How to Fold a Dress Shirt

Though it is common to hang a dress shirt in the closet, there are many times the garment requires being folded. From traveling to lack of closet space, properly storing a dress shirt is ideal for organization and to ensure the integrity of the item.

A dress shirt deserves proper TLC when being stored. Whether when placed in a suitcase, drawer, or on a shelf in the closet, we have you covered with the best methods for how to fold a dress shirt.

Why properly folding a dress shirt is important

Guess what happens if you stuff a nice dress shirt unfolded in your suitcase? What about if you simply fold it in half twice and stick it in your drawer? You can bet that that precious garment will be very wrinkled and full of creases when you pick it up to wear it.

Avoid spending more time steaming and ironing, or even leaving the house with a disheveled appearance, by learning how to fold a dress shirt so it’s as smooth as possible when you go to wear it.

How to fold a dress shirt

To fold a dress shirt, you’ll want to find a flat surface. Then, follow these steps:

1. Button up the shirt

Begin by buttoning up the shirt all the way to the collar. This keeps the shirt as structured as possible.

2. Place the shirt button side down

Flip the shirt so the buttons are facing down and lay it flat.

3. Fold the sleeves

Place the right sleeve across the shirt, folding it up on the left side of the middle. The shoulder of the sleeve will reach the collar. Repeat the process with the left sleeve.

4. Fold the sides of the shirt inward

Next, fold each side of the shirt inward to cover each sleeve.

5. Fold the bottom of the shirt

Finally, fold the bottom of your shirt up three times. Then, gently flip the shirt over and place it on a shelf or in the drawer.

Travel tip: If you would like a more narrow fold, especially for fitting in your suitcase, pull the cuff up the middle until it reaches the collar in step 3. The sleeves will stack on top of each other. You can then proceed to step 4 and 5.

How to fold a silky dress shirt

Silk, and other silky materials, are thinner and more delicate than a typical cotton dress shirt. This means the process for how to fold a silky dress shirt requires a bit more care.

1. Button up the shirt

Begin by buttoning up the shirt all the way to the collar. This keeps the shirt as structured as possible.

2. Lay out the shirt

Lay out the silky dress shirt on a flat surface, but this time, have the buttons facing up.

3. Fold the sleeves inward, outward, then inward

Begin by folding one side of the shirt and sleeve inward. Position the sleeve across the center so it rests over the tip of the collar.

Then, fold the sleeve back the opposite direction so it’s facing away from the collar. Finally, fold the sleeve back toward the center. Repeat the process on the other side of the shirt.

4. Fold the collar downward

Next, fold the collar downward until it reaches the bottom hem of the shirt.

How to roll a dress shirt

Keep your folded shirt crisp and compact by utilizing the Marie Kondo method!

To roll a dress shirt, complete the steps used above for either a cotton dress shirt or a silky one, then roll the shirt from one end to the other.

Make sure you roll over the collar to protect it (how you roll depends on which previous method you used).

What causes dress shirts to wrinkle?

It all begins with how you launder your clothes. Overloading the washing machine, mixing heavy and delicate fabrics together, and using the wrong water temperature for the fabric will all lead to wrinkles in clothing, especially dress shirts.

When putting the item away, you should follow the above methods for how to fold a dress shirt, otherwise you can cause wrinkling as well. Finally, keep drawers, shelves, etc. organized. Cramming items causes wrinkles.