Style is, of course, subjective. What one man likes another wouldn’t be seen dead in – that’s a given. However, sometimes things are a bit more nuanced. Sometimes, we can like something but know that, deep down, for whatever reason, it just won’t suit us. There are very few items that theoretically suit every man. However, one of the very few that does so is the blue collared shirt.
This is perfectly illustrated in this photo of legendarily stylish actor Paul Newman, shot by photographer Terry O’Neill on the set of John Huston's espionage film 'The Mackintosh Man' at Pinewood Studios, England, 1973. While, as you might imagine for a man playing an intelligence agent, Newman’s spy-centric outerwear was the focus of the movie’s title, his shirting is perhaps the real standout here, demonstrating how in contrast to a white shirt a blue dress shirt treads the line between smart and casual far easier, adding structure and a slight roguish rebelliousness to otherwise formal attire.
