PINPOINT OXFORD BUTTON DOWN SHIRTS
I came of age during the end days of the classic oxford cloth button down (OCBD) shirts. My closet was filled with shirts from L.L. Bean and Lands’ End which all boasted a longer collar point that provided that great collar roll we all sought. It was the 1980’s, which was a classic time for the resurgence of traditional, ivy, preppy clothing, and yet it was also the beginning of the end.
As we’ve moved through the subsequent decades, we have seen a change in styles that that I’m not really fond of. Shirt collars have shrunk to a dismal length that aren’t able to adequately support a decent tie width, much less create that beautiful collar roll of the past. Even traditional icons such as L.L. Bean, Lands’s End, Brooks Brothers, J. Press and others have succumbed to the latest trends.
For me the ideal shirt collar point is 3.75” but most shirts on the market today are significantly narrower. There are some higher end manufacturers that do still produce shirts with those wonderful collars, but they are a bit out of my price range. And so enters Jos. A. Banks.
Jos. A. Banks offers a pinpoint oxford button down shirt with a 3.25” collar point. While not as wonderful as the 3.75” collar point of yesterday, it’s still much better than what is offered mainstream. The other thing I like about these shirts is that they are “must iron” shirts. Unlike 95% of their products (and most other store’s products) that are “wrinkle free” or “no iron”, these require ironing. I have never been a fan of the “no iron” shirts as the treatment leaves them shiny and stiff, and they never weather to that wonderful, subtle softness. They just stay, well, armor-esque.
While the pinpoint oxford button down shirts from Jos. A. Banks, are not the shirts of yesterday, they are a great replacement, and at a great price. The shirts are currently on sale and I have added several to my collection. There are only a few colors left, but I am hoping they will restock the others soon.
***What is your ideal collar point length?
Those look nice! Is the quality any good and are they available in standard oxford? I've never purchased Banks as I've always lumped them in with Men's Wearhouse.
ReplyDeleteI believe they are available in the standard but in limited colors. You may want to check their website to be sure. I think the quality is fine. Especially when compared what is out there in the mainstream. I can't speak to the quality od Men's Warehouse as I haven't bought from them, but now that they own Banks, that may effect the quality of Banks in the future. My understanding is they plan to keep the entities separate but time will tell, and we'll see how the quality is down the line. As far as Banks quality, you may want to order just one - especially while they are on sale - to see if you like it.
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