Different Types Of Shirts and Their Names (The Ultimate List)
There is a shirt for all occasions. That is one thing you do not have to worry about. In fact, there are so many shirt categories and styles that you can be creative and think outside the box then wear a shirt not fit for the event you are attending.
There are a lot of different shirt types and their names go something like this-- aloha, dress, button-down, T-shirt, baseball, and many more. There is a shirt for every aspect of life for men, women, and children. The hard part is deciding which one to wear.
To learn about the different types of shirts and a little bit about them, just continue to read our guide. It has as many styles as can be listed in such a short article. Hopefully, it will help you pick out the right shirt for your next event.
Types Of Shirts 101
How Many Types of Shirts are There?
We have seen lists for 20 and 26 types of shirts and we are sure there are a lot more styles than those lists say exist. T-shirts alone have at least 10 different styles and names to them so expect the list to be long when combining all shirt types together.
To give you an idea of how one shirt can have so many varieties of style and looks here is the list of those 10 t-shirt styles-- Polo T-Shirt, Henley T-Shirt, V-neck T-Shirt, Striped T-Shirt, Graphic T-Shirt, Pocket T-Shirt, Solid/Plain T-Shirt, Hooded T-Shirt, Crew Neck T-Shirt, U Neck/Scoop Neck T-Shirt.
What this means is that you can either make one of the many shirt styles for your mate or children or create your own and add it to the list of shirt styles that already exist.
Different Types of Shirts And Their Names
1. Baseball Shirts-- opens with buttons and has a simple look, usually with a team name or logo. There is no collar and it buttons up usually
2. Camp Shirts- another button-up style but this time with a collar and short sleeves. It is not normally tucked into your pants
3. Camisole- this is a loose-fitting woman’s shirt that has spaghetti straps. It is designed to keep a woman cool yet fashionable
4. Dinner Shirts- or otherwise known as black-tie shirts. These shirts are part of a tuxedo and many people wear them when they dress for dinner
5. Dress Shirts- Formal shirts that provide you with a great look. They are also part of the businessman’s dress code. They are made from high-quality fabrics
6. Guayabera- This is a men’s summer shirt and its best feature is the two vertical seams sewn on the front. Lots of buttons help embellish the fabric. You will find these in warmer climates
7. Half-T-Shirts- these are very casual shirts and can be seen in different gyms or when someone is doing their gardening or other chores around the house.
8. Halter Top- In this case, the shirt leaves your back basically uncovered and two straps hold it in place. The name actually comes from livestock halters.
9. Heavy Shirts- These look similar to the Nero shirt style but this one buttons up to its short collar. The fabric and shirt should last you for a very long time.
10. Henley Shirts- made for both men and women and three buttons do up the shirt. There is no collar but you might find a pocket on the left-hand side.
11. Long-sleeved T-shirt- you could call these warm-up shirts, winter T-shirts, or other names. Their distinguishing feature is their long sleeves. Good for keeping you warm on cool days
12. Nightshirts- If you like to wear some sort of clothing when you sleep a long nightshirt will do the trick. You can get them in different lengths and fabrics
13. Onesie- this is wearing shirts and pants combined. Many parents buy them for their small children and you can use it as nightwear when the nights get cold
14. Poet Shirts- these do not inspire inspiration but they come with frills on the front and bishop sleeves. Usually, they are made from natural fabrics and velvet.
15. Polo Shirt- the best way to describe this shirt is that it is a t-shirt with a collar. Despite its name it was not made for polo but tennis
16. Prisoner Shirts- just as the name says. You will look like an old fashioned prisoner doing 10 to 20 years for stealing a piece of pizza.
17. Ringer T-Shirts- the design of this t-shirt is for both men and women and it has rings around the neckline and the armholes. It is comfortable and sporty
18. Rugby Shirt- this is a loose-fitting shirt, with a collar and long sleeves and yes, like its name it was first used in the sport of rugby
19. Shirtwaist- the turn over collar and cuffs highlight the design of this shirt. Made for women it is a blouse with a lot of frills to it and can make a woman look elegant
20. Singlet / A-shirt / Vest- this is the common t-shirt you see many men wear when they are working out, playing sports, or using as an undershirt. It is cool and comfortable to wear
21. Sleeveless Shirts- dress shirts with something missing. Mostly made for women who want the freedom of movement for their arms.
