If a man had to choose to keep just one shirt in his wardrobe for use with every occasion, formal or informal, the Oxford shirt would be the only logical choice! No other style of shirt can match its timeless style and vast practicality. This staple of any gentleman’s ensemble was named after the fabric it is sewn from, Oxford cloth, which owes its name to that venerable institution of higher learning, Oxford College. In actuality, the college didn’t play a direct role in its creation, a 19th-century Scottish textile mill wanted to borrow the prestige of famous universities to use as a branding tool, and named various weaves of cloth after them, resulting in Oxford, Harvard, Cambridge, and Yale weaves! The others faded away, but Oxford cloth has endured and enjoyed a long-lasting fashionability.
The shirt has continued to grow in popularity and is always on the shopping list when discerning and tasteful gentlemen buy RM Williams brand apparel, purveyors of the finest garment brands and makes! The Oxford shirt is a staple of men’s wardrobes all around the world. It has stood the test of time, retaining its status thanks to its fine fabric, stylish design and immortal appeal. The Oxford shirt remains the favourite go-to men’s shirt, a perfect blend of tradition and modern sensibility.
Although it is now chiefly revered as a piece of office formal wear, the Oxford shirt was first conceived as a piece of sportswear back in the late 19th century, when it became the preferred uniform of Britain’s polo players. It was a great choice for the sporting life because of the Oxford weave fabric’s great comfort, dependable durability, and airy breathability, especially when worn in the sultry climes of British East India.
A problem emerged, though, the shirt’s pointed collars became a hazard during fast-moving polo matches! The unfastened collars would flap about in the players’ faces, creating a dangerous distraction! British ingenuity was employed and buttons were attached to batten down the flying collars, fastening them to collar points sewn into the neckline. This highly practical innovation was soon regarded as a stylish addition that makes the Oxford shirt special to this day!
Another factor that has ensured the Oxford shirt has endured was the entrance of the American clothier John E. Brooks, founder of the famed Brooks Brothers. Brooks was a spectator at a polo match in England and became enchanted with the shirt’s clever button-down solution, which he took home to create his line of Oxford shirts for the American market, thus claiming its lasting place as a timeless classic in men’s modern fashion.