Floral shirts can look awesome- if you know how to wear them. Check out this guide to learn how to wear a floral shirt without looking like a tacky tourist.

Gone are the days where a floral shirt associates with a sunburnt middle-aged man on holiday or as a feminine style choice.

No, the face of men’s fashion has changed and today the everyday man rocks fresh and floral prints, looking fierce and stylish doing so.

But how to wear a floral shirt? What if you look stupid? What if you look girly?

There’s no doubt that sporting the floral print is an edgy trend that should be practised with caution. After all, you don’t want to resemble Uncle Ron on his latest trip to the Bahamas - beetroot red and swamped in tacky and tired floral fabrics.

That’s where we come in. Check out our guide to help you don a floral shirt in a cool, classy and collected manner.

Be bold, brave and exhibit confidence through your floral shirt. After all, it takes a real man to pose in floral print. Who knows, you might find floral to be your go-to shirt of choice.

1. Contrast with Plain Clothes

First things first – never combine two different floral patterns together. Ever.

This is the easiest way to look like a tacky tourist who’s thrown together two random pieces from the resort gift shop – and the final look will clash and end up looking clown-like.  

Instead, the rest of your clothing should be plain when wearing a floral blouse. Pair with solid colors – neutrals are a good option to keep your outfit looking cohesive and slick. This way the focus stays on the floral shirt and doesn’t deter from it as the main feature of the outfit. Let it contrast and those colors from the pattern pop!

Pairing your floral men’s shirts with blue or dark jeans is a great way to keep the look light and casual.

2. Dress for the Season

Floral shirts work well during the spring and summer months and can be worn anywhere from music festivals, beaches, parties, and BBQs – it’s the perfect summer staple. Go for fun, light and bright colors during the warmer weather when you can get away with it.

Although floral prints are worn less during the autumn and winter months, they still work. Try duller, darker tones like gray, black, purple, and navy and layer up with thick jumpers and knits.

Wearing florals during the winter season is a great way to start off with the trend, as you can begin subtly. Let the floral shirt collar peek out over the sweater and have the cuffs tucked out from underneath the sleeves. This is an easy starting point without it feeling like too much.

3. Consider the Occasion

Chosen correctly and paired with the right clothing, floral print shirts can suit formal events as well as casual affairs. Add an understated floral blouse beneath a well-fitted suit and tie to add a splash of color to a special occasion. The end result is classy, unique and vogueish.

But be sure to double-check the dress code depending on the formality of the event – you don’t want to stand out for the wrong reasons.

Remember that although floral shirts are versatile, they don’t suit all occasions. Be mindful where you sport one – the big boss may not be pleased if you rock up to an important client meeting in a floral, or you could look out of place donning one to a somber event, like a funeral or wake.

You can always query regarding the dress code of certain occasions, but if in doubt it’s best to leave the floral shirt for the next summer party.

4. Accessorize Right

Choosing the right accessories for your floral ensemble is crucial to come off looking slick and stylish.

Keeping the accessories subtle is key. Your floral shirt is already a bold fashion statement, so let it do the talking. Try to pick pieces that aren’t too eye-catching, bedazzling or loud – remember, the focus is on the shirt.

A slick, silver watch and smart cuff-links pull the outfit together nicely.

Wear crisp sneakers or lace-up shoes with casual attire and add a pair of sunglasses for that added dose of cool. Match your shoes to color in your floral shirt for a put-together cohesive look. And aviators are a great shout for that effortless ounce of flair.

And never wear your floral shirt on holiday with socks and sandals – not that we condone merging the pair anyway!

5. Layer Up

Like with accessories, the layers you combine with your floral shirt can make or break the look.

We’ve mentioned layering floral shirts with jumpers during the colder months and wearing them with suits for posh events – but what else?

Pop on a denim jacket or a smart blazer to add a masculine touch to a floral blouse.

Alternatively, create a super-casual look by adding a plain tee (preferably in a neutral color) underneath your floral shirt. Unbutton it for that carefree, effortless vibe. This allows you to experiment with brighter and bolder prints as the volume of your shirt is neutralized by the simple tee underneath.

An easy look to pull together whilst testing out the floral trend.

6. Dress for Your Body Type

Be sure to choose a print and pattern that will flatter your body type. Plus-sized men should avoid large and loud floral patterns – these can make them look unnecessarily larger.

Stick to subtle options that are more flattering and make sure the shirt is a complimenting fit – and not too tight!

Slimmer men can test out sassier choices, although be careful to choose a size that fits well. A loud, flashy and oversized floral shirt will swamp otherwise!

Unsure which style to go for to suit your shape? If in doubt, it’s best to go for a more subtle option, and then experiment from there.

7. Combine the Right Textures

We’ve discussed contrasting floral shirts with plainer items of clothing, but it’s also important to combine them with the right textures to keep the look fresh and current.

Whilst the textures of an outfit aren’t necessary to match, the fabrics should complement each other - the look and feel of the textures should balance and match. For example, shiny satin bottoms would clash with a crisp cotton shirt.

As mentioned earlier, denim goes well paired with a floral shirt and is an easy choice of apparel.

For a really unique look, a contrasting faux-leather jacket with a floral shirt makes for a powerful ensemble. The fresh colors of the flowery print paired with the tough black leather create an elegant and fun look with an added dose of masculinity.  

8. Choose Your Colorings and Prints

Experimenting with floral shirts is supposed to be fun, so make sure you choose colorings and prints that make you feel comfortable and confident instead of conscious and shy. After all, the only way to rock men’s floral dress shirts is with swag and confidence.

Match your print to suit your body shape – but match it to your personality too!

If you’re new to the trend, then monochrome prints are a subtle and classy choice.

Keen to dive straight in? Test and trial your look with a multitude of color schemes and wild and wacky prints.

If you’re feeling somewhere in between, then remember that shades of blues suit all seasons so you can experiment with it all year round.

Ready to Wear Your Floral Shirt?

If you still don’t feel confident to take the plunge, don’t worry as there are alternative ways to dabble with the floral print trend in smaller doses.

If you’re a smart dresser who often wears suits, try wearing a floral tie. It’s a great way to showcase the fun side of your personality, without sacrificing the rest of your style. Just make sure the colors in the tie complement the colors of the shirt and suit.

Alternatively, look for items such as caps, socks, braces or even shoelaces for floral inspiration. Again, these small touches show off your character without the commitment of wearing a larger floral piece.

If you are in fact ready to rock the floral shirt, then congratulations! It’s a brave and bold choice but with our advice, you’ll rock it in a sleek and stylish manner – no tacky tourist vibes here!

Fancy more advice on how to dress sharp? Check out our men’s range of fashion E-books here.