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Review of Vardama Dress Shirts
For menswear.
In December of 2014, a new line of menswear arrived on the fashion scene that incorporated sleek, modern clothing items with the convenience of the newest in “easy-care” technology. Vardama New York launched their premier line of men’s suits, dress shirts, and ties with their own proprietary technology of Equa-Tek.
This technology was a new take on the process of making garments stain repellant by incorporating the liquid-repelling agent within the weave of the garments fibers, instead of the current technology that applied the repellant to the surface of the clothing, which made it eventually wash away. Vardama was able to use this technology to create items in the most popular fabrics of cotton, silk, and wool, which not only satisfied the quest for high fashion-wear, but also for items that were able to worn worry-free.
An example of one of the menswear items from Vardama are dress shirts. The Wall St. Slim Fit Azure Buttons Shirt is a very clean line, tailored dress shirt that has the contemporary look of a hidden front placket, a welt chest pocket, a minimalistic seamless collar, and dyed to match buttons.
The fabric is a luxurious 100% Egyptian Cotton with the infusion of the stain resistant Equa-Tek, which makes it stain and spill resistant, but also wrinkle-resistant and breathable. For $125, you are getting a garment that can be worn more often, is more easily cared for, and will last longer in your closet.
If you are looking for a shirt that is a little more fashion forward, then you might like the Sutton Slim Fit Gingham Check Shirt. Even though it still has the same hidden placket, seamless collar and cuffs, and fabrication of the “Wall St” version, the micro- gingham check design with the contrast of crisp white fabric on the cuffs and the interior of the shirt trim gives it a fresh, new look. This dress shirt is a little more expensive at $135, but you will have the versatility of dressing it up or down.
Posted in menswear
Tagged button down, dress shirt, slim-fit, vardama
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Must-Haves For a Men’s White Button-Down
For menswear.
A white button-down shirt can never be a bad combination with a men’s suit, it’s a classic wardrobe staple that’s sure to impress and is a great canvas for any style.
From wedding parties, to everyday office attire (not to mention black-tie, birthdays and smart-casual) the possibilities with a white button-down shirt are limitless.
While the white button-down can never be a bad combination with your suit, it can be the make or break for your next suited occasion, whether for work or play, and we’re going to teach you exactly what to look for in your next white button-down purchase in this article.
Know Your Style
First and foremost, you need to know your style. It’s all too often that you’ll see men looking uncomfortable in attire that their ‘other-half’ has clearly picked out for them or you’ll often see the slightly-chubby-borderline-overweight guy wearing an unflattering cut. The first rule of choosing a white button-down is ‘don’t be that guy.’
So if you’re a little uncertain on your style, fear not, we’ve got you covered. Take a look at this Pinterest search, to get a better idea of your body type, style and perfect white button-down match.
We know that shop attendants can, while in good character of course, sometimes be a little bit of a pain. Join the crowd and start using sites like ASOS to search for button-downs online, even though you might not make a purchase online, you can delve into your style a little better and know exactly what you’re looking for when you go in-store.
The Cut Counts
Just like a sirloin steak is a completely different cut to a piece of brisket, there’s different cuts of white button-downs too and the differences are just as important.
Whether you boast a larger frame, a smaller frame or you fit somewhere in between you need to think about different button-down options. Different occasions will call for different cuts and I’d like to share a couple of recommendations with you:
Wedding Party
Recommendation: A slim button-down with crisp angles, a slim fitting button-down will make you feel confident and comfortable, allowing you to breeze through a wedding in comfort and style. Minor details, such as buttons in the collar are a good addition.
Suited Body Type: All
Office Attire
Recommendation: A looser fitting button-down, that will allow your body to breathe throughout your days engagements. Forget any minor details with the office button-down and go for simplicity and convenience. You can often add a twist to your office attire with a colorful tie and pocket square.
Suited Body Type: All, however smaller body shapes may consider slim fits similar to the ‘Wedding Party’ recommendation.
Comfort Is Key
There’s a multitude of choice out there and while choosing the best fit comes down to style, cut and material, there’s an overriding factor to consider - comfort.
The white button-down should make you feel confident, sexy and comfortable. This ‘All American’ look is designed to be rocked, and the only way you’re going to rock it is if you feel comfortable in it, in turn feeling confident wearing it.
Key considerations of cut, material and style are important but they aren’t as important as your comfort. Keep these tips in consideration when choosing your next white button-down but remember that comfort is key. If you’re comfortable and confident, you’ll look a million dollars.
What are your key considerations when buying a white button-down? Did you find this article helpful? Let me know in the comments!
Posted in menswear
Tagged asos, button down, suiting, wedding attire, white shirt
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Mizzen + Main Button-down Shirts
When it comes to finding the perfect button-down shirt, the qualities that every man is looking for are a great fit and easy care. However, at Mizzen + Main they not only take the time to make sure that you can get the fit that you are looking for off the rack and produce shirts that require no ironing or dry cleaning, but Mizzen + Main also uses a fabric that wicks away moisture and gives a lot of room for movement with a 4-way stretch. They have developed a men’s button shirt where performance meets style.
