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We quietly approach a pack of bros in their natural habitat: in a bar, feasting on their traditional diet of fried animal and fermented grain. When an attractive female nears, their clamoring rises to an elevated pitch, punctuated by the bumping of knuckles and calls of "So…uh, what's up?"

The wild American bro is most recognizable by its ubiquitous nighttime camouflage: thigh-length swaths of cotton, collars pointed outward like airplane wings, sleeves rolled up and flared out like a Musketeer's. This is known in bro circles as the "going-out shirt." It is the bro's uniform whenever he goes to clubs, bars, house parties, or—god help us—dates. It is always worn untucked with jeans (boot cut, of course), and is considered the "dressed up" alternative to a T-shirt or polo. Whether gingham or striped, rumpled from the hamper or neurotically over-starched, it is, in short, an abomination.

See, the problem with going-out shirts is that you shouldn't have a going-out shirt. A man's wardrobe should be versatile, from totally casual—i.e. beach wear, an old T-shirt for a yard work, etc.—to formal—a tudo, or at the very least, a sleek, dark suit—and everything in between. What you wear should be destination-appropriate, and not just a single item that announces that you are, indeed, out on the town. The addition of a collar does not make you "dressed up."

That's not to say that a button-down shirt isn't acceptable—far from it. But it's only part of the equation. For a night out, there's nothing wrong with any of these casual tweaks to your workday suit. Or for winter, some snug-as-hell tweeds. Or a blazer and jeans. Or a denim jacket. Anything, really, but that one ill-fitting, worn-to-death shirt of yours.

Hell, if you don't believe us, just ask Michael Bastian, who says, "I don't believe you should have different clothes for work and for going out. These days the coolest guy in the bar is the most dressed up. You shouldn't have to go home and change." It's a brave, new style-conscious world out there, gents. Don't be afraid to dress outside the box! You'll feel as special as you look—and trust us, bros, the ladies will notice.

Of course, men are a stubborn bunch, and the going-out-shirt will be hard to eradicate. But with commitment from men from all walks of life, there could very well come a time when these wing-collared, pajama-length eyesores become a thing of the past. And once it finally meets its demise, we can move on to the next a-brah-mination: the dreaded fleece vest.