camicia rossa, was a woman's fashion, a red wool shirt named after the Italian patriot Giuseppe Garibaldi first popularized in 1860. It was the direct ancestor of the modern women's blouse.Yo ...
, a red shirt as worn by the freedom fighters under
Giuseppe Garibaldi
Giuseppe Maria Garibaldi ( , ;In his native Ligurian language, he is known as (). In his particular Niçard dialect of Ligurian, he was known as () or (). 4 July 1807 – 2 June 1882) was an Italian general, revolutionary and republican. H ...
, was popularized by
Empress Eugénie
The word ''emperor'' (from , via ) can mean the male ruler of an empire. ''Empress'', the female equivalent, may indicate an emperor's wife (empress consort), mother/grandmother (empress dowager/grand empress dowager), or a woman who rules ...
of France. At the end of the nineteenth century, the ''
Century Dictionary
''The Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia'' is one of the largest encyclopedic dictionaries of the English language. It was compared favorably with the ''Oxford English Dictionary,'' and frequently consulted for more factual information than woul ...
'' described an ordinary shirt as "of cotton, with linen bosom, wristbands and cuffs prepared for stiffening with starch, the collar and wristbands being usually separate and adjustable".
The first documented appearance of the expression "To give the shirt off one's back", happened in 1771 as an idiom that indicates extreme desperation or generosity and is still in common usage. In 1827 Hannah Montague, a housewife in upstate New York, invents the
detachable collar
A detachable collar or a false collar is a shirt collar separate from the shirt, fastened to it by studs. The collar is usually made of a different fabric from the shirt, in which case it is almost always white, and, being unattached to the shi ...
. Tired of constantly washing her husband's entire shirt when only the collar needed it, she cut off his collars and devised a way of attaching them to the neckband after washing. It was not until the 1930s that
collar stays
Plastic collar stay removed from shirt collar
Underside of a men's shirt collar showing removable collar stay
Metal collar stays are often used to replace plastic ones.
Adjustable-length collar stay
A collar stay, collar stick, collar bone (B ...
became popular, although these early accessories resembled tie clips more than the small collar stiffeners available today. They connected the collar points to the necktie, keeping them in place.
Types

*
Camp shirt
A camp shirt, variously known as a cabin shirt, Cuban collar shirt, cabana shirt, and lounge shirt, is a loose, straight-cut, woven, short-sleeved button-front shirt or blouse with a simple placket front opening and a "camp collar"–a one-piece ...
– a loose, straight-cut, short sleeved shirt or
blouse
A blouse () is a loose-fitting upper garment that may be worn by workmen, peasants, artists, women, and children.The Concise Oxford English Dictionary It is typically gathered at the waist or hips (by tight hem, pleats, parter, or belt) so th ...
with a simple placket front-opening and a "camp collar".
*
Dress shirt
A dress shirt, button shirt, button-front, button-front shirt, or button-up shirt is a garment with a Collar (clothing), collar and a full-length opening at the front, which is fastened using buttons or shirt studs. A button-down or button-down ...
– shirt with a formal (somewhat stiff) collar, a full-length opening at the front from the collar to the hem (usually buttoned), and sleeves with cuffs
*
White shirt – usually dress shirt which is white in colour
**
Dinner shirt – a shirt specifically made to be worn with male evening wear, e.g. a
black tie
Black tie is a semi-formal Western dress code for evening events, originating in British and North American conventions for attire in the 19th century. In British English, the dress code is often referred to synecdochically by its principal ...
or
white tie
White tie, also called full evening dress or a dress suit, is the most formal evening Western dress code. For men, it consists of a black tail coat (alternatively referred to as a dress coat, usually by tailors) worn over a white dress shir ...
.
**
Guayabera
The guayabera is a men's summer shirt, worn outside the trousers, distinguished by two columns of closely sewn pleats running the length of the front and back of the shirt. Typically made of linen, silk, or cotton, and appropriate for hot and/or ...
– an embroidered dress shirt with four pockets.
*
Poet shirt
A poet shirt (also known as a poet blouse or pirate shirt) is a type of shirt made as a loose-fitting blouse with full bishop sleeves, usually decorated with large frills on the front and on the cuffs. Typically, it has a laced-up V-neck openin ...
– a loose-fitting shirt or blouse with full bishop sleeves, usually with large frills on the front and on the cuffs.
*
T-shirt
A T-shirt (also spelled tee shirt, or tee for short) is a style of fabric shirt named after the T shape of its body and sleeves. Traditionally, it has short sleeves and a round neckline, known as a '' crew neck'', which lacks a collar. T-shir ...
– also "tee shirt", a casual shirt without a collar or buttons, made of a stretchy, finely knit fabric, usually cotton, and usually short-sleeved. Originally worn under other shirts, it is now a common shirt for everyday wear in some countries.
