You’re all set for your next big event: a sleek suit, the right dress socks, dress shoes that will keep you moving. Everything is falling into place until you realize your dress shirt is beyond wrinkled. No ironing board and iron in sight and no time or money to go to the cleaners, you’re in a bind. This wouldn’t be a problem if you had a wrinkle-free dress shirt handy — or even better, non iron dress shirts.
From casual fits to more formal attire, there are plenty of wrinkle-free and non iron dress shirt options for every occasion. Listen, trust us, you don’t want to show up to the event looking like a slovenly mess. Instead, be the center of attention with your crisp dress shirt that fits you in all the right ways.
Find our favorite picks for the best non iron dress shirts below.
Crafted from polyester and spandex, this wrinkle-resistant shirt allows for a full range of motion throughout your torso without any constraint, making it a peak performance dress shirt. Not only is it moisture-wicking, but it also utilizes antimicrobial technology to keep you fresh and odor-free, putting it at number one on our list.
With the range of colors and prints they offer, you could have an antimicrobial dress shirt lined up for every and all occasion. So not only will you look sleek, but you will feel (and smell) great wearing this shirt. And when you find yourself out on a hot and sticky night, you will thank the fabric on your back for keeping you looking and feeling fresh.
If you’re looking for great style without having to put a major dent in your wallet, look no further than the Banana Republic non iron dress shirts edging in at number two. Their non iron shirts are a wardrobe staple to consider. Made of 100% soft, breathable cotton, their dress shirts are designed to be wrinkle-resistant, helping you to look clean, crisp, and pulled together.
With a cutaway collar, French placket, and shirttail hem, this is a standard-fit shirt that hits at the waist, available in both regular and tall. Great to pair with your standard suit, a pair of chinos, or an easy pair of dress pants with smart accessories, take this shirt from the first date to the wedding.
One of the early adopters of the non ironing wave, Brooks Brothers has an extensive collection of wrinkle-free, wrinkle-resistant, and non iron shirts to help you pad your closet — and never have to touch an ironing board again. These shirts are both crisp and comfortable, using a special compound to help their Supima cotton ward off wrinkles.
The Regent shirt, in particular, is an innovative stretch dress shirt that utilizes CoolMax technology for breathability, moisture-wicking, and quick-dry properties. At the same time, the 2-ply compact-spun cotton gives the shirt its stretch.
Perfect for traveling on business due to its low maintenance, this is one dress shirt any jet-setting man needs on hand.
Calvin Klein is synonymous with classic fashion, helping all men make the shift to gentlemen — and their dress shirts are no exception. This shirt, in particular, is perfect for the office, with the plaid balancing the line between casual and formal a.k.a business casual.
This mostly cotton dress shirt will get you from the office to happy hour drinks and everywhere else in between. In a crisp, non iron dress shirt cotton blend, it features fabric that stretches for the ultimate comfort and fit. It also has an expandable comfort collar that stretches up to 1/2 inch.
Founded in the United Kingdom in 1898, T.M. Lewin is a classic menswear brand that knows its tailoring of classic dress shirts. Their ultimate non iron shirt for modern professionals (and those who need to dress up). This Oxford shirt has everything you need: style, fabric, and fit.
With a noticeably soft feel and incredible comfort, this shirt will get you from the office to happy hour to a wedding and then some. It also includes a cutaway collar and hidden buttons on the cuffs – if you need to fake cufflinks, this is your shirt.
Possibly the silkiest non iron shirt on this list, the No-Iron Pinpoint is pure Supima cotton – meaning this business-friendly outfitter knows how to combine professionalism with comfort.
With the non iron finish keeping the shirt looking just-pressed all day, the shirt is also great for wicking away moisture on those extra-muggy days, while also having stain release technology to keep the shirt looking new longer. Available in various fits and colors, this shirt is just the comfort you crave without sacrificing the look.
Yes, Nordstrom is a clothing department that houses a ton of big fashion labels, but their wrinkle-resistant Supima cotton dress shirts stand out amongst even the most lux brands. Their Classic Fit is a generous cut, broad enough for the chest and waist and roomy armholes and wide sleeves.
It also comes in a few classic colors, and due to the fact that it was tailored from solid oxford cloth, it has the versatility you need in life. And trust us – these department prices can’t be beaten.
Proper Cloth really has the whole non iron/wrinkle-resistant process down.
1.) The shirt is cut and sewn based on your measurements with fusible interlinings applied to the seams.
2.) It is then immersed in their ~special~ non iron dress shirt solution.
3.)The shirt is washed, dried, and hand-pressed carefully to remove wrinkles.
4.) They use exposure to high heat levels to bake the shirt into its finished shape.
5.) The shirt goes through a quality control process before being shipped.
If you’re a fan of meticulous processes, this shirt brand is for you. Plus, they have a stellar collection — and we recommend trying the lavender stripe dobby shirt to add a splash of fun to your formal wardrobe.
Coming in a few varieties, including slim, classic, and big & tall, the classic American brand, Tommy Hilfiger, provides quality 100% cotton non iron dress shirts that work with just about any frame. Not only does the fabric ward off wrinkles, but it also features a contemporary flair through the spread collar, higher armholes, and tapered sleeves.
When it comes to wrinkle-free shirts and stretch fabric, you can’t go wrong with Tommy.
Honestly, you can never go wrong with Uniqlo for dress shirts that are both stylish and practical.