For example, the Frost Light Blue Button-down Oxford takes a traditional pique texture and combines it with body-flattering seaming across the shoulders and down the back to create a stylish, easy care button-down. Mizzen + Main also pays attention to the shirts detailing with the button-down collar, one-button sleeves, and double-button cuffs. Their shirts give you the ability to stay cooler, be more comfortable, and look great without a lot of fuss. At $125, it may seem a little pricey, but think of how much time and money you will save without needing to iron or take it to the dry cleaners for care.
The next one is the Bradbury Dark Plum Gingham Spread Collar dress shirt. As well as having the same cooling/comfort technology fabric and tailored fit, this dress shirt takes on the classic look of Gingham, modernizing it with a dark plum color. Micro-patterns have been around a long time and are a great alternative to a plain shirt when it comes to layering them under a sweater, sports jacket, or suit.
Ordering a few of these shirts will give you the ability to freshen up some of your older items in your closet with a button-down that has a modern style and fabric that you will appreciate for years to come. Also, Mizzen + Main makes that very easy with discounting a pack of 3 or 6 dress shirts for your purchasing.
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Tagged button down, mizzen and main, reviews, shirts
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Review: Structure Faux Leather Trimmed Vest with Casual Button-Down
For menswear.
When looking for those perfect accent pieces to add to a pair of trousers, a great fitting button-down dress shirt is the place to start. The three things that make a good dress shirt are fit, fabric, and fashion. You want a fit that is close to the body, in order to give you a shape, but still leaving you some room to move. The shirts at Structure generally reflect these values.
One such shirt is the Men’s Slim Fit Dress Shirt with Sateen Stripe by Structure. It is a garment that is cut closer to the body with a slimmer silhouette, which is constructed of a cotton-rich broad cloth that is easy care with 55% cotton/45% polyester. It not only comes in black, but a fabulous array of blues, plums, browns, and white. The fabric has a tonal sateen stripe that gives this dress shirt a little more interest up close, yet it still acts as a solid. This type of dress shirt gives you a little more choice in complimentary ties because you can go with a micro-pattern or bolder with a larger paisley design, since the tonal striping keep it like a solid color. For $21.99 at www.sears.com, it is a great value in a dress shirt.
Another accent piece that could compliment both the Structure slim fit dress shirt and a pair of a casual trousers is the Structure Men’s 5-Button Vest with Faux Leather Trim. It has your basics with the v-neckline, notched hem, and woven cotton/poly grey fabric, but it has some added features of trendy faux leather trim on the four slit pockets, a satin back for ease of movement, and the easy care of machine washing.
The downside of the item is that if it is worn under a sports jacket, then you probably will not notice its unique features, but for $20.00 at Sears, it will pay for itself after one wearing.
Posted in menswear
Tagged button down, reviews, shirt, Vest
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Acre Maroon Button-down Shirt by Gravalot
The Gravalot brand was founded in the heart of London, giving its creators a way to express their beliefs in the human experience through fashion. The company prides itself in being artisans who create a legacy of “strength, quality, and beauty” within their men’s line of dress shirts.
One item in particular, the Acre Maroon button-down dress shirt, is a part of the Late Harvest Collection from Gravalot, a line that is said to “explore” the causes of a particularly riotous moment in recent British History. This shirt has a deep chocolate, plum tinged hue that embodies the word rich more than ‘rebellion’ - but I can see how it certainly isn’t a run-of-the-mill piece that takes some courage to wear. It is constructed of woven, breathable cotton and has the look of very clean lines with its tonal stitching. ‘Strength’ also comes to mind.
The dress shirt walks the fence between a formal button-down with the details of an angled collar and hidden button placket, but also has the qualities of a casual dress shirt that can be worn with a pair of jeans and a sweater. The buttons in particular, despite being usually behind the placket, are of a genuine quality that is always appreciated.
And at 65 pounds sterling, it is a fantastic price for a “made to order” dress shirt and of a style that you will not find tons of in department stores and boutiques. Also, if the saturated maroon color is not for you, at they have a pure white and a micro-print Acre Square in black and white too.
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Tagged acre maroon, button down, dress shirt, gravalot, reviews
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Musings on Men’s Fashion - Review of 191Unlimited shirt
For reviews.
The loose, white button-down is an essential summertime piece for anyone looking to be casual yet also chic. 191Unlimited recent sent me a white shirt from their summer collection - let’s see how it fairs.
To its merit, the shirt is fun in that it plays with a lot of curious design elements. For one, note the the double flap pockets, which could be conducive to some interested pin-button arrangements (if you decide to go a little punkish). It also comes with shoulder straps, which are largely useless but nevertheless add to its uniqueness. My favorite change in detail, though, are the rectangular buttons on the shirt as well as the cuffs. Who would have thought to square the traditional circle? The shirt also fits well and rarely clings when I’m sweating from being outside
However, I do take issue with the sowing for this particular piece. As you can very well tell, threading has already occurred around the cuff buttons and this is with under a month’s worth of wearing. It’s so bad in fact that I need to struggle to undo the fastening, at times breaking threads themselves in order to release the buttons. There are also loose threads around the button holes of the placket. Shoddy work, to say the least.
