After a decade dominated by T-shirts, men are rediscovering their appreciation for the dress shirt.
Driven by return-to-office policies, the revival of preppy fashion, and a renewed interest in 1980s Armani-inspired aesthetics, the availability of men’s dress shirts in online stores across the US and UK reached a four-year high, surging 37 percent year over year in February 2025, according to retail insights firm Edited. On TikTok, weekly views of videos featuring men’s dress shirts skyrocketed by over 1,000 percent from September 2024 to February 2025, as reported by data analytics platform Trendalytics. Celebrities are embracing the trend as well, with rapper A$AP Rocky, a streetwear icon, frequently seen sporting dress shirts and ties rather than graphic tees. Simultaneously, luxury brands such as Saint Laurent and Tom Ford have been incorporating dress shirts into their collections, with Haider Ackermann’s debut line featuring two-tone designs and Windsor-knotted ties.
However, today’s button-up shirts have evolved far beyond the uninspired office attire of the early 2000s. Unlike the overly bright colors of the late aughts, when fashion-forward men flaunted tight-fitting suits and chunky brogues, modern dress shirts feature a more relaxed and effortlessly stylish silhouette. Additionally, consumers have retained elements of the casual aesthetic that gained popularity during the pandemic, favoring dress shirts that can seamlessly transition between formal and casual settings, pairing just as well with a tailored suit as they do with denim and a leather bomber jacket.
This trend benefits both established brands like Ralph Lauren and Brunello Cuccinelli, which have long specialized in menswear staples, and rising labels such as La Alfré, NN07, and Mfpen. These brands are offering versatile designs, including shorter hems for untucked styling, utility pockets, and oversized cuts that double as lightweight jackets.
“The glorification and romanticization of old Ivy League-inspired styles have led to a modern reinvention where the rigidness of those institutions is stripped away,” said Jian DeLeon, men’s fashion director at Nordstrom.
While men are embracing button-up shirts once again, today’s fashion-conscious consumers, particularly younger buyers with growing purchasing power, are not looking to simply replicate traditional office attire. The demand for versatile dress shirts aligns with a broader trend of men seeking to refine their personal style, according to DeLeon.
Copenhagen-based brand NN07, which gained viral recognition in 2024 when actor Jeremy Allen White wore its $650 multi-colored checked wool jacket in Hulu’s hit series “The Bear,” has noticed that customers are sizing up when purchasing button-up shirts, said Gustav Emil Loft, the brand’s public relations manager. The oversized fit offers more styling flexibility, catering to men who want outfits that transition effortlessly from office settings to social outings. A roomier shirt can be tucked into a suit for a polished look or worn untucked with a ribbed tank top, wide-leg jeans, and cowboy boots or loafers for a relaxed aesthetic.
“The menswear wardrobe is like Lego pieces—you can assemble it in a traditional way, but experimenting and personalizing it makes it far more interesting,” DeLeon added.
With renewed enthusiasm for dress shirts, shoppers are gravitating toward iconic menswear brands. In early March, 90 percent of Brunello Cucinelli’s spread collar shirt with vertical stripes and pearl buttons were sold out on Farfetch, while Ralph Lauren’s cream-colored cotton and cashmere blend shirt had 75 percent sell-through on Mr. Porter, according to Trendalytics. These legacy brands are also managing to resist the broader luxury market slowdown.
Meanwhile, newer brands making a mark in this space are offering unique design details and premium quality to attract modern consumers.
“The best designers today are the ones adding small but impactful details, making each piece stand out on its own,” said Danielle Naer, content director at The Editorialist, an e-commerce and lifestyle platform. These designers have “convinced customers that their version of the dress shirt is superior.”
Preppy menswear brand Le Alfré, known for its oxford button-ups with contrast collars, saw dress shirt sales rise 300 percent year over year in 2024. Founder, CEO, and creative director Brandon Snower attributes this growth to the brand’s focus on quality—70 percent of its styles use custom fabrics, and all shirts undergo a pre-washing process to eliminate the stiff, uncomfortable feel often associated with new dress shirts. Le Alfré’s success has paved the way for its first flagship store in New York, set to open in 2025.
“A lot of men are shifting toward wanting high-quality fabric and durability,” Snower said. “As we expand, maintaining that level of quality remains our top priority.”
To sustain the momentum of dress shirts, emerging brands are modernizing the wardrobe staple rather than relying solely on marketing campaigns.
Some labels are experimenting with innovative fabrics. AYR, a brand known for elevated basics, has found success with a $195 button-up made from merino poplin wool, which is both wrinkle-resistant and moisture-wicking. With men’s sales doubling year over year, AYR plans to expand its offerings with blended fabrics incorporating linen, lyocell, and cotton to enhance versatility, said Brice Pattison, AYR’s vice president of menswear.
“My focus is on blending fibers to create unique, adaptable pieces,” Pattison said. “The goal is to offer distinctive shirts that customers want in multiple colors.”
Other brands are redefining what a dress shirt can be. Since its launch in 2016, Danish menswear label Mfpen has made loose-fitting button-up shirts a core part of its collection, with sales growing 60 percent year over year in 2024. This fall, Mfpen will introduce a structured, dressier pajama-style shirt in cotton poplin, featuring a modern collar and piping. With strong demand for its minimalist designs, the brand is expanding its signature aesthetic, said founder and creative director Sigurd Bank.
It’s yet another example of how brands continue to subtly reinvent this essential wardrobe piece.
“The possibilities in fabric choices and stylistic expressions are endless,” said Chris Black, a columnist for GQ and founder of brand consultancy Done to Death Projects, which collaborates with companies like J.Crew and Thom Browne. “There are so many ways to innovate, keeping dress shirts fresh and relevant for years to come.”
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