# White Shirt, Blue Shirt, or Striped Shirt - thats it.



## FerrisBueller (Sep 23, 2006)

Hello all (or as my friends prefer to say, Hey yall). I have been reading the boards and enjoying them a lot. 

I thought I would ask a question: When I grew up, I learned from my trad father that when dressing up, a man could wear (1) a White Shirt (preferred), (2) a light Blue Shirt, or (3) a university or candy striped Blue and White Shirt.

No yellow, pink, or heaven forfend a tattersall. Those were sportshirts that were fine for weekends, but never with a suit or tie.

Anyone else subscribe to this thinking?

Ferris


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## abc123 (Jun 4, 2006)

First of all welcome, and I hope you enjoy the boards! For wear with a suit, I pretty much agree, though I might add a french blue shirt on occasion. For me, everything is fair game with a casual suit (ie seersucker or poplin) or a sportcoat/blazer, however.



FerrisBueller said:


> Hello all (or as my friends prefer to say, Hey yall). I have been reading the boards and enjoying them a lot.
> 
> I thought I would ask a question: When I grew up, I learned from my trad father that when dressing up, a man could wear (1) a White Shirt (preferred), (2) a light Blue Shirt, or (3) a university or candy striped Blue and White Shirt.
> 
> ...


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## FerrisBueller (Sep 23, 2006)

abc123 said:


> First of all welcome, and I hope you enjoy the boards! For wear with a suit, I pretty much agree, though I might add a french blue shirt on occasion. For me, everything is fair game with a casual suit (ie seersucker or poplin) or a sportcoat/blazer, however.


Thank you for the welcome. Your distinction as to casual wear makes a lot of sense.

Ferris


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## longwing (Mar 28, 2005)

Your limited shirt selection makes you uber-trad. But I can't do it.

BTW, I think many here would prefer blue with a sportcoat to white. White is good with blazers, but for other sportcoats, I'd think blue.


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## Acct2000 (Sep 24, 2005)

Those are certainly safe choices and will always look appropriate.

(I'm sure there is an unusual combination of coat and tie that could disprove this, but 99% of the time, I believe this is true.)

I am only a bit more adventurous than this when wearing a suit.


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## crs (Dec 30, 2004)

That's all I wear during the work week. It's not that I sit in judgment of people who wear other colors, they are just the colors I prefer.


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## familyman (Sep 9, 2005)

White, ecru, blue (light and french) and pink. Those are my only options and all I think I'll ever get. I have a grey and a tan that I got for cheap that were mistakes and won't be replaced. I might even drop the ecru in the future. 
On top of that all my jackets (save one) go with those colors and all my ties (the few) do as well. I have no desire to get to an Allen level of color coordination. I feel a bit shameful admitting that I aim for such a simple elegance. I'll go wipe my teary eyes on my OCBD now.


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## A.Squire (Apr 5, 2006)

Welcome to the board, FerrisBueller. Another southern, from Blacksburg no less-I think Auburn played a team from Blacksburg in the Sugar Bowl not long ago, but I forget the outcome. (winks)
A very telling first post and I am assuming you abide by these tenets passed down by your father. It would sure be easy getting dressed in the morning with your three given options, but there is no way I could live in that box. Unless by "dressing up" necessitates a suit, then it would not prove difficult as I nearly follow that prescription as is. 

Are you referring to the wearing of a suit when you say "dressing up"? I find it interesting that a blue university stripe would even be included with suit wear. I feel this to be the least "dressy" of the shirts I own. I don't often seen, if ever, one worn with a suit. Pink is a frightening color for many, but it is useful particularly with gray suiting. 

Here is my selection, from a previous thread, of solid OCBD's; blue, white and pink. I will/do wear all with a suit, though pink rarely. Ecru is not a color in my book and yellow is not appropriate for a suit. Candy/university stripes?-see yellow. 

* I would like to point out that I wear a suit only once/week and have only been doing so for the past 11 years. In addition, my views are not grounded in Trad and are only my own.

Everything thing else is open season for me.

May I ask how often you wear a suit? I would also be interested, as are many others I'm sure, to know the types of suits you wear. I suppose if you shopped at Max's you own more than one sack. Again welcome to the forum and I hope you find it enjoyable.

Cordially,

Allen


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## Patrick06790 (Apr 10, 2005)

I like light grey shirts, and mix them in with the standards. They work with my ruddy complexion and grey hair.

That's for suits. Sportcoats are a whole 'nother thang.


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## tripreed (Dec 8, 2005)

I think a lot of it might have to do with the color and seasonality of the suit, but I don't think that I would be afraid to include pink, yellow and red candy stripes with a suit. I wouldn't do so if I were going to an interview or anything, but for every day office wear (do people still actually wear suits to offices these days? I hope so...) I think they'd be fine. 

