For many, the average men’s shirt is simply a garment of utility - one that is worn by men across the world for reasons of function and not necessarily fashion. But this attitude belies the hundreds of years of trends in men’s shirts. From the typical collarless shirts with billowing sleeves worn by classical painters to the modern formal button-down shirt, men’s shirts have captured the imaginations of both designers and ordinary men for generations. In the twentieth century in particular, a range of different shirt styles have proved popular with men of all ages.

One of the most important developments in men’s shirts over the last hundred years, for example, has been the invention of the polo shirt. The polo shirt, or ‘tennis shirt’, was created by legendary French tennis player Rene Lacoste in 1929 as an alternative to the stiff dress shirts and ties typical of tennis attire at the time. In the 1960s, Ralph Lauren propelled the polo shirt to new heights as a prominent item in his ‘Polo’ collection; and since this time the polo shirt has become so popular that it is now a standard category of clothing - although it has fallen out of favour with most tennis players.

The granddad shirt has also been a long lasting trend in men’s shirts in the twentieth and twenty-first centuries. These collarless shirts have been popular with men in warm countries for decades and have seen a variety of incarnations throughout the years. The Nehru Jacket, for instance, is a South Asian version of the modern granddad shirt that was popularised by the first Indian Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru in the 1950s and early 1960s, and has since been prominently worn by a number of celebrities, from the likes of Sammy Davis Jr to Steven Segal. Today’s granddad shirt preys on bright colours and an ethno-bohemian vibe that appeals to a variety of men’s fashion trends - from festival clothing to smart casual summer wear.

The button-down shirt has also been one of the most influential men’s shirts in fashion history - but memories of how it was created tend to be somewhat hazy. Some fashion experts claim that the button-down collar shirt was invented by an American shirt manufacturer who was inspired by an English polo match, in which players had their collars clipped down to avoid flapping in the wind. Others say that button-down shirts were created in New York, when their inventor (as yet anonymous) attached his collar to his shirt with buttons in a fit of annoyance at the oncoming wind.

But whatever the origin of the button-down shirt, its impact on the men’s shirt industry has been historic, as button down shirts are now worn in both formal and casual contexts. Today, short-sleeved men’s shirts are often worn with skinny jeans, large belts and tailored waistcoats for a fresh and informal look that still exudes smart chic. And with men’s shirts available in a variety of colours - from grey to raspberry - and in a variety of floral and striped patterns, it’s clear that evolving trends in men’s fashion are far from over.

It’s no secret that the twentieth century AD saw more changes in the fashion industry than had ever been seen in previous centuries. A number of clothing trends have gone down in history as an emblem of a particular time or decade. Bell-bottoms, for instance, are an eternal symbol of the 1970s, while the 1980s will always be remembered for shoulder pads if nothing else! However, the evolution of men’s suits also betrays a distinct sense of social history - one that’s too strong to be overlooked.

At the turn of the century and through to the 1920s, there was still a distinct disparity between men’s ‘daywear’ and ‘eveningwear’, and men’s suits usually took the form of a tailcoat with a pristine, starched white shirt worn underneath, and perfectly accessorised by a top hat and black leather shoes. But the Wall Street Crash of 1929 had a profound effect on men’s formalwear as there were severe cutbacks in the way clothes were manufactured and less people bought them. Men’s suits in the 1930s were altered in style to make their wearers appear to have wider torsos and squarer shoulders, while the double-breasted suit began to become popular as well.

However, the Zoot Suit was one exception to the rigid fashioning of men’s suits during this decade. With low-waisted, wide-legged and tightly-cuffed trousers and a long coat, Zoot Suits were primarily popularised by young African-Americans and Hispanic Americans, until the War Production Board branded them as “wasteful” in 1942 and banned their further production. The style persisted until the 1950s, however, when men’s suits evolved into something more business-like and men everywhere began to wear narrow trousers with single breasted coats - an authoritative style that reflected the role men were suddenly expected to play in post-war society and was largely influenced by the “demob suit” given to soldiers at the end of the war.

But the course of the late 1950s and the 1960s saw the dawn of a subculture that was to play an undeniable influence in the evolution of men’s suits for years to come - mod culture. Peaking in London in the mid 1960s, those classed as “mods” became known for engineering key cultural and fashion trends in the UK and male mods donned slim-cut Italian suits - a clothing style that soon became a hallmark of the era. As the mod movement continued to change, a new mod suit came into being - which saw three-button suits twinned with shirts, braces and often Dr Marten boots. Indeed, although mod culture began to decline in the 1960s, giving way to the hippie fashion of the anti-war campaigners, the key features of the mod suit continued to endure and still plays a significant role in the development of the suit today.

In the 1970s, bell-bottom suits became a common feature as disco reigned supreme - and women began wearing men’s style suits too! Nevertheless, the 1980s saw a further turning point in the evolution of men’s suits. As a new breed of young professionals began to emerge with large bank balances and an eye for what was trendy, first-rate fashion designers began to cater for the ‘yuppie’ in a way that was never seen before, and the concept of the ‘power suit’ was born.

The 1990s love affair with retro clothing extended to men’s suits as well, though to a lesser degree than with men’s casual wear. Suits began to become available in a wide range of colours and cuts, and this eclectic approach to men’s suits has continued into the new millennium. Today, prevailing men’s suit trends include slim-fitting trousers paired with single-breasted jackets and waistcoats worn with brightly coloured skinny ties - a fashion that largely takes its influences from modern musical trends and is, moreover, emblematic of the way current social movement shape and style the way we look.