Men’s Fashion Shopping Glossary: Shirts, Kurtas, Fit, Fabric and Occasions

This glossary explains common terms used while shopping for men’s shirts and kurtas online. It is designed to help customers understand fabric, fit, collar, pattern, sleeve type, occasion and styling language before buying from TryBuy.

Shirt terms

Checked shirt: A shirt with square or grid-style patterns, commonly used for casual wear, daily wear and travel outfits.

Solid shirt: A shirt in one main colour, useful for office wear, formal-casual styling and clean everyday looks.

Printed shirt: A shirt with graphic, floral, abstract or motif-based artwork, often used for parties, holidays and relaxed styling.

Spread collar: A collar style where the collar points sit apart, suitable for smart casual and dressier shirt looks.

Kurta terms

Mandarin collar: A short stand-up collar commonly used in men’s kurtas and ethnicwear.

Chikankari-style kurta: A kurta inspired by delicate tonal embroidery, often used for white, cream and festive ethnicwear.

Embroidered kurta: A kurta with stitched decorative work, suitable for weddings, puja, festivals and premium ethnic occasions.

Printed kurta: A kurta with motifs such as floral, lotus, elephant, peacock, tiger, border or heritage artwork.

Fabric terms

Cotton: A breathable fabric commonly used for shirts and kurtas.

Cotton blend: A mixed fabric designed to balance comfort, shape retention and everyday practicality.

Occasion terms

Puja wear: Clean, traditional clothing suitable for religious and family rituals.

Festive wear: Clothing designed for Diwali, Eid, Raksha Bandhan, family functions and celebrations.

Wedding kurta: A kurta suitable for haldi, mehendi, sangeet, reception or family wedding events.

Office ethnic wear: Ethnic clothing that looks clean enough for workplace celebrations or traditional office days.

Start shopping

Shop men’s shirts | Shop men’s kurtas | Read the shirt fit guide | Read the kurta styling guide

Frequently asked questions

What does cotton blend mean? Cotton blend means cotton is mixed with another fibre to improve practicality, feel, fall or shape retention.

What is a mandarin collar? A mandarin collar is a short upright collar commonly seen on kurtas and ethnic shirts.

What is the difference between printed and embroidered kurtas? Printed kurtas use surface artwork, while embroidered kurtas use stitched decorative detailing.