I must agree, however, with Allen's view regarding ecru. I was never that partial to it, but when I was going to buy my first set of Brooks OCBD's back in the spring, the sales lady (whom I adore) said something like "You don't want any ecru, only old men buy that," and quickly set it aside. I had no desire to disagree with her (though I know others feel differently).


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## FerrisBueller (Sep 23, 2006)

Allen said:


> Welcome to the board, FerrisBueller. Another southern, from Blacksburg no less-I think Auburn played a team from Blacksburg in the Sugar Bowl not long ago, but I forget the outcome. (winks)
> A very telling first post and I am assuming you abide by these tenets passed down by your father. It would sure be easy getting dressed in the morning with your three given options, but there is no way I could live in that box. Unless by "dressing up" necessitates a suit, then it would not prove difficult as I nearly follow that prescription as is.
> 
> Are you referring to the wearing of a suit when you say "dressing up"? I find it interesting that a blue university stripe would even be included with suit wear. I feel this to be the least "dressy" of the shirts I own. I don't often seen, if ever, one worn with a suit. Pink is a frightening color for many, but it is useful particularly with gray suiting.
> ...


Well thank you for the kind welcome. Auburn is a nice town. I have heard there was even a school there. :icon_smile:

Yes, I believe the shirt color "rule" was probably set out back in the day when men wore suits. I wear a suit most days, and find that I instinctively reach for a white shirt. My guess is that the inclusion of the blue and white stripe shirt is just a combination of the other two approved colors and offers something a little bit "wilder" (ha, ha). Since the advent of casual Fridays and business casual, I have broadened my reportoire to include other colors and patterns, but it is hard to shake old habits sometimes.

As to my uber-trad-ness, no I cannot proclaim to be the trad-meister. I will admit to being seduced by darted suits a few years back. I may have to make amends.

p.s., I think I will spare everyone the "no brown shoes with navy or gray unless cordovan" rule. That might get me evicted before I even get started.


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## Untilted (Mar 30, 2006)

FerrisBueller, welcome to the board.

We may disagree on a lot of things, since you are from Blacksburg, and I currently live in Charlottesville.  However, I agree with you on this one. 

Can't wait for UVa vs. VT this year. I think I'm gonna go down there.......


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## jackmccullough (May 10, 2006)

FerrisBueller said:


> Hello all (or as my friends prefer to say, Hey yall). I have been reading the boards and enjoying them a lot.
> 
> I thought I would ask a question: When I grew up, I learned from my trad father that when dressing up, a man could wear (1) a White Shirt (preferred), (2) a light Blue Shirt, or (3) a university or candy striped Blue and White Shirt.
> 
> ...


I pretty much agree. Of my dress shirts, all but one or two are white OCBD's (Lands' End). I have one tattersall shirt from Bean that I will wear with sport coats but not with a suit, and one pink dress shirt my wife got me for Father's Day this year, and I do wear it. I might wear that with a suit.

It was only a few years ago, again based on a gift from my wife, that I ever wore a dark shirt with a tie, and I will occasionally wear darker shirts with a tie and sport coat.

There was also one occasion when a judge called me and asked if I could come over to court and do a trial that hadn't been scheduled for that day, so I put a tie and sportcoat on over my blue jeans; she specifically told me she didn't care about that. Still, this tells you something about my Trad or AAAC cred.


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## jamgood (Feb 8, 2006)

*Basic Trad All-around Workhorse Shirt*

Funerals, Sunday Mornin', Job Interviews, Court, After 6 Weddings, Loan Applications, Meetin' Her Folks....

Whenever you want to project an image of the serious, prudent and substantial fellow you are this shirt says "trust me". Accessorize with a horse head tie for that "new money pretendin' to be old money by buyin' Middleburg pastureage" look.


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## A.Squire (Apr 5, 2006)

^ He's just gettin' warmed up, folks. 

(remember to tip your waitresses)



*what will it bring, Jamgood?

Allen


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## Patrick06790 (Apr 10, 2005)

"If you have your Stop & Shop card, please scan it now."

That's a serious stripey shirt. It's almost cool.


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## StevenRocks (May 24, 2005)

I try to stick with white and blue for dress shirts, but occasionally i'll do other colors.

Welcome to the board FerrisBueller. I spent a little time in Blacksburg myself


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## jamgood (Feb 8, 2006)

*Fetch?*

That's for the personal, post Juarez cojones grande transplant, "Daisy Buchanan Weeps" wardrobe. Savin' up, checkin' the El Paso X supersavers, and livin' in hope. Also takin' chutzpah instruction at the kosher deli.


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## FerrisBueller (Sep 23, 2006)

Untilted - Charlottesville is a nice town. I understand that there is school there also, but I am not sure if they have a football team:icon_smile_big: Just kidding, thanks for the welcome.

