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Contrary to popular belief, white dress shirts aren’t the do-all in your closet. They’re far from your most versatile shirt, and instead, have very specific connotations. Historically, these were citified shirts — something that middle-class managers and members of the gentry wore in the city to conduct business. White dress shirts are hard to clean, show dirt easily, and were once the mark of money. As such, they occupy a more formal role in today’s wardrobe. This is what you wear with dark worsted suits to funerals or weddings. For more casual environments and ensembles, including sport coats, you’re often better off with a light-blue button-up.
Yet, a white dress shirt is about as close as you can get to a wardrobe essential. If you own a suit (and you should), you’ll need all of the accouterments: black or brown oxfords, a dark silk tie, and of course, a white shirt. Over at Proper Cloth, they have a guide on how to choose the best one. Their site leads you through a series of questions: where do you plan to wear the shirt? For what occasions? In what weather? Then Proper Cloth will suggest three shirt fabrics across a range of price points (starting as low as $95). You then choose the shirt’s measurements and styling, and voila, you’ll have your perfect made-to-measure dress shirt a few weeks later. For people who don’t wear suits, Proper Cloth also has some casual options (e.g., white seersucker, American oxford, and pique cotton).
Wolf vs. Goat is doing a massive sale this week, where you can take 75% off all full-priced items with the checkout code “knitwear.” Although the code is “knitwear,” it applies to wovens (and anything in their shop that’s full price). Denim button-downs and summer-ready striped shirts, which have a lot of Talented Mr. Ripley energy, come down to just $50 with the checkout code. The silk-cotton polos are $100. And the chunky cashmere cable knits are $150. Given that these are made in Portugal, Italy, and the United States, the prices are almost unheard of for what you’re getting.
Mauro Farinelli, who founded Wolf vs. Goat over ten years ago, says he’s particularly proud of his elevated sweatshirts and silk-cotton polos. “Both are great entry points into our knitwear collection,” he says. “These knits are made in Italy using certified organic and environmentally friendly yarns. The sweatshirts are fully fashioned and made from a cotton-cashmere blend to give them a softer hand. They’re basically a better version of something you likely already wear often, which is why we describe it as ‘elevated.'”
Note, all sales are final, so double-check the sizing.
Long-time readers know Chipp supplies the most affordable grenadine neckties. They source their silks from the same Italian mills as top-end brands, but their ties start at a much more affordable $45 (grenadines are $60 and, like everything Chipp sells, are made in New York City). Paul Winston, the shop’s owner, tells me he can’t imagine charging much more because he remembers what neckties used to cost fifty years ago, back when his family’s business dressed men such as President John F. Kennedy, Andy Warhol, and Joe DiMaggio.
If you’re looking for your first grenadine, consider three colors: black, some sort of dark blue, and silver. Black can look severe in certain contexts, which is why it’s often not recommended for suits or socks, but the color manages to be neutral for grenadines and knit ties. You can wear a black grenadine with navy suits, tobacco linen suits, and brown tweeds. Dark blue, either in the shade matching your navy suits or one shade lighter, is equally versatile (a dark blue tie can also be an excellent way to visually anchor a light-colored sport coat, which could otherwise float away from you). Lastly, silver grenadines are for guys who only wear ties on special occasions — weddings, fancy parties, and other formal gatherings. Silver ties look less like office clothes than their dark blue counterparts, and the textured grenadine weave here keeps these from looking cheap and shiny.
In the last few years, many customers have shifted their spending from made-in-the-USA products to those produced offshore. To be sure, many good things are created abroad. But as American factories have fallen like dominos, it’s worth revisiting what makes buying American so special.
Dapper Classics’ socks, for example, are produced at a third-generation, family-owned mill based in North Carolina. The company is so dedicated to American manufacturing that they even invested in machinery at this mill. By producing in the United States, they can offer high-quality socks that rival the best in the world, but offer them at a much lower price. Dapper Classics’ socks are just as well-made as those from Bresciani and Marcoliani — their dotted socks even hold up better in the wash — but instead of charging $40 for a pair of over-the-calf wool socks, Dapper Classics’ socks start at $20. They’re able to do this because they don’t pay for import fees and international shipping. When you purchase something from Dapper Classics, a larger percentage of what you’re spending goes towards higher-quality materials, top-end construction, and higher labor standards.
If you’re looking for conservative patterns to supplement an already full rotation of solid colors, try Dapper Classics’ selection of pin-dot, grenadine, and nailhead designs. Those can be an excellent way to add some visual interest to an outfit without going too quirky. Remember that navy socks go with everything. Otherwise, match the color of your socks to your trousers. This will help visually elongate your leg line (e.g., grey socks with grey trousers, brown socks with tan trousers, etc.).
Rowing Blazers is having an archive sale this week, where you can find select items discounted by as much as 40% off. Included are some polar fleece pullovers, madras button-downs, and screen-printed totes (useful for market trips or just everyday errands). Adventurous readers can try the patchwork tweed sport coat shown above. During the heydays of Ivy style, Chipp made something similar for New Yorkers who liked having fun with their tailoring.
As clothing prices have soared in the last ten years, sites such as eBay and Grailed continue to be some of the best ways to build a wardrobe on a budget. Of course, the problem is the hunt. What you save in money can be spent in time. Our sponsor LuxeSwap is an easy way to get around that problem. Every Thursday, they throw up hundreds of high-end menswear auctions on eBay, with prices typically starting at $9.99. LuxeSwap founder Matthew Ruiz is a longtime member of StyleForum and has been selling high-quality clothing for over a decade. Consequently, you can always head to his auction page to find some great menswear items.
If you head over to their list of auctions this week, you’ll find some things that might remind of you No Man Walks Alone. There’s a bunch of items from some of NMWA’s Japanese labels, including Fujito sweaters and Camoshita overcoats. These Rota trousers are popular with NMWA customers because of their high rise and slim-straight leg line. These pants have a lot more inlay than other ready-to-wear trousers, which makes them easier to adjust. You can also check out the selection of Inis Meain knitwear and Scott & Charters beanies. There are a ton of beanie colors in there, and given the prices at LuxeSwap, it won’t hurt to experiment.
