Established 1818

The American prep style has dominated men’s wear for a while now, this is nothing new. All you have to do is pick up a copy of GQ, Details, or Esquire or have a look at Scott Schuman’s blog, The Sartorialist for confirmation. Everyone from J. Crew to J. Press have masterfully availed themselves of this trend, and though these retailers are fantastic, I’d like to give a shout out to your grandpa’s favorite clothier, Brooks Brothers. Being that it was started in 1818, Brooks Brothers has the distinction of being the oldest retailer in the United States. That’s right, the brothers has been selling clothes to American men since James Monroe, our fifth president was in office. So why have they been around so long? Because they make clothes men look good in at a price that’s affordable, and if you love something they make, when it’s threadbare and broken down, they’ll still be making it. As an example of the awesomeness of Brooks Brothers, I present the oxford cloth button collar shirt.

To understand the button down shirt you have to understand its history. It was first developed as a riding shirt for polo players; their collars flapped in the wind as they rode and evidently that was just unacceptable, so they secured them with buttons. In 1896 Brooks Brothers brought this style to the young republic as a sport shirt, and back then, men actually played sports in those shirts. The other essential characteristic of this shirt, and a nod to its sporting heritage is the oxford cloth from which it’s made. Oxford cloth is a thick, knobby fabric that feels good to wear and looks great once worn in. It lacks the sheen and formality of a standard dress shirt, making the oxford cloth button down perfect to wear with a pair of beat-in 501s, New Standards or chinos.

Brooks Brothers was the first manufacturer to make these shirts in the United States and in my opinion, still the best value for the money. First reason they are the best value, you can find them on sale about four times a year for $50. Secondly, they come in four fits, Traditional (two-man tent), Regular (one-man tent), Slim Fit (regular people), Extra Slim Fit (slim people). Lastly, they are extremely well made and made in the USA. So next time you’re looking for a new collared shirt, skip The Gap or Banana Republic and head over to your grandpa’s favorite shop, Brooks Brothers.