There are some shockingly bad floral shirts in this world. And we’re afraid they’ve given this particular genre of collared tops a bad rap. Bad floral shirts are very bad – they tend to be rainbow-coloured, uncomfortably slim in cut, and sometimes feature ‘quirky’ contrasting buttons and stitching. It’s the ‘going out’ shirt that should never have seen the light of day.

A tasteful floral shirt, however, is the perfect way to introduce a bit of colour and pattern into your wardrobe though. It’s less ‘Essex all-nighter’, more ‘Riviera playboy’. Think The Talented Mr Ripley crossed with Tom Selleck, and look for a more subtle pattern in colours you feel comfortable wearing. Yes, the floral shirt is a statement piece, so you need to be confident wearing it to properly pull it off so here a six ways to do it well.

3 Style Tips For Wearing Floral Shirts

One Print Per Look

You needn’t be able to tell your hibiscus blooms from your carnations to know that print overkill is best avoided. To ensure you don’t stray off the garden path and into the jungle, stick to a single print and balance it with simpler block-colour items.

Layer For Subtlety

Menswear florals have come full circle since the Hawaiian shirt misfortunes of the 1980s. But that doesn’t mean any bloom embellishment shouldn’t be approached with caution. If you’re alarmed at the prospect of looking like a florist’s shop front, use layering to prune back the statement.

Fit For Purpose

A Hawaiian gardenia bloom shirt may look great on a Miami Beach esplanade, but it isn’t exactly boardroom appropriate. It’s best to reserve your more conspicuous pieces for off-duty occasions, while subtle micro-floral prints can be easily worked into more conservative tailored looks for weekdays.

6 Ways To Wear A Floral Shirt This Summer

With Tailoring

Ted Baker