** Long-sleeved T-shirt – a T-shirt with long sleeves that extend to cover the arms.
** Ringer T-shirt – tee with a separate piece of fabric sewn on as the collar and sleeve hems.
**Raglan T-shirt – a T-shirt with a
raglan sleeve
A raglan sleeve is a sleeve that extends in one piece fully to the collar, leaving a diagonal seam from underarm to collarbone.
The ancient chiton was a tunic worn by men and women of ancient Greece and Rome that fastened at the shoulder res ...
; a sleeve that extends in one piece fully to the collar, leaving a diagonal seam from underarm to collarbone.
**
Halfshirt – a high-hemmed T-shirt
**
Sleeveless shirt
A sleeveless shirt, is a shirt that is manufactured without sleeves or with sleeves that have been cut off. Depending on the style, they can be worn as undershirts, by athletes in sports such as track and field and triathlon, or as casual wear ...
– a shirt manufactured without sleeves, or one whose sleeves have been cut off, also called a tank top
***
A-shirt
A sleeveless shirt, is a shirt that is manufactured without sleeves or with sleeves that have been cut off. Depending on the style, they can be worn as undershirts, by athletes in sports such as track and field and triathlon, or as casual wear b ...
or vest or singlet (in
British English
British English is the set of Variety (linguistics), varieties of the English language native to the United Kingdom, especially Great Britain. More narrowly, it can refer specifically to the English language in England, or, more broadly, to ...
) – essentially a sleeveless shirt with large armholes and a large neck hole, often worn by labourers or athletes for increased movability.
***
Camisole
A camisole is a sleeveless undershirt typically worn by women, extending to the waist. The camisole is usually made of satin, nylon, silk, or cotton.
Historical definition
Historically, ''camisole'' referred to jackets of various kinds, incl ...
– woman's undershirt with narrow straps, or a similar garment worn alone (often with
bra
A bra, short for brassiere or brassière (, ; ), is a type of form-fitting underwear that is primarily used to support and cover a woman's breasts. A typical bra consists of a chest band that wraps around the torso, supporting two breast cups ...
). Also referred to as a cami, shelf top, spaghetti straps or strappy top
*
Polo shirt
A polo shirt, tennis shirt, golf shirt, or chukker shirt is a form of shirt with a collar. Polo shirts are usually short sleeved but can be long; they were used by Polo#Players, polo players originally in British Raj, British India in 1859 and ...
(also tennis shirt or golf shirt) – a pullover soft collar short-sleeved shirt with an abbreviated button placket at the neck and a longer back than front (the "tennis tail").
**
Rugby shirt
A rugby shirt, also known as a jersey or jumper, is worn by players of rugby union or rugby league. It usually has short sleeves, though long sleeves are common as well.
Traditionally, rugby shirts have had a buttoned opening at the top, in a si ...
– a long-sleeved polo shirt, traditionally of rugged construction in thick cotton or wool, but often softer today
**
Henley shirt – a collarless polo shirt
* Baseball shirt (
jersey
Jersey ( ; ), officially the Bailiwick of Jersey, is an autonomous and self-governing island territory of the British Islands. Although as a British Crown Dependency it is not a sovereign state, it has its own distinguishing civil and gov ...
) – usually distinguished by a three-quarters sleeve, team insignia, and flat waist seam
*
Sweatshirt
A sweatshirt is a long-sleeved pullover shirt or jacket fashioned out of thick, usually cotton, cloth material. Sweatshirts are almost exclusively casual attire and hence not as formal as some sweaters. Sweatshirts may or may not have a hood. A s ...
– long-sleeved athletic shirt of heavier material, with or without
hood
Hood may refer to:
Covering
Apparel
* Hood (headgear), type of head covering
** Article of academic dress
** Bondage hood, sex toy
* Hoodie, hooded sweatshirt
Anatomy
* Clitoral hood, a hood of skin surrounding the clitoris
* Hood, a flap of ...
*
Tunic
A tunic is a garment for the torso, usually simple in style, reaching from the shoulders to a length somewhere between the hips and the ankles. It might have arm-sleeves, either short or full-length. Most forms have no fastenings. The name deri ...
– primitive shirt, distinguished by two-piece construction. Initially a men's garment, is normally seen in modern times being worn by women
*
Shirtwaist – historically (circa. 1890–1920) a woman's tailored shirt (also called a "tailored waist") cut like a man's dress shirt; in contemporary usage, a woman's dress cut like a men's dress shirt to the waist, then extended into dress length at the bottom
*
Nightshirt
A nightshirt is a garment intended for wear while sleeping, often with a nightcap. It is longer than most regular shirts, reaching down below the knees, leaving some of the legs uncovered. It is often referred to as a nightgown for men, but now ...