22. Sweatshirts- made from thicker fabrics and best for cold nights. It can also be used for working out in cooler environments. They can come with a hood
23. Top Shirts- this is the general category for all shirts made for men, women, and children. It covers shirts not on this list and made for other cultures as well.
24. T-Shirts- just a simple cotton shirt that makes it easy to move and provides you with something to wear when you want to be casual and comfortable.
25. Tube top- made for women who want to slip into something that will highlight their features as well as keep them cool and comfortable
26. Tunic- this style of shirt comes in many different looks and designs. It can be seen on uniforms in a more conservative style or used when one doesn’t want to be formal but look good.
Honorable mentions- some shirts have not made the above list and they are the Nero, the Aloha, the traditional shirts many cultures have. Also, there is the flannel, the granddaddy, the western, and the football shirt. You can probably name quite a few more to add to this list.
Types of Button-Up Shirts
The types of button-up shirts start with the dress shirt as it comes in both the button up and the button down formats. Then there are casual shirts that button up as well as the laborers flannel or lumberjack shirt.
Some T-shirts come with buttons, both all the way and in the top short fashion style. Then there is the baseball shirt that buttons up when you are ready for some sporting activities.
If you want to be seen as a loud, obnoxious, arrogant American tourist, you can wear the aloha shirt when you are on vacation. The Guayabera shirt is also a button-up style as are many women’s blouses, and dress shirts.
Then the heavy shirt is also a button-up shirt that goes all the way to the collar. Next up are the dinner or tuxedo shirts and denim casual wear. Both have too many buttons to deal with when you are in a hurry.
Not to be left out are the granddaddy shirt and the tunic, that is if the latter is part of a uniform. Usually, those buttons are hidden behind the overlapping fabric. Finally, there are the western and polo shirts with the former having buttons go all the way up to the collar.
Different Types of Women's Shirts
For this year there seem to be 35 new styles of shirts for women. We will just make a short list for you to look at.
Women’s t-shirt- made to flatter the female figure, these shirts come in a crew and V neck style
Polo shirts- made for women also, they are conservative shirts that come in a variety of colors that let the body be comfortable and breathe
Nightshirt- cut to flatter a woman’s looks these shirts come in soft to the touch fabrics like silk and satin
Onesie- perfect for those women who feel cold yet can turn up the temperature in the room. It covers the whole body so you stay nice and warm
Shirtwaist- perfect for that office woman who wants to look professional as well as classy
Sleeveless shirt- for the woman who wants to be cool and still have lots of freedom of movement. You look good and can perform several tasks without a problem
Tube top- summer has never had it so good and women can look good while keeping the heat away. Simple to put on
Halter top- for those women who want to appear sexy or get a nice suntan on their backs
Women’s tunics- these can come with a V neck as well as cut to hit the knees. They are loose-fitting and provide a lot of freedom of movement
Camisole- for when you want to change how the world sees you. These come in different styles to reflect your many moods.
Honorable mentions-- there are many different types of blouses for women long and short sleeve, plus you can get dress shirts, sweatshirts, and western shirts in female styles.
Types of Shirts For Men
Men are not as lucky as women as there are not 35 new styles for them in 2020. But then men want practical shirts and are not generally interested in being fashionable.
Dress shirt- both the button up and the button-down styles in this category make men look sharp and professional
Tuxedo shirt- about the only shirt that tops the dress shirt in getting men to look good for an evening out.
Shirts- this will cover all 8 to 10 styles men’s T-shirts come in. There is one for almost every casual or blue-collar work situation
Denim shirt- when a man wants to look cool this is the shirt to turn to. This and the cotton twill shirt style
Flannel shirt- it works well for those tough jobs men have to do outside. It keeps a man warm, protected and comes in some good colors
Linen shirt- made for those hot humid days when you can’t afford to be sweating more than usual.
Rugby shirt- great for playing different sports and some outdoor chores. It is durable and some men look good in stripes
Sweatshirt- both with and without hoods, these are good outdoor wear for when the weather turns color
Guayabera shirt- when you travel to warmer climates, this is the shirt to bring along. Next to the aloha shirt, it is perfect for hotter weather
Nightshirt- for men this can be a long piece of clothing that comes with a cap or just about any t-shirt one wants to wear to bed.
