I thought this trend had kind of worn out after it’s popularity over Autumn/Winter 08, but with each new 09 collection that is released I have seen more and more check shirts for men being stocked for Spring and Summer. Let me make this clear that I have NO problem with this, as I must admit I am a MASSIVE FAN of the checked shirt. I am not one for formal check shirts, but the thick casual variety you can dress up or down for day or night are perfect in my eyes. Only last week I ordered two new All Saints checks which are just brilliant.

Things to remember when you are on the look out for a check shirt are obviously quality and fit, but also bold patterns and colours. You can wear a bright bold red/blue combinations or more subtle black or white checks. Either way, they will make you stand out and look perfect with a dark pair of jeans and some boots.

How to wear the check shirt

Personally when wearing a casual check shirt I would look to fold the sleeves up to give you that rugged manly look. Use a two fold technique where you fold the cuff back once and then fold the sleeve once more on top of that. If your shirt fits correctly, the sleeves should then stay folded just lower than your elbow. For those that like it just above the elbow (or sleeves are still not tight enough) PUSH the sleeve from the bottom of the fold to just above the elbow joint. Try not to fold again as it can damage the fibres within the shirt and cause it to become worn out too quickly. The same goes with rolling shirt sleeves up as well, as these small rolls cause tension and can make your sleeves fit incorrectly in the future.

Remember you can dress the shirt up or down with the right accessories. If going for a casual look then layer up by adding a basic plain v-neck t-shirt underneath and wearing some comfort jeans with a pair of worker boots. This will give you that manly “manual worker effect” but also be very comfortable for day wear. When dressing up for a night out you might layer slightly differently with a plain chunky cardigan over the top or a nice leather jacket which should frame the shirt and contrast well with the bold pattern of the shirt underneath. Add a great pair of shoes and some slim fit jeans and you are good to go all night.

What I love best about the check shirt is that it is a fashion statement all on it’s own. If you pick a bright colour combination and pattern then you do not need anything else for it to make people look at you. Take a look at some of my favourites from the current season below.

My Favourite Check Shirts

All these check shirts are available today, so don’t miss out!

Heartbreaker H/s Shirt £70	Wesson Slim Fit L/s Shirt £85
Reverse Quebec Shirt £80	Ranch Shirt £80
Soul Cal LS Stewart Check Shirt £19.99	G-Star Houston Prep Shirt £79.99
Soul Cal Sinatra Check Shirt £19.99	Crafted Falls Shirt £19.99