– often oversized, ruined or inexpensive light cloth undergarment shirt for
sleep
Sleep is a state of reduced mental and physical activity in which consciousness is altered and certain Sensory nervous system, sensory activity is inhibited. During sleep, there is a marked decrease in muscle activity and interactions with th ...
ing.
*
Halter top
Halterneck is a style of women's clothing strap that runs from the front of the garment around the back of the neck, generally leaving the upper back uncovered. The name comes from livestock halters. The word "halter" is of Germanic origin and me ...
– a shoulderless, sleeveless garment for women. It is mechanically analogous to an
apron
An apron is a garment worn over other clothing to cover the front of the body to protect from liquids. They have several purposes, most commonly as a functional accessory that protects clothes and skin from stains and marks. However, other typ ...
with a string around the back of the neck and across the lower back holding it in place.
* Top shirt – a long-sleeved collarless polo shirt
* Heavy shirt – a shirt with the heavy size that covers up under the neck
*
Onesie or diaper shirt – a shirt for
infant
In common terminology, a baby is the very young offspring of adult human beings, while infant (from the Latin word ''infans'', meaning 'baby' or 'child') is a formal or specialised synonym. The terms may also be used to refer to juveniles of ...
s which includes a long back that is wrapped between the legs and buttoned to the front of the shirt
*
Tube top
A tube top is a shoulderless, sleeveless garment primarily worn by women that wraps around the upper torso. It is generally tight over the breasts, and usually uses elastic bands at its top and bottom to prevent it from falling. The tube top's pr ...
(in
American English
American English, sometimes called United States English or U.S. English, is the set of variety (linguistics), varieties of the English language native to the United States. English is the Languages of the United States, most widely spoken lang ...
) or boob tube (in
British English
British English is the set of Variety (linguistics), varieties of the English language native to the United Kingdom, especially Great Britain. More narrowly, it can refer specifically to the English language in England, or, more broadly, to ...
) – a shoulderless, sleeveless "tube" that wraps the torso not reaching higher than the armpit, staying in place by elasticity or by a single strap that is attached to the front of the tube
*Overshirt are a type of shirt that can be worn as
jackets
A jacket is a garment for the upper body, usually extending below the hips. A jacket typically has sleeves and fastens in the front or slightly on the side. Jackets without sleeves are vests. A jacket is generally lighter, tighter-fitting, and l ...
. It is worn over a shirt.
* Punishment shirts were special shirts made for the condemned, either those cursed supernaturally, such as the poisoned shirt that killed
Creusa (daughter of Creon)
In Greek mythology, Creusa (; Ancient Greek: Κρέουσα ''Kreousa'' "princess" ) or Glauce (; Γλαυκή "blue-gray"), Latin Glauca, was a princess of Corinth as the daughter of King Creon.
Mythology
In favor of Creusa, Jason abandoned ...
, the
Shirt of Nessus
In Greek mythology, the Shirt of Nessus, Tunic of Nessus, Nessus-robe, or Nessus' shirt () was the poisoned shirt (chiton) that killed Heracles. It was once a popular reference in literature. In folkloristics, it is considered an instance of the ...
used to kill
Hercules
Hercules (, ) is the Roman equivalent of the Greek divine hero Heracles, son of Jupiter and the mortal Alcmena. In classical mythology, Hercules is famous for his strength and for his numerous far-ranging adventures.
The Romans adapted the Gr ...
, those used to execute people in ancient Rome, such as the
Tunica molesta, and those used in church heresy trials, such as the
Shirt of Flame The phrase Shirt of Flame refers either to a specific form of the poison dress trope in folklore, or to a particular type of clothing given to people about to face burning at the stake.
Pre-Christian, non-Christian, and magical usage Greek mytholog ...
, or the
Sanbenito
The sanbenito (; Catalan: ''gramalleta'', ''sambenet'', Portuguese: ''sambenito'') was a penitential garment that was used especially during the Portuguese and Spanish Inquisitions. It was similar to a scapular, either yellow with red saltires ...
Parts of shirt
Many terms are used to describe and differentiate types of shirts (and upper-body garments in general) and their construction. The smallest differences may have significance to a cultural or occupational group. Recently, (late twentieth century, into the twenty-first century) it has become common to use tops as a form of advertisement. Many of these distinctions apply to other upper-body garments, such as
coats and
sweaters
A sweater (North American English) or pullover, also called a jersey or jumper (British English, Hiberno-English and Australian English), .
Shoulders and arms
Sleeves
Shirts may:
* have no covering of the shoulders or arms – a
tube top
A tube top is a shoulderless, sleeveless garment primarily worn by women that wraps around the upper torso. It is generally tight over the breasts, and usually uses elastic bands at its top and bottom to prevent it from falling. The tube top's pr ...
