5 shirts whose small details make big differences

As a reminder, we have two shirt cuts:

• A cut for dressier shirts , intended to be worn tucked into pants, and “normally fitted”. It's this volume that you find on our Volpaia shirt and on our next dress shirts coming in March.
• A cut for our casual models , inaugurated last year with the Sagano, a little more spacious than the Volpaia in terms of the chest and shape, but without falling into a so-called “boxy” or very straight cut. You gave this cup a very warm welcome!

For this season, we did a lot of work on the armhole , where some people had a feeling of tightness in the shoulder when raising their arms.

It has been redesigned to be much more comfortable, whatever the cut. The little details that make the difference start here.

This is one of my favorite shirts!

I'm a big fan of western shirts because they have the power to instantly add style to any outfit.

• A formal outfit? No problem, a western shirt fits perfectly under a suit
• A casual outfit? This is the playground for a western shirt, perfectly at ease with khaki fatigue pants and other loose pants.

Few clothes can match such an ability to navigate between different styles.

The western shirt is the pinnacle of versatility for me, and I am determined to make it an essential part of the BonneGueule wardrobe.

In terms of color, to have a truly summery atmosphere, I wanted a light blue that leans towards sky blue, in order to highlight the washing of the material, and to wear it easily with sandy or even lighter tones, like ecru.

In terms of provenance, it is a fabric that is spun and woven in Italy, at Berto, in GOTS cotton . Along with Candiani, it is the other famous supplier of “made in Italy” denim.

On this model, the sewing threads are tone on tone, so as not to blur the lines. I'm obviously not stopping myself from using contrasting threads in the future, but on this model, I wanted a contemporary look.

As for the thickness, it is an 8.5 oz denim , so a light weight perfectly suited to a casual shirt. It’s a weight of fabric that also allows this shirt to be used as an overshirt!

We also worked a lot on the pockets, to give this shirt more personality. They are asymmetrical, like some models of vintage western shirts, and paradoxically, I find that this gives a more modern and racy side to this design.

The shoulder yokes have also been designed in this direction, and if you look closely, you will notice that its shape takes up the dimensions of the chest pockets, in order to add harmony between the lines.

Sometimes we want to go all out with an outfit that we prepared as a plan of attack the day before, with the pattern and color combos that we are most proud of.

Sometimes you just want to keep it simple. Grab two pieces of clothing that you love, that will definitely go together, and leave home without any hassle. These are the times when basics are reassuring, but that doesn't mean our outfit has to be more boring on these days. You can feel beautiful and stylish in a simple outfit. By only wearing wardrobe classics, but whose materials have their effect.

We chose this Japanese chambray for that: it exudes a simplicity and relaxation that makes the shirt reassuring and easy to wear. At the same time, when we approach it, its texture creates a little “wow effect” in us.

It reminds us why we love the work of Japanese weavers so much: rather than texture for the sake of texture, they always manage to create a certain poetry in the details. It's discreet. We don't feel like we're doing a ton wearing their fabrics, but when our eyes linger on them, we discover a whole richness.

Here, we first see the small threads which protrude irregularly, as if the fabric were damaged. And when we look closer, we see that the small streaks offer a very varied grain. These random reliefs give a lot of naturalness to its beauty, which exudes something almost artisanal.

For us, this kind of detail makes all the difference between one chambray shirt and another. We still take our hats off to Maruwa, which has existed since 1934 and which still manages to find balance in its textures.

If you want a shirt to be simple to wear, it must also be pleasant. Otherwise, it wouldn't be that reassuring. And that’s precisely what we liked about this fabric: its softness and suppleness. Many chambrays have a rather crisp hand, which is more similar to denim. This one is surprisingly supple, a real veil that rests on us when we wear it.

The button-down collar shirt is cool.

It was invented by English polo players during the second part of the 19th century, to prevent the collar of their shirt from bothering them during their wild games.

But it was an American who made them accessible to as many people as possible: John E. Brooks, traveling in the United Kingdom, saw these shirts at a polo match and immediately appreciated them. So he returned home and began making these button-down shirts in the family workshop in 1896.

It was the start of a revolution.

Over the decades that followed, it was widely adopted by Ivy League students and celebrities like Fred Astaire, Miles Davis, Gianni Agnelli and even John F. Kennedy (no less).

All these people adopted it for the comfort and flexibility of its collar and its cuffs, unlined but also for its pretty collar roll , slightly undulating, giving it a touch of appreciable relaxation.

These are the same reasons that still make it so relevant today.

We revisit the button-down collar shirt with the Calvi, available in three colors and two materials as unique as they are textured.

You probably see what the Oxford is. But do you know its history?

Well, guess what, neither do I.

This fabric was invented in the 19th century by a Scottish weaver. The name is inspired by the famous British University Oxford.

Its particularity comes from its so-called basket weave which alternates two colored warp threads (vertical) and two white weft threads (horizontal).

The result: a very recognizable grainy texture , but also very appreciable properties. In fact, this fabric is both durable, breathable and wrinkle-resistant.

Our white and pink Calvi shirts pay homage to the rich history of OCBD (Oxford Cloth Button Down), with of course the material we love at BonneGueule.

As you get closer, you will see a double texture : in addition to the characteristic graininess of the Oxford, you will notice that this fabric is dotted with small horizontal streaks.

This is a flamed effect (or “slub” in English). It is obtained by using a thread that is intentionally spun with irregularities in its thickness.

We then weave the fabric with this irregular thread on the weft (horizontal) and a regular thread on the warp (vertical) to obtain this result.

And if you are wondering why we use the term “flamé”, it’s simply because its appearance reminds us of small flames.🔥

We haven't talked about composition yet. Did you think it was 100% cotton here? Think again. To welcome the spring season in the most beautiful way, we have selected this fabric composed of:

• 55% cotton for softness and stability
• 45% hemp for lightness and optimal breathability

As a reminder, hemp has properties similar to those of linen. It is a very breathable, thermoregulating, breathable and very stable fiber. And it has a certain advantage over linen: it creases little.

We sourced our supplies from the Portuguese weaver Somelos with whom we have been working since 2023 and the release of our Ofir shirt .

In terms of colors, we of course thought of the essential white version.

And to vary the pleasures, we discovered this very pretty pale pink which will add a colorful touch to your outfits for the summer season. Pink goes very easily with blue, black, white, gray, green and brown, among others.

The Calvi shirt is also available in this white fabric with green stripes.

Besides, the stripes are not only green . Look a little closer: they are green with a hint of brown on the ends.

The stripes are fairly spaced out, more than on more traditional and “business” striped shirts, for a more casual look.

Just like on the white and pink models, the material is also flamed. So you also have a double texture here: vertical stripes on one side, and horizontal streaks on the other.

The composition is also not 100% cotton but 85% cotton and 15% linen , for greater freshness. It's a fairly light and fluid shirt, with a beautiful drape , perfect for the return of sunny days.

We sourced this fabric in Japan, at Takiyho. The company has existed since 1751 and was initially specialized in the trade of traditional Japanese kimonos (you can't make this up).

My style tip here is simple: wear this shirt as if it were white .

Wear it either in monochrome with pieces in lighter, neutral tones (ecru, taupe), or in contrast with bolder colors (coyote, navy blue, brown).

Another style idea: what if you tried wearing this shirt under a hoodie , for a chic sportswear feel?

I add one last element before releasing the pen: the chest pocket is cut and sewn so that the stripes are well aligned with the rest of the shirt. We call this “pattern matching” and it’s a detail appreciated by purists (like you who follow and read us).