Types of Casual Shirts
This list will cover many of the ones already listed above and as usual, women have more of a selection than men
Polo shirt- for both men and women, this shirt comes with a collar so you look good and make a fine impression
Sleeveless shirt- made for women only as it flaunts their figure while making sure they can move freely
T-shirts- long sleeve, short sleeve, ringers, and ones with pockets make up this category for both men and women. Very casual and very comfortable
Denim or cotton twill shirt- perfect for those casual outings that require meeting a dress code. You look good and you can always roll up the long sleeves
Blouses- this will cover long and short-sleeved styles as well as camisoles, tube tops, and halter tops. Women have lots of choices when they want to go casual
Sweatshirts- when you just want to lie around the house on a lazy Saturday afternoon or just take a walk. These are shirts to wear. They are warm and keep the wind from cooling you down.
Aloha shirt- even if your vacation is being spent in your back yard, these shirts are casual and comfortable, although they can be quite loud in color.
Traditional clothes- some cultures have great shirts that display their cultural heritage and are perfect for casual wear. They can be loose-fitting, cool, and comfortable all at the same time
Types of Formal Shirts
For men, there are only 3 types of formal shirts in western culture. There is the dress shirt, both button-up, and button-down as well as the tuxedo shirt. In other cultures, there are different formal styles depending on the nation one is visiting.
For women, there really is no formal shirt for them. Women are expected to wear nice evening gowns when formal events appear on their calendar. Although some women have been known to try to break that tradition and wear men’s formal shirts to those same events.
Different Types of Polo Shirts
First up is the short sleeve polo which is as its name says, it is short-sleeved, great for tennis and golf, and has a collar. The second style of polo shirts is called the Pima which is a shirt that is made form lighter materials.
Third, is the Pique style and it got its name from the specific type of fabric used to create it. The name is pronounced pee-kay not peek. Then there is the fourth style of polo shirts and it is called the long sleeve polo. Keeps your arms warm and lets you meet more casual dress codes
Next up is the wool polo and this shirt is made from fabrics that let you wear it in those cooler months. It is not a summer shirt Sixth, is the golf polo and is made from some stretch fabrics that are made for athletic competition.
Finally, there is a rugby shirt which is not a true polo but it fits in this category. It's durable and made for rougher physical activities.
Shirt Hem Types
When you are making your different shirts, make sure to review the different hem types you can use. Different hems work for different purposes and there is no real one hem that fits every shirt style.
To start, there is the rounded hem and it is used most often on a dress and button-up casual shirts. Next, there is the straight hem and this style of hemming is for those shirts that won’t be tucked in.
The polo hem is for, you guessed it, polo shirts. This hem includes side seam vents and sometimes is longer in the back than it is in the front. Also, there is the square hem which is used on aloha shirts the most, and the curved hem which turns up towards the side seams.
More hems can be used on different shorts. The one you will use will depend a lot on the style and purpose of the shirt. If you want to go through a tutorial on making a shirt, click this link
What are Long Shirts Called?
One name for a long shirt is the Kobold and the style comes from the streets. This type of shirt is worn untucked over a pleated skirt. Another name would be tunic but not the tunic that is part of the dress uniform of many branches of the armed forces.
Other names include baby dolls, drops, nightshirts, and so on. You will find many unofficial names for long shirts as people just describe them as they see them. Those names could start out as insults as well.
There is also the dip hem shirt which is long in the back and these shirts are also called high low shirts. If you want to be funny you can always call them the mullet shirt.
No matter what they are called these shirts can complement your fashion sense, figure, or just be warm and cozy on those cold nights you are drinking hot chocolate.
What Type of Shirts Make you Look Thinner
Sometimes it is not the shirt that makes you look thinner. The color will do the trick for you. According to some people, black is the only color that will thin your looks and make you look slimmer and more fit.
Then, again, it is not the shirt but the design on it. If you want to look slimmer than you are, wear those shirts that have vertical lines on them. Then for some reason, V neck shirts have that slimming effect.
While there are not a lot of shirt styles for men in the V neck design, women have many choices to match their outfits. Finally, it isn’t a shirt but how you sit. Your straight-up posture will slim your looks down. Posture is everything.
Some Final Words
Finding the right shirt is not difficult. There are more than enough styles to choose from in western culture. Plus a myriad of more when you travel to different non-western cultures.
All you have to do is find the right style for your looks, events, and other activities. Don’t worry about cultural appropriation, that is a made-up thing for people to get upset over. Wear what you want without fear.