(not reaching higher than the armpits, staying in place by elasticity)
* have only shoulder straps, such as
spaghetti strap
Spaghetti () is a long, thin, solid, cylindrical pasta.[spaghetti](_blank)
Dictionary.com. Dictionary.com Una ...
s
* cover the shoulders, but without
sleeve
A sleeve (, a word allied to '' slip'', cf. Dutch ) is the part of a garment that covers the arm, or through which the arm passes or slips.
The sleeve is a characteristic of fashion seen in almost every country and time period, across a myri ...
s
* have shoulderless sleeves, short or long, with or without shoulder straps, that expose the shoulders, but cover the rest of the arm from the biceps and triceps down to at least the elbow
* have short sleeves, varying from cap sleeves (covering only the shoulder and not extending below the armpit) to half sleeves (elbow length), with some having quarter-length sleeves (reaching to a point that covers half of the biceps and triceps area)
* have three-quarter-length sleeves (reaching to a point between the elbow and the wrist)
* have long sleeves (reaching a point to the wrist to a little beyond wrist)
Cuffs
Shirts with long sleeves may further be distinguished by the
cuff
A cuff is a layer of fabric at the lower edge of the sleeve of a garment (shirt, coat, jacket, etc.) at the wrist, or at the ankle end of a trouser leg. The function of turned-back cuffs is to protect the cloth of the garment from fraying, and, ...
s:
* no
button
A button is a fastener that joins two pieces of fabric together by slipping through a loop or by sliding through a buttonhole.
In modern clothing and fashion design, buttons are commonly made of plastic but also may be made of metal, wood, or ...
s – a closed placket cuff
* buttons (or analogous fasteners such as
snaps
In the Nordic countries, especially Denmark and Sweden, but not in Iceland, snaps ( , ), among many nicknames, is a small shot of a strong alcoholic beverage taken during the course of a meal.
In Denmark, a snaps will always be akvavit, althou ...
) – single or multiple. A single button or pair aligned parallel with the
cuff
A cuff is a layer of fabric at the lower edge of the sleeve of a garment (shirt, coat, jacket, etc.) at the wrist, or at the ankle end of a trouser leg. The function of turned-back cuffs is to protect the cloth of the garment from fraying, and, ...
hem is considered a
button cuff. Multiple buttons aligned perpendicular to the
cuff
A cuff is a layer of fabric at the lower edge of the sleeve of a garment (shirt, coat, jacket, etc.) at the wrist, or at the ankle end of a trouser leg. The function of turned-back cuffs is to protect the cloth of the garment from fraying, and, ...
hem, or parallel to the
placket
A placket (also spelled placquet) is a finished opening in the upper part of trousers or skirts, or at the neck, front, or sleeve of a garment. The finish frequently consists of a fold of fabric that is attached to the opening in order for the f ...
constitute a
barrel cuff.
* buttonholes designed for
cufflink
Cufflinks are items of jewelry that are used to secure the cuffs of dress shirts. Cufflinks can be manufactured from a variety of different materials, such as glass, stone, leather, metal, precious metal or combinations of these. Securing o ...
s
** a
French cuff
A cuff is a layer of fabric at the lower edge of the sleeve of a garment (shirt, coat, jacket, etc.) at the wrist, or at the ankle end of a trouser leg. The function of turned-back cuffs is to protect the cloth of the garment from fraying, and, ...
, where the end half of the
cuff
A cuff is a layer of fabric at the lower edge of the sleeve of a garment (shirt, coat, jacket, etc.) at the wrist, or at the ankle end of a trouser leg. The function of turned-back cuffs is to protect the cloth of the garment from fraying, and, ...
is folded over the
cuff
A cuff is a layer of fabric at the lower edge of the sleeve of a garment (shirt, coat, jacket, etc.) at the wrist, or at the ankle end of a trouser leg. The function of turned-back cuffs is to protect the cloth of the garment from fraying, and, ...
itself and fastened with a
cufflink
Cufflinks are items of jewelry that are used to secure the cuffs of dress shirts. Cufflinks can be manufactured from a variety of different materials, such as glass, stone, leather, metal, precious metal or combinations of these. Securing o ...
. This type of
cuff
A cuff is a layer of fabric at the lower edge of the sleeve of a garment (shirt, coat, jacket, etc.) at the wrist, or at the ankle end of a trouser leg. The function of turned-back cuffs is to protect the cloth of the garment from fraying, and, ...
has four buttons and a short
placket
A placket (also spelled placquet) is a finished opening in the upper part of trousers or skirts, or at the neck, front, or sleeve of a garment. The finish frequently consists of a fold of fabric that is attached to the opening in order for the f ...
.
** more formally, a link cuff – fastened like a
French cuff
A cuff is a layer of fabric at the lower edge of the sleeve of a garment (shirt, coat, jacket, etc.) at the wrist, or at the ankle end of a trouser leg. The function of turned-back cuffs is to protect the cloth of the garment from fraying, and, ...
