We may earn a commission if you buy through this link, at no extra cost to you.
Browse all Drake's button-ups →White Cotton Bib Front Dinner Shirt
The verdict
Fit
Bib-front dinner shirts run fitted through the body; Drake's standard proportions. The shirt is designed to wear beneath a dinner jacket or waistcoat, so expect narrower through the arm and torso.
Quality
Dinner-shirt construction is meticulous—reinforced plackets, durable buttons, and crisp finishes are non-negotiable. Drake's executes this category well.
Is the price fair?
£225 is appropriate for a proper dinner shirt. Not a bargain, but the garment is made for durability through many formal occasions.
Best for
Anyone attending formal events regularly who wants a genuine dress shirt rather than a standard shirt worn formal.
Care
Dinner shirts benefit from professional pressing or careful hand-steaming before each wear; store buttoned to maintain the bib's shape.
What owners report about Drake's button-ups
Owners rate the oxford cloth very highly — a four-shirt comparison review called it the softest tested and said it stayed soft after repeated washing — and the lined-but-unfused collar draws praise for its natural roll, though wearers note the roll varies shirt to shirt because they are handmade. Recurring complaints are practical rather than about quality: the cut is slim with high armholes, which one reviewer found uncomfortable next to roomier fits, and forum posters report the published size chart doesn't match delivered shirts because measurements are taken before washing. Posters who own several oxfords also report the fabric weight is not consistent across the range.
- Strengths
- Soft oxford cloth that holds up through washing and an unfused collar with a natural roll, made in the brand's own UK factory.
- Watch out for
- A slim cut with high armholes, size-chart measurements owners say overstate the delivered (washed) shirt, and fabric weight that varies between shirts — all at a top-of-category price.
- Sizing
- Forum posters report delivered shirts measure smaller than the online size chart (the brand takes measurements pre-wash), so go by actual garment measurements and consider sizing up if between sizes or broad-shouldered.
About Drake's's button-ups line as a whole. Sources: The Best Oxford Cloth Button Down Shirt — Typical Contents · Drake's Debuts Ultra-Premium, Unfused Oxford With Third Button — Ivy Style · The unofficial Drake's London Appreciation Thread (p.433) — Styleforum