Like everything Uniqlo does, they do the whole wrinkle-free thing incredibly well — and at an affordable price. With its 100% cotton fabric blend, this shirt will be so comfortable and useful in every aspect of your life.
Wrinkle-Resistant vs. Non Iron Dress Shirt’s
While you may be thinking, “what’s the difference?” – trust us, there is a difference.
Wrinkle-Resistant Dress Shirts
Wrinkle-resistant dress shirts are dress shirts made of wrinkle-resistant fabric or other permanent-press fabrics. These fabrics hold their shape, meaning you don’t necessarily need to iron these dress shirts – at least not all the time.
Non-Iron Dress Shirts
While wrinkle-resistant shirts may need to be ironed every once and a while, a non iron dress shirt is supposed to require absolutely no ironing whatsoever. A non iron shirt is chemically coated with formaldehyde (yeah, the highly carcinogenic chemical used for dead bodies) to keep it from getting wrinkles. Through this chemical induction process, the reinforced fibers will ensure that your shirt appears sleek throughout the day.
Do You Have to Iron a Wrinkle-Free Dress Shirt?
Honestly, it depends. Depending on how it’s worn, where it’s worn, how it’s washed, and more can affect whether or not the fabric truly stays wrinkle-free. If anything, you may need to spruce it up with a quick ironing session, but you should be able to go longer in between pressings.
Things to Consider Before Buying a Men’s Non Iron Dress Shirt:
Material
There are other types of fabrics used in non iron dress shirts, but these four fabric choices will help you make educated decisions before hitting checkout on your online queue.
Supima Cotton
Supima cotton is a type of cotton grown in the USA that represents less than 1% of cotton grown in the world. What makes Supima different from other pieces of cotton is the extra-long staple fiber that gives the cotton its premium properties: strength, softness, and color retention — which is great when creating it into a wrinkle-resistant or non iron dress shirt.
Twill
Twill fabrics are easily recognizable; they will show diagonal weave or texture, and will almost always have a bit of shine. Twill is an extremely tight weave that can come in extremely high thread counts, meaning sometimes it is mistaken for silk.
Dobby
Not to be confused with Dobby the house-elf, the fabric Dobby can vary widely. Some versions are not too thick, while others can be thicker or woven to almost look like twill. Many dobby fabrics have stripes or other patterns woven into them, although some are solid colors.
Oxford Cloth
Oxford cloth is usually more durable than most fabrics due to its symmetrical basketweave where one yarn may cross two yarns. Originally developed for sportswear and not formalwear, Oxford cloth is a staple in traditional American button-down polo shirts.
Fit
Regular fit
Regular fit dress shirts usually have fuller sleeves, relaxed armholes, and a generous cut and room through the chest and waist. It can also be translated as a full-cut fit or classic fit.
Slim fit
A slim fit is exactly that – slim fitting. Designed to fit close to the body, they are usually tapered through the midsection and waist.
Modern fit
The modern fit is firmly between the classic/regular fit and the slim fit. With a slightly tapered silhouette, it creates a trimmer look than the classic fit without sacrificing comfort. The armholes are usually higher and the sleeves have some room but are not too wide.
Color
White
You can’t go wrong with a classic white dress shirt — unless you are prone to spilling condiments on yourself. But overall, you will need a solid white dress shirt for all the black-tie events you may have in your life.
Black
A black dress shirt is perfect for when you’re not really wearing a jacket or suit. Black is sleek enough on its own and will easily lift you from casual to formal by just being itself.
Navy
Another classic dress shirt color, wearing a navy dress shirt is a very modern style move. Instead of just going with either black or white, going navy will keep you fresh without the fear of experimenting with a whacky color.
Fun Colours
Our advice when going with a dress shirt that falls outside the white, black, and navy spectrum is to keep it closer to the pastels and soft colors – not necessarily a vibrant and saturated hue. Lavender, baby blues, soft pinks, and others can be a fun pop of color to your formal attire.
Collar
There are quite a few collar styles to consider when buying your little-to-no ironing shirts.
Spread collar
The most popular contemporary model and a go-to choice for both casual and classic shirts, the spread collar’s beauty lies in its versatility.
Button-down collar
An American, casual-cool classic shirt collar, this type of collar has really taken over the dress shirt industry.
Classic collar
A classic collar is neither too large, nor too small, nor is it too spread or too narrow. It’s just right.
Cutaway collar
Usually associated with formal dress shirts, the cutaway collar is versatile enough for casual wear. Yet, in some circles, the cutaway collar is not usually appropriate to wear without a tie.
Price
Depending on the type and brand, you could be paying between $40 to a couple of hundred to avoid the hassle of ironing.
Occasion
Weddings
This goes without saying, you better be wearing a dress shirt under a tux or suit to a wedding. Make your life easier by going with a wrinkle-resistant variation.
Everyday Office
Depending on where you work, i.e whether your job is casual or business casual, you probably want to dress up your outfit with a dress shirt every now and again (unless you know, you work in finance).
Date Night
If you really want to make a good first impression, you will get slightly dressed up for your first date. You could wear a non iron dress shirt/button-down with casual pair of linen pants, chinos, jeans, and more.
Holiday Party
Unless it’s an ugly sweater party, class it up with a non iron dress shirt. Trust us – people will be impressed.
Time to Throw The Iron Out The Window
Now that you know our top picks for wrinkle-free, wrinkle-resistant, and non iron shirts, get shopping! We expect all of you to be rocking the best wrinkle-less shirts out there whenever you can (or want to!).