This assignment was my first introduction to menswear and men’s tailoring. It required us to develop a foundational understanding of shirt drafting and precision garment construction. While making the dress shirt, I learned how to draft and true a men’s shirt block, construct a set-in sleeve with a functional placket, and assemble structured elements such as the collar and collar stand. A major focus of the assignment was precision and clean finishing. I practiced flat-felled seams for durability, proper interfacing techniques to support the collar and cuffs, and careful buttonhole placement to ensure longevity and functionality. The muslin fitting process taught me how to evaluate shoulder slope, sleeve pitch, and overall ease distribution, reinforcing the importance of fit and correct measurements in tailored garments.
After all of the technical work, we could add a small personal touch to our dress shirts. I decided to keep it classic but add embroidered cherry blossoms on the front shoulders and back for a subtle detail that felt more like me. I also chose to use western-style silver buttons to give it a little edge.