Jamgood - since you are obviously a secure individual who can take criticism, I have only one word for that shirt - trainwreck. OK, I lied about having only one word. In fact, that shirt may have been the rationale behind the strict rule on shirt colors.:devil:


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## jml90 (Dec 7, 2005)

I'll only wear white, pink, yellow, cream, shadesof blue, and lilac solid shirts with ties or just a basic two color stripe/check I'm boring I know.


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## DocHolliday (Apr 11, 2005)

I couldn't live without tattersalls, but I don't wear them with city suits.


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## shang (May 9, 2008)

I wouldn't really wear a suit, I would just wear a white, blue or black dress shirt to either go to work or just get accepted to University though.

If I already got into a University, then I would just wear a regular plaid or collared shirt. I'd rather not dream of wearing a dress shirt everyday just to go to around the halls or out of campus. I would just wear it ONLY if I was going for a job interview.


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## katon (Dec 25, 2006)

It's not bad advice. Sticking to plain shirts allows you to be creative with the rest of your outfit without fear of overdoing it.


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## Sartre (Mar 25, 2008)

FerrisBueller said:


> I thought I would ask a question: When I grew up, I learned from my trad father that when dressing up, a man could wear (1) a White Shirt (preferred), (2) a light Blue Shirt, or (3) a university or candy striped Blue and White Shirt.
> 
> No yellow, pink, or heaven forfend a tattersall. Those were sportshirts that were fine for weekends, but never with a suit or tie.
> 
> Anyone else subscribe to this thinking?


A resounding "no." White and blue are most common because they go with everything, but the idea that pinks, yellows, tattersalls, etc. are verboten with a suit and tie is most awfully narrow-minded. My own father was a prep of long standing, and wore all of those colors routinely when he worked for DuPont in the '60s-'80s. They used to laugh behind the hand at the IBM guys who were allowed to wear only white and blue.

Sounds like an awfully boring sartorial world you are carving out for yourself. Take a look at the 15 pp. of photographs in Flusser's Clothes and the Man.

tjs


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## Halifax (Jun 14, 2007)

In my rotation right now are two whites, a blue, a pink, a light blue gingham check and an orange and blue gingham check. Need to add a few Uni. Stripes to keep it fresh.

Honestly the three choices you mentioned are fine, but don't discount some other colours for your rotation that could really make your outfits standout. Yellows, pinks, light grays are all great options that a gentleman could wear.


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## vnwwd (Dec 13, 2007)

If I can recall correctly the OPH addressed something along the lines of shirt colors, in my family we followed the tradition close to that. From a young age we were given a blue, white, blue u-stripe -- when it came to high school age (uniform allowed for a little more variation) colors such as pink, French Blue and yellow were purchased for us.


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## Sartre (Mar 25, 2008)

vnwwd said:


> If I can recall correctly the OPH addressed something along the lines of shirt colors, in my family we followed the tradition close to that. From a young age we were given a blue, white, blue u-stripe -- when it came to high school age (uniform allowed for a little more variation) colors such as pink, French Blue and yellow were purchased for us.


Understand that the OPH was descriptive, not prescriptive (despite its title and its tone); it other words, it was simply a codification of what we were all wearing.

tjs


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## qwerty (Jun 24, 2005)

Agree with OP.


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## JayJay (Oct 8, 2007)

FerrisBueller, Welcome! It's great to have another person from Blacksburg on the forum. I understand the best of the ACC is there. :icon_smile: I was in those parts a month or so ago and had a great time.

As for me, my dress shirts are either white, blue, or blue striped.


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## vnwwd (Dec 13, 2007)

Sartre said:


> Understand that the OPH was descriptive, not prescriptive (despite its title and its tone); it other words, it was simply a codification of what we were all wearing.
> 
> tjs


Completely understood. When I first read the OPH I was surprised to see how well I fit into what was described 20 years earlier.


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## hbs midwest (Sep 19, 2007)

*Another Vote for Diversity...*



Sartre said:


> A resounding "no." White and blue are most common because they go with everything, but the idea that pinks, yellows, tattersalls, etc. are verboten with a suit and tie is most awfully narrow-minded. My own father was a prep of long standing, and wore all of those colors routinely when he worked for DuPont in the '60s-'80s. They used to laugh behind the hand at the IBM guys who were allowed to wear only white and blue.
> 
> Sounds like an awfully boring sartorial world you are carving out for yourself. *Take a look at the 15 pp. of photographs in Flusser's Clothes and the Man.*
> 
> tjs


Amen, amen, amen!

Wise advice re: source text and pictures.

I can't live without BB pink, tattersall, and university stripes!

hbs:icon_smile:


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