, except is not folded over, but instead hemmed, at the edge of the sleeve.
* asymmetrical designs, such as one-shoulder, one-sleeve or with sleeves of different lengths.
Lower hem
* hanging to the
waist
The waist is the part of the Human abdomen, abdomen between the rib cage and Hip (anatomy), hips. Normally, it is the narrowest part of the torso.
''Waistline'' refers to the horizontal line where the waist is narrowest, or to the general appe ...
* leaving the
belly button
The navel (clinically known as the umbilicus; : umbilici or umbilicuses; also known as the belly button or tummy button) is a protruding, flat, or hollowed area on the abdomen at the attachment site of the umbilical cord.
Structure
The u ...
area
bare
Bare literally means fully or partially naked,
or figuratively used it means minimal.
Bare may also refer to:
People
* Bare (surname)
* Jader Volnei Spindler (born 1982), Brazilian football player nicknamed "Bare"
Places
* Bare Island ...
(much more common for women than for men). See
halfshirt.
* covering the
crotch
In humans, the crotch is the bottom of the pelvis (the region of the body where the legs join the torso) and is the part of the body that includes the groin and genitals.
Etymology
''Crotch'' is derived from ''crutch''; it was first used in 1 ...
* covering part of the legs (essentially this is a
dress
A dress (also known as a frock or a gown) is a one-piece outer garment that is worn on the torso, hangs down over the legs, and is primarily worn by women or girls. Dresses often consist of a bodice attached to a skirt.
Dress shapes, silh ...
; however, a piece of clothing is perceived either as a shirt (worn with
trousers
Trousers (British English), slacks, or pants ( American, Canadian and Australian English) are an item of clothing worn from the waist to anywhere between the knees and the ankles, covering both legs separately (rather than with cloth extending ...
) or as a dress (in
Western culture
Western culture, also known as Western civilization, European civilization, Occidental culture, Western society, or simply the West, refers to the Cultural heritage, internally diverse culture of the Western world. The term "Western" encompas ...
mainly worn by women)).
* going to the floor (as a pajama shirt)
Body
* vertical opening on the front side, all the way down, with
button
A button is a fastener that joins two pieces of fabric together by slipping through a loop or by sliding through a buttonhole.
In modern clothing and fashion design, buttons are commonly made of plastic but also may be made of metal, wood, or ...
s or
zipper
A zipper (N. America), zip, zip fastener (UK), formerly known as a clasp locker, is a commonly used device for binding together two edges of textile, fabric or other flexible material. Used in clothing (e.g. jackets and jeans), luggage and oth ...
. When fastened with buttons, this opening is often called the
placket front.
* similar opening, but in back.
* left and right front side not separable, put on over the head; with regard to upper front side opening:
** V-shaped permanent opening on the top of the front side
** no opening at the upper front side
** vertical opening on the upper front side with buttons or zipper
*** men's shirts are usually buttoned on the right whereas women's are usually buttoned on the left.
Neck
* with polo-neck
* with "scoop" neck
* with v-neck but no collar
* with plunging neck
* with open or tassel neck
* with
collar
Collar may refer to:
Human neckwear
*Clerical collar (informally ''dog collar''), a distinctive collar used by the clergy of some Christian religious denominations
*Collar (clothing), the part of a garment that fastens around or frames the neck
...
** windsor collar or spread collar – a dressier collar designed with a wide distance between points (the spread) to accommodate the
windsor knot
The Windsor knot, sometimes referred to as a full Windsor (or misleadingly as a double Windsor) to distinguish it from the half-Windsor, is a knot used to tie a necktie. As with other common necktie knots, the Windsor knot is triangular, and the ...
tie. The standard business collar.
** tab collar – a collar with two small fabric tabs that fasten together behind a tie to maintain collar spread.
**
wing collar
In clothing, a collar is the part of a shirt, dress, coat (clothing), coat or blouse that fastens around or frames the neck. Among clothing construction professionals, a collar is differentiated from other necklines such as revers and lapels, b ...
– best suited for the bow tie, often only worn for very formal occasions.
** straight collar – or point collar, a version of the windsor collar that is distinguished by a narrower spread to better accommodate the
four-in-hand knot
The four-in-hand knot is a method of tying a necktie. Also sometimes known (in UK) as a Bucket Knot, due to the shape of the finished knot. Some reports state that carriage drivers tied their reins with a four-in-hand knot, while others claim th ...
,
pratt knot
The Pratt knot is a method of tying a necktie. It is also known as the Shelby knot. The knot was created in the late 1950s by Jerry Pratt, an employee of the US Chamber of Commerce. It was popularized as the Shelby knot after then 92-year-old Prat ...
, and the half-windsor knot. A moderate dress collar.
**
button-down collar – A collar with buttons that fasten the points or tips to a shirt. The most casual of collars worn with a tie.
