Rumpling a Shirt

While a freshly starched shirt is fine for the boardroom, it looks out of place in many social situations. If you want to loosen up your image a bit, what you need is a shirt that is rumpled just enough to be engaging, but no so much that it looks as if you slept in it. Here are a few ways to achieve the look you crave.

Step 1

Take the shirt out of the dryer at the perfect moment. This is the sweet spot when the material is dry and before the heat begins to make creases in body and arms of the garment. Forget the iron and place the shirt onto a hanger, taking care to button only the top button. The shirt will be ideal for casual wear, looking clean and only slightly lived in.

Step 2

Allow the shirt to remain in the dryer for thirty minutes after the cycle is complete. While this will likely leave more creases than you want, simply hang the shirt on a hanger and spray with a small amount of fabric softener. Use your hands to smooth out the creases while still leaving a few rumples in the fabric.

Step 3

For a quick rumple, take a freshly ironed shirt and roll it into a ball. Immediately unroll the shirt and shake it. If the amount of rumpling is not quite as much as you like, repeat the process until you have just the right amount of rumple to suit your tastes.

Step 4

Toss the shirt into a chair and leave it overnight. It doesn't matter whether it falls over the back or onto the seat of the chair. The garment will still smell and look fresh, but will be free of the razor sharp look that a newly starched and ironed shirt always has.

Tips and Warnings The rumpled shirt look is not intended for everyone. If you are over the age of forty and have a beer gut, this is not the look for you. Try something more age-appropriate. Buy a few shirts from a thrift store rather than rumple those nice dress shirts your wife or girlfriend bought you. It will keep them happy and you out of trouble.