Tips: How to wear an Oxford shirt?

The origins of oxford fabric

The origins of the oxford fabric are quite vague and regularly contradict each other.

But a commonly accepted version has it that a Scottish weaver had the difficult task of producing textiles for the most prestigious universities in the world, including obviously Oxford. He therefore created this fabric with a base of white thread, while working with a subtle grain. Compared to poplin, its advantages were to be more breathable, more resistant, and easier to maintain.

It was also a completely formal shirt, only worn with a blazer and tie . Due to its use in a university environment, it was quickly established as an essential preppy style.

The fact of tucking it into the pants (or not) was already the source of debate at the time. Likewise, the design of the collars (lined or not, more or less long or flared) is still a source of some discussion between purists and historians of preppy clothing.

A twist on the oxford shirt and beige chino combo, a great classic of preppy style.

But when polo players began to appropriate this shirt (with a buttoned collar so that it stays in place even while galloping) in the 1930s for its more breathable properties than poplin (the cotton voile is airy but too fragile for sports use), the Oxford shirt acquired a new casual connotation (because I remind you, this shirt was above all formal).

And that's how for the time (the 30's), the Oxford became synonymous with " chic sportswear ". All this heritage helped shape the Oxford shirt as the symbol of elegant, relaxed, studious and sporty youth. This is where this perfect compromise between formal and relaxed that we know today comes from.

Now let's see the possibilities of such clothing...

Wearing an Oxford shirt with a suit: easy

Since the Oxford shirt was originally a very formal garment, it is entirely rational to want to wear it with a suit.

Its interest is to break the possible stuffy and sanitized side of an overly formal outfit. The subtly grained appearance of the oxford works best with textured wool fabrics such as flannel or basketweave.

Nicolas deliberately wears the jacket open (and no tie) so that you can clearly see how easily an Oxford shirt in light blue tones fits into a rigorous outfit.

The fact that the collar is not buttoned adds a little structure to the whole. Nicolas is dressed in a Samson suit, shoes and a BGH-01 shirt.

However, in certain very strict professional environments (high levels of banking or finance), the Oxford may be considered to be too casual a material.

In this case, make sure the rest of your outfit is impeccable : pretty tie, and impeccably cut suit.

Wear the Oxford shirt with a tuxedo jacket: why not

It's a counterintuitive combination, but one that can work if you're prepared to have an outfit that's necessarily more dressy than casual (at the same time, with a tuxedo jacket, it's hard to try to make a totally relaxed outfit. !).

On the other hand, the buttoned collar of most Oxford shirts does not lend itself well to a piece as formal as a jacket with satin lapels ... This leads to another difficulty: finding a tuxedo jacket that does not look too precious ...or too formal!

And we must agree to alienate the purists who will cry scandal over a tuxedo jacket worn mismatched, and which does not have a sharp notch or a shawl collar.

For my part, I love this smoking jacket from the Eclectic brand (I have the blue copy, although the brand's website only indicates a black version), with the Neapolitan shoulder, which can be easily pair with the casualness of an oxford shirt:

The jacket is made of Cordura, which is a water-repellent fabric, breathable but above all, extremely resistant to abrasion. Without knowing it, Éclectic invented the ultimate evening jacket: it's classy, ​​doesn't fear drink stains, or gets stuck on a wall or furniture. Its microfiber lining makes it breathable for your best dance moves. In addition, its interfacing and its natural shoulder give it a very pleasant flexibility for raising your arms in the air when your favorite song is playing in the evening. This jacket should be on the shoulders of the greatest DJs on the planet! I'm also wearing BGFT-01 jeans and a prototype Husbands ankle boot (the final version keeps the same shape, but different leather).

We clearly see here the important role of a collar that fits well, because it gives presence, even on a seemingly casual material like Oxford. The photo shows it very little, but the fabric of the jacket has a very particular texture, which goes well with the Japanese oxford of the shirt. Finally, the sleeves of the jacket are particularly fitted, which refines the overall line.

Wearing an Oxford shirt with a tie: nothing complicated