**
band collar
A band collar is a standing band-shaped collar that encircles the neck without a full turndown or a collar "cape". It can be any height or "stand", but is usually under 2" at the front, so as not to push up into the chin. Variations of the band ...
– essentially the lower part of a normal collar, first used as the original collar to which a separate collarpiece was attached. Rarely seen in modern fashion. Also casual.
**
turtle neck collar – A collar that covers most of the throat.
* without collar
*** V-neck no collar – The neckline protrudes down the chest and to a point, creating a "V"-looking neckline.
Other features
*
pocket
A pocket is a bag- or envelope-like receptacle either fastened to or inserted in an article of clothing to hold small items. Pockets are also attached to luggage, backpacks, and similar items. In older usage, a pocket was a separate small bag o ...
s – how many (if any), where, and with regard to closure: not closable, just a flap, or with a
button
A button is a fastener that joins two pieces of fabric together by slipping through a loop or by sliding through a buttonhole.
In modern clothing and fashion design, buttons are commonly made of plastic but also may be made of metal, wood, or ...
or
zipper
A zipper (N. America), zip, zip fastener (UK), formerly known as a clasp locker, is a commonly used device for binding together two edges of textile, fabric or other flexible material. Used in clothing (e.g. jackets and jeans), luggage and oth ...
.
* with or without
hood
Hood may refer to:
Covering
Apparel
* Hood (headgear), type of head covering
** Article of academic dress
** Bondage hood, sex toy
* Hoodie, hooded sweatshirt
Anatomy
* Clitoral hood, a hood of skin surrounding the clitoris
* Hood, a flap of ...
Some combinations are not applicable, e.g. a tube top cannot have a collar.
Measures and sizes
The main measures for a jacket are:
* Shoulders
* Bust
* Waist
* Hip
* Sleeve
* Length, from the neck to the waist or hip.
Sizes
*Asia Size M = US/EU Size XS.
*Asia Size L = US/EU Size S.
*Asia Size XL = US/EU Size M.
*Asia Size XXL = US/EU Size L.
*Asia Size XXXL = US/EU Size XL.
*Asia Size XXXXL = US/EU Size XXL.
Types of fabric
There are two main categories of fibres used: natural fibre and man-made fibre (synthetics or petroleum based). Some natural fibres are linen, the first used historically,
hemp
Hemp, or industrial hemp, is a plant in the botanical class of ''Cannabis sativa'' cultivars grown specifically for industrial and consumable use. It can be used to make a wide range of products. Along with bamboo, hemp is among the fastest ...
,
cotton
Cotton (), first recorded in ancient India, is a soft, fluffy staple fiber that grows in a boll, or protective case, around the seeds of the cotton plants of the genus '' Gossypium'' in the mallow family Malvaceae. The fiber is almost pure ...
, the most used,
ramie
Ramie (pronounced: , ; from Malay ), ''Boehmeria nivea'', is a flowering plant in the nettle family Urticaceae, native to eastern Asia. It is an herbaceous perennial growing to tall; ,
wool
Wool is the textile fiber obtained from sheep and other mammals, especially goats, rabbits, and camelids. The term may also refer to inorganic materials, such as mineral wool and glass wool, that have some properties similar to animal w ...
,
silk
Silk is a natural fiber, natural protein fiber, some forms of which can be weaving, woven into textiles. The protein fiber of silk is composed mainly of fibroin and is most commonly produced by certain insect larvae to form cocoon (silk), c ...
and more recently
bamboo
Bamboos are a diverse group of mostly evergreen perennial plant, perennial flowering plants making up the subfamily (biology), subfamily Bambusoideae of the grass family Poaceae. Giant bamboos are the largest members of the grass family, in th ...
or
soya. Some synthetic fibres are
polyester
Polyester is a category of polymers that contain one or two ester linkages in every repeat unit of their main chain. As a specific material, it most commonly refers to a type called polyethylene terephthalate (PET). Polyesters include some natura ...
,
tencel
Lyocell is a Fiber#Semi-synthetic fibers, semi-synthetic fibre used to make textiles for clothing and other purposes. It is a form of regenerated cellulose made by dissolving pulp and dry jet-wet spinning. Unlike rayon, which is made by the mo ...
,
viscose
Rayon, also called viscose and commercialised in some countries as sabra silk or cactus silk, is a semi-synthetic fiber made from natural sources of regenerated cellulose, such as wood and related agricultural products. It has the same molecula ...
, etc. Polyester mixed with cotton (poly-cotton) is often used. Fabrics for shirts are called shirtings. The four main weaves for shirtings are
plain weave
Plain weave (also called tabby weave, linen weave or taffeta weave) is the most basic of three fundamental types of textile weaving, weaves (along with satin weave and twill). It is strong and hard-wearing, and is used for fashion and furnishi ...
