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While formal dressing might look different now, make no mistake that there will still come a time to put your best foot forward, and that's where the best performance dress shirts are a quintisesstial piece of your wardrobe. Pulp Cup Tray
Whether heading into the office, suiting up for a wedding, or meeting up with a new client, the best performance workwear is the way to go. These cooling, breathable shirts are made with stretch fabric that's easy to move in and pair beautifully with a classic blazer. And if have an outdoor or hot weather event, these breezy summer button-down shirts are specifically designed to be light enough for warmer temperatures. Some are a bit more casual than others, but the best performance dress shirts (particularly the best white dress shirts) tend to look best when styled with tailored pieces like chinos, linen pants, or suiting.
Best overall: Mizzen + Main Leeward Dress Shirt - See at Mizzen and Main This Mizzen + Main dress shirt boasts a wide range of fits, color and pattern options, plus effective performance technology.
Best budget: Uniqlo Easy Care Stretch Slim-Fit Long-Sleeve Shirt - See at Uniqlo Save big on a stretch cotton dress shirt in three versatile colors.
Best stretch: Rhone Button Down Shirt - See at Rhone Rhones takes its activewear tech and know-how, then translates that into a commute-friendly, comfortable dress shirt.
Best moisture-wicking: Ministry of Supply Apollo Dress Shirt - See at Ministry of Supply Some of the coolest technology on the planet – it's 19 times more breathable than cotton pique fabric – powers this supremely high-performing, polished dress shirt.
Best machine washable: Bonobos Tech Button Down Shirt - See at Bonobos Bonobos bills this shirt as a commuter favorite, and with its tech fabric and versatile fit options, it's not hard to see why.
Best for inclusive sizing: Swet Tailor Polished Shirt - See at Swet Tailor Swet Tailor makes it easier than ever for guys with a bigger or more athletic build to get a sharp, well-fitting dress shirt.
Best white dress shirt: Stantt Wrinkle-Resistant Oxford - See at Stantt This wardrobe workhorse can stand up to repeat wear thanks to its wrinkle-resistant design.
Best sustainable: Mack Weldon AIRFLEX Shirt - See at Mack Weldon The brand that makes some of your favorite boxer briefs and socks covers the rest of your formal wardrobe with this sleek, eco-friendly dress shirt.
Best slim-fit: Ash & Erie Wrinkle-Resistant Dress Shirt - See at Ash & Erie Opt for a streamlined fit in a timeless, wear-with-anything color from Ash & Erie.
Best short sleeve: UNTUCKit Gironde Wrinkle-Free Performance Shirt - See at UNTUCKit Opt for a more casual (yet no less office-friendly) short-sleeve shirt in a design made to be worn untucked.
Best Oxford: Western Rise Limitless Merino Buttondown - See at Amazon Western Rise dreamed up a shirt that performs as well on the road as it does back in the office or out on date night.
Best business casual: B DRADDY Brendan Button Down - See at B DRADDY Shake up your next day at the office with a performance shirt in a vibrant color – roll up those sleeves and get to work.
Best business formal: Eton White Four-Way Stretch Shirt - See at Eton The famed British shirtmaker delivers an exceptionally polished take on the white dress shirt, this one featuring a distinctive spread collar.
Best with pockets: KUHL Response Lite Shirt - See at KUHL If you split your time between the field and the office, opt for a performance dress shirt that delivers reliably in both areas.
Best made-to-measure: Woodies Solid White Performance Shirt - See at Woodies Clothing Find your perfect fit with this customizable dress shirt that helps you dial in sizing as accurately as possible.
This Mizzen + Main dress shirt really has it all, from moisture-wicking fabric to four-way stretch to an astonishing array of colors. Select from two fit and two length options, and feel confident about its anti-microbial technology, too.
Colors available: Blue, White, Black
Uniqlo's penchant for some of the most affordable menswear on the market extends to your office wardrobe. This subtle, timeless shirt features sizes up to 3XL, a flattering slim fit and an impressive sub-$40 price tag. It's sure to sell fast, so stock up accordingly.
Searching for the feel of a workout shirt with the polish of a dress shirt? It's a tricky formula to perfect, but Rhone gets it right with the aptly named Commuter Dress Shirt. It's ideal for staying cool and comfortable (yet refined) on the go, whether your plans take you through the city to a rooftop happy hour or across the country for a coastal wedding. Crucially, it's built with 4-way stretch and anti-odor technology.
