In the days of more rigid dress codes, the demarcation between striped and checked shirts was a line you wouldn’t cross. Stripes were one of the few embellishments permitted in a business setting and, even then, only in certain shades. Checks meanwhile belonged in the countryside, usually worn during outdoor pursuits or for manual labour. But the world has moved on, and the old edicts about what to wear where no longer apply.

Today, you could sport a striped shirt in a rural pub and a checked one to the office, depending on the pub and office. Which opens up more places to more items of clothing but perhaps makes life more confusing when trying to pick out a casual shirt each morning.

This isn’t a fight you need to face alone. In the clash over which pattern of shirt deserves your attention, sides have been picked and battle lines drawn. Whether they run parallel or intersect is your call.

A striped shirt is not only a staple in my wardrobe, but it’s the one of first items I look to when building an outfit. There’s something about a striped shirt that just gives a sense of professionalism and a touch of something that’s a little different. It does have strong connotations with business attire, but this elevates it even more, giving a sense of success.

The stripe has decorated most, if not every single runway show for the past few decades. Why? It’s a striking pattern that instantly catches the eye and demands your attention. Other than the fact that I’m neither a convict nor a sailor, vertical stripes will always be my preference over a horizontal. It is a very flattering pattern and the lines travelling up and down help to visually elongate the body.

There is a wide variety on offer suitable for all occasions, such as the pinstripe, ticking, barcode and bold stripe. Ticking and pinstripes would suit formal moments and business meetings best as they tend to be more understated but are equally just as good for a date night.

I am personally drawn towards a thinner stripe on a shirt as it gives a nice subtlety to an outfit. My favourite way of styling a striped shirt is combining it with a pair of pinstriped trousers.

One thing that I would try to be conscious of is not matching the thickness of the stripes. If you’re going for pinstripe trousers, then look to a ticking stripe or something a little thicker than a pinstripe. However, be wary of going too bold with it.

For me, checked shirts are nostalgic. My dad wore them. My grandfather wore them. I wore them growing up. They’re comfortable and soft, like wearing a blanket.

And they’re for all seasons. I actually wear them as much in the summer as I do in the winter. A super-soft lightweight flannel shirt is my beach shirt. It feels so much more comfortable to me than any other shirt when it’s loose. Better on sunburnt skin.

Checked shirts also super versatile and can go anywhere and do anything. I wear them with suits and with sport coats and denim. They’re the Swiss Army knife of shirts.

Aaron Levine_’s eponymous menswear label is _coming to MR PORTER soon