,
oxford
Oxford () is a City status in the United Kingdom, cathedral city and non-metropolitan district in Oxfordshire, England, of which it is the county town.
The city is home to the University of Oxford, the List of oldest universities in continuou ...
,
twill
Twill is a type of textile
Textile is an Hyponymy and hypernymy, umbrella term that includes various Fiber, fiber-based materials, including fibers, yarns, Staple (textiles)#Filament fiber, filaments, Thread (yarn), threads, and d ...
and
satin
A satin weave is a type of Textile, fabric weave that produces a characteristically glossy, smooth or lustrous material, typically with a glossy top surface and a dull back; it is not durable, as it tends to snag. It is one of three fundamen ...
.
Broadcloth
Broadcloth is a dense, Plain weave, plain woven textile, cloth, historically made of wool. The defining characteristic of broadcloth is not its finished width but the fact that it was woven much wider (typically 50 to 75% wider than its finish ...
,
poplin
Poplin, also called tabinet (or tabbinet), is a fine (but thick) wool, cotton or silk fabric with crosswise ribs that typically give a corded surface. Nowadays, the name refers to a strong material in a plain weave of any fiber or blend.
Pop ...
and
end-on-end
End-on-end (also fil-à-fil) is a type of closely woven, plain weave cloth created by the alternation of light and dark warp (weaving), warp and weft thread (yarn), threads, resulting in a Heather (fabric), heathered effect. The English language, ...
are variations of the plain weave. After weaving,
finishing can be applied to the fabric.
Shirts and politics
In the 1920s and 1930s,
fascists
Fascism ( ) is a far-right, authoritarian, and ultranationalist political ideology and movement. It is characterized by a dictatorial leader, centralized autocracy, militarism, forcible suppression of opposition, belief in a natural social h ...
wore different coloured shirts:
*
Black shirts
The Voluntary Militia for National Security (, MVSN), commonly called the Blackshirts (, CCNN, singular: ) or (singular: ), was originally the paramilitary wing of the National Fascist Party, known as the Squadrismo, and after 1923 an all-vo ...
were used by the
Italian fascists
Italian fascism (), also called classical fascism and Fascism, is the original fascist ideology, which Giovanni Gentile and Benito Mussolini developed in Italy. The ideology of Italian fascism is associated with a series of political parties le ...
, and in Britain, Finland and Germany and Croatia.
*
Brownshirts
The (; SA; or 'Storm Troopers') was the original paramilitary organisation under Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party of Germany. It played a significant role in Hitler's rise to power in the 1920s and early 1930s. Its primary purposes were provi ...
were worn by German Nazis of the SA.
* The
Blueshirts
The Army Comrades Association (ACA), later the National Guard, Young Ireland and finally League of Youth, known by the nickname the Blueshirts (), was a paramilitary organisation in the Irish Free State, founded in 1932.New Irish Army Arises, Ne ...
was a fascist movement in Ireland and Canada, and the colour of the Portuguese ''
Nacional Sindicalistas'', the Spanish ''
Falange Española
Falange Española (FE; English: Spanish Phalanx) was a Spanish fascist political organization active from 1933 to 1934.
History
The Falange Española was created on 29 October 1933 as the successor of the Movimiento Español Sindicalista (M ...
'', the French ''
Solidarité Française
Solidarité Française ("French Solidarity") was a French fascist, far-right league founded in 1933 by the perfume manufacturer François Coty (1874-1934) as the "Parti national corporatif républicain".
After Coty's death, it was commanded by ...
'', and the Chinese
Blue Shirts Society
The Blue Shirts Society (BSS; ), also known as the Society of Practice of the Three Principles of the People (, commonly abbreviated as SPTPP), the Spirit Encouragement Society (勵志社, SES) and the China Reconstruction Society (中華復興� ...
.
*
Green shirts were used in Hungary, Ireland, Romania, Brazil and Portugal.
* ''
Camisas Doradas
The Revolutionary Mexicanist Action (), better known as the Gold Shirts (), was a Mexican fascist, secular, anti-Semitic, anti-Chinese, anti-communist, ultra-nationalist paramilitary organization; it originated on March 10, 1934 in Mexico City ...
'' (golden shirts) were used in
Mexico
Mexico, officially the United Mexican States, is a country in North America. It is the northernmost country in Latin America, and borders the United States to the north, and Guatemala and Belize to the southeast; while having maritime boundar ...
.
* Red shirts were worn by the racist and antisemitic Bulgarian
Ratniks
The Union of Warriors for the Advancement of Bulgarianness (, ''Sayuz na ratnitsite za napredaka na balgarshtinata''), commonly known as just the Ratniks ('', Ratnitsi'') was a far-right Bulgarian nationalist organization founded in 1936. Its ide ...
.
*
Silver Shirts
The Silver Legion of America, commonly known as the Silver Shirts, was an American fascist and pro-Nazi organization which was founded by William Dudley Pelley and headquartered in Asheville, North Carolina.
History
Pelley was a former journal ...
were worn in the United States of America.
* Grey shirts were worn by members of the
Fatherland League in Norway.
In addition,
red shirts have been used to symbolize a variety of different political groups, including
Garibaldi
Giuseppe Maria Garibaldi ( , ;In his native Ligurian language, he is known as (). In his particular Niçard dialect of Ligurian, he was known as () or (). 4 July 1807 – 2 June 1882) was an Italian general, revolutionary and republican. H ...
's Italian revolutionaries, nineteenth-century American street gangs, and
socialist
Socialism is an economic ideology, economic and political philosophy encompassing diverse Economic system, economic and social systems characterised by social ownership of the means of production, as opposed to private ownership. It describes ...
militias in Spain and Mexico during the 1930s.
Different colored shirts signified the major opposing sides that featured prominently in the
2008 Thai political crisis
Beginning in 2008, there was worsening conflict between the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) and the People's Power Party (PPP) governments of Prime Ministers Samak Sundaravej and Somchai Wongsawat. It was a continuation of the 2005–2 ...
, with red having been worn by the supporters of the populist
People's Power Party (PPP), and yellow being worn by the supporters of the royalist and anti-
Thaksin Shinawatra
Thaksin Shinawatra (, ; born 26 July 1949) is a Thai businessman and politician who was the 23rd prime minister of Thailand from 2001 to 2006. Since 2009 he has also been a citizen of Montenegro.
Thaksin founded the mobile phone operator A ...
movement the
People's Alliance for Democracy
The People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD; ; commonly known as "Yellow Shirts") was a Thai reactionary, monarchist political movement and pressure group. It was originally a coalition of protesters against Thaksin Shinawatra, the former Prime M ...
(PAD). Each side is commonly referred to as the 'red shirts' and 'yellow shirts' respectively, though the later opponents of the later Thaksin supporting groups have largely ceased wearing yellow shirts to protest rallies.
In the UK, the
Social Credit
Social credit is a distributive philosophy of political economy developed in the 1920s and 1930s by C. H. Douglas. Douglas attributed economic downturns to discrepancies between the cost of goods and the compensation of the workers who made t ...
movement of the thirties wore green shirts.
The party leaders of
Dravidar Kazhagam
Dravidar Kazhagam is a social movement founded by E. V. Ramasamy, 'Periyar' E. V. Ramasamy. Its original goals were to eradicate the ills of the existing caste and class system including untouchability and on a grander scale to obtain a "Dra ...
in India wear only black shirts to symbolise atheism.
Whatever its color, the shirt itself means a certain wealth and social status. In Spain in the 19th century, then in
Argentina
Argentina, officially the Argentine Republic, is a country in the southern half of South America. It covers an area of , making it the List of South American countries by area, second-largest country in South America after Brazil, the fourt ...
during the time of
Juan Perón
Juan Domingo Perón (, , ; 8 October 1895 – 1 July 1974) was an Argentine military officer and Statesman (politician), statesman who served as the History of Argentina (1946-1955), 29th president of Argentina from 1946 to Revolución Libertad ...
, the word ''descamisados'' ("shirtless") means the masses of the poor.
Industrial production
File:Dress Shirt production Line allocation in a RMG factory of Bangladesh.JPG, Shirt production line
File:Dress Shirt sewing in a RMG factory of Bangladesh.jpg, Factory sewing
File:Dress Shirt on Conveyor in a RMG factory of Bangladesh.JPG, Shirts on a conveyor
File:Hanging Shirt during Finishing.JPG, Shirts awaiting finishing
File:Hanging Shirt for Final Final Finishing.JPG, Kids shirts for quality checking
File:Shirt review by buyer.JPG, Manufacturer and buyer reviewing product
File:Arrow Dress Shirt producing in a RMG factory of Bangladesh.jpg, Dress shirt
See also
*
Cardigan (sweater)
A cardigan is a type of knitted garment that has an open front, and is worn like a jacket.
Description
Commonly cardigans are open fronted, have buttons, and are often knitted or woven: garments that are tied are instead considered a robe.
...
*
Descamisado
Descamisado () is a Spanish word that literally means "without shirt" or "shirtless".
History
The term was originally used by the narrator in Victor Hugo's seminal 1862 novel ''Les Misérables'' to refer to the revolutionary Spanish masses. Fol ...
*
Jermyn Street
Jermyn Street is a One-way traffic, one-way street in the St James's area of the City of Westminster in London, England. It is to the south of, parallel, and adjacent to Piccadilly. Jermyn Street is known as a street for gentlemen's-clothing r ...
, home of the oldest English shirtmakers
References
External links
*
*
{{Clothing
History of clothing
History of clothing (Western fashion)
it:Camicia