The Henley Shirt Guide for Men (2026)

The henley shirt guide: the collarless button placket that outdresses every tee.

Last updated: August 2026

A henley is a collarless shirt with a two-to-five button placket, and that small detail does big work: it frames the neckline, adds visual interest a plain tee lacks, and layers under everything. It is the single easiest upgrade to a casual wardrobe, and the ideal base layer heading into fall.

In this article

• Why the henley works
• How to wear it
• The picks
• FAQ

Why the henley works

The placket draws the eye vertically, which flatters nearly every build, and the missing collar keeps it relaxed where a polo turns preppy. In waffle or heavier knits the henley becomes a fall staple: warm alone in September, perfect under a cardigan, flannel or field jacket when temperatures drop.

How to wear it

Alone with jeans or chinos, leave the top one or two buttons open and keep the fit close through the chest without pulling. As a layer, a henley under a cardigan or flannel shacket gives the neckline texture a crew tee cannot. Sleeves pushed to mid-forearm is the henley's signature look.

The picks

Frequently asked questions

What is a henley shirt?

A collarless shirt with a short button placket at the neck, sitting between a tee and a polo in dressiness.

How many buttons should be open?

One or two. All buttoned reads stiff; all open loses the placket's framing effect.

Are henleys in style?

Consistently, and waffle-knit henleys in particular are a fall 2026 staple as base layers.

Henley or t-shirt?

The henley wherever you want a touch more effort, the placket adds interest a plain tee cannot.

Can you layer a henley?

It is the best layering base in casual menswear, under cardigans, flannels, and field jackets alike; see how to layer for fall.

More shirts: how a casual shirt should fit and the shirt fabrics guide.