Colors available: White, Black, Navy, Bright Navy Oxford, New Grey Oxford
Ministry of Supply doesn't cut corners when it comes to the best performance dress shirts on the market. Case in point: The fact that this stylish dress shirt is built with NASA-grade temperature regulation and an absurdly breathable, lightweight and sweat-wicking pique knit fabric. It'll make your other dress shirts look pedestrian, and for good measure, it's available in both Slim and Standard fits.
Bonobos is a brand seemingly never at rest when it comes to innovation, be it the company's game-changing chinos or its well-executed performance dress shirt. Wrinkle-resistant, moisture-wicking fabric delivers an activewear feel with the crisp look of a dress shirt, but the real key is the fact that this shirt stands up more than adequately to repeat machine washing.
Polished performance is the name of the game with Swet Tailor, which delivers a substantial range of size options and builds its shirts with bigger guys in mind. The shirt blends a tailored look with a cotton-spandex blend for crucial stretch and breathability. Better still is the fact that this shirt can be worn tucked or untucked, and any of the versatile, breezy color options should match other classic wardrobe colors.
The white shirt is an undeniable staple in every man's closet, especially if you need to wear one of the best performance dress shirts more than once a week (or even once a month). Stantt infused its take on a timeless essential with wrinkle-resistant tech, and the fact that it's available in neck and sleeve sizes helps you dial in your perfect fit. The spread collar works particularly well for wearing with a tie, and the white color is as reliable as it gets.
Mack Weldon is on a mission to take over your wardrobe, and the DTC basics brand appears to have hit it out of the park with one the best performance dress shirts that goes a step further with eco-conscious design. Yes, the lightweight AIRFLEX fabric wicks away moisture and resists wrinkles, but it's the use of recycled ocean material in those fibers that makes this shirt so impressive.
A slim-fit dress shirt can add plenty of polish to your wardrobe, whether worn tucked in with the sleeves rolled up or paired with a well-fitting sweater or cardigan. Here, Ash & Erie makes it easy to find your perfect fit by neck sizing, and two reliable colors deliver plenty of styling potential in any season. For good measure, the wrinkle-resistant cotton is an optimal touch for tailored occasions aplenty. These shirts are also ideal for shorter guys (5'8" and under).
There are times – say, on Casual Friday – when a long-sleeve dress shirt is going to feel a little too formal. Ditch the excess fabric in a way that's still dressy with a stretchy performance shirt in a short-sleeve cut, and feel confident about your #OOTD knowing that this shirt is made to be worn, well, untucked. It's also flexible enough to wear with everything from shorts to chinos.
It's not often you come across a dress shirt that can perform as readily out in the field as it can back at the office or at a rooftop happy hour, but Western Rise has somehow managed to do the impossible. The key is the use of moisture-wicking, anti-microbial merino wool. What really seals the deal in terms of wearability is the expertly designed, hidden Oxford buttondown collar – that makes this one of the best performance dress shirts you can actually wear with dark blue jeans as well as tailored wool trousers or stretch cargo chinos.
Opt for a better kind of business casual by switching out your polo for a stretchy dress shirt in an eye-catching color. B. Draddy specializes in performance apparel suitable for the golf course, but this cotton-nylon stretch shirt is well-suited for a post-links dinner or drinks (and again, the office). Memory collar stays ensure your collar frames your face, rather than lays flat.
For formal affairs – everything from black tie to an all-important business meeting – a dress shirt with a touch more dressy flair is more than acceptable. In fact, it's practically required, and Eton dress shirts rise to the occasion. The elastane-enhanced recycled yarn is plenty stretchy, but it's the cutaway collar that takes this performance-minded shirt to the next level.
Some dress shirts are made for only the most buttoned-up offices, but others inject a touch of outdoor-ready performance into the mix. KUHL used an advanced polyester performance fabric featuring UPF+ technology to nail the right balance of rugged and refined. Better still is the handy pocket to store small EDC essentials when the time comes to venture into the field.
Buying one of the best performance dress shirts doesn't have to feel intimidating – it can be as easy as taking your measurements (a fairly simple process), then selecting from a wide array of options via Woodies. The results are quite literally tailored to your liking, from the collar to the cuff design, and you can even add a monogram.
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