Although a few men attempt to get by with an evening shirt featuring a simple turndown collar and French cuffs, it is advisable to wear a proper tuxedo shirt.

While a tuxedo shirt is normally white in color, off-white is acceptable as well. Pleated shirts are given preference as they have a more formal appearance although shirts that do not have pleats may feature some texture, like piqué, to give it a crisp and luxurious look. Shirts that are commonly worn with a tuxedo include those with a wing collar, turndown collar and mandarin collar.

A wing-collar shirt [a shirt with a stand-up collar that has ends, which are folded over to create “wings”] is found in the traditional tuxedo shirt. It is generally coupled with a bow tie and cummerbund, and sometimes with an ascot. Tabs are by and large worn behind the tie.

A turndown-collar shirt is a formal shirt with a collar similar to a business-style dress shirt. It is generally accessorized with a bow tie. This style can be worn with a tuxedo although it is less official than a winged-collar shirt.

The mandarin-collar shirt is a new style of formal shirt featuring a short band collar only about one inch high, expressly designed to be worn without a tie. The shirt's top button can be adorned with a button cover.

Lastly, a band-collar shirt is a tuxedo shirt without a collar. This shirt can have a pleated or plain front. It is worn with either a button cover or collar band. Although people believe that the band-collar is a dress shirt, it is a casual style and hence not appropriate for weddings and funerals.