Published on 12, July, 2020
Hi,
Does anyone have any recommendations where in the UK to buy a button-down white business/formal shirt that's comfortable for someone with sensory issues to wear? I can stand most casual shirt fabrics, just not the type usually found in formal wear - e.g. thick cotton, stiff starchy collars, etc. I expect something very lightweight would do. I also have the problem of having quite a broad chest, so shirts often come up short on the arms. So, I also need a longer sleeve to reach beyond the cuff of a suit.
I've looked everywhere, but nothing fits the bill. Any advice is welcome!
I find white is a difficult one with more formal shirts. Mainly because the thinner cotton shirts with little to no finish on are super thin and end up see through, so if you've got tattoos they're easily visible and make me feel self conscious.
I've got a fairly broad chest and shoulders so I find getting a size chest that fits means a waist that's like a tent, so often go for the slim fit ones and go slightly bigger, that works well.
There are some cotton shirts that aren't too thin, but A lot of brands put a huge amount of finishing on the 100 percent cotton shirts so they feel as horrible as nylon ones. Even after many washes they're still stiff.
I've randomly found some shirts in H&M (while hanging around waiting for wife and daughters in there!) which are a good balance, they dress up ok with a suit jacket and tie if needed but still have a nice casual feel as they're cotton and linen without any polyester and starchyness. They do various colours and options between cotton and a cotton linen mix. Worth a look!