I think I've finally reached the point where I'm sick and tired of trying to fit into off-the-rack shirts that never fit me quite right. Being a smaller guy, it's hard enough just to find shirts that fit me in the shoulders, but usually when I do, they fit me poorly in other areas. It's pretty rare to find one, for example, that isn't made for an obese person. I like a fitted shirt.

There are lots of places to find shirts that will fit me reasonably well, but they're pretty expensive. For example, my twin brother (who, oddly enough, is the same size as me ) gave me some shirts from Express that I'm pretty happy with. But I figure if I'm going to spend that much on shirts, I might as well get something that's made exactly to fit me, where I can choose every detail and measurement, instead of finding one that I can just "live with".

I'm going to try Matt Newsome's suggestion at Shirts My Way. Hopefully, taking advantage of their next special. But I wanted to pick your brains a little bit first before deciding on all the options.

For starters, these shirts will primarily be worn at my office, wearing slacks or even a suit on occasion. So their primary purpose isn't specific to the kilt. However, I do want them to do double-duty with the kilt (as with most everything I buy these days), which leads to my questions below.

1. I'm not a huge fan of stark white dress shirts. I already have some of those if I need them, so my intent is to choose shirts with a subtle colour or pattern. That being said, I really like French cuffs, in the 'double cuff' or fold-back style, not a single cuff. I often see French cuffs worn with a solid-colour shirt, but I can't say that I see very many patterned shirts with French cuffs. Perhaps it's because people today only tend to wear French cuffs for dressy or formal events, where they'd be wearing a white shirt. But if I choose a patterned shirt (like a tattersal), is there any reason French cuffs would be out of place or create an odd mix of styles?

2. On the subject of French cuffs, I can see that these would be perfectly acceptable with the kilt for evening attire, but what about day wear? Are French cuffs ever worn with a kilt when paired with, say, a tweed jacket and Balmoral bonnet? Or would this, again, be an odd mix of styles? Is it ever done in the Highlands? I suppose this is a general question on the appropriateness of French cuffs with the lower levels of dress in THCD.

3. I'm unlikely to choose a coloured shirt with a white collar and cuffs (which is a look I usually associate with bankers or executive types), but just for my own edification, are shirts like this ever worn with the kilt? Seems like a strange mix of styles, but I'm curious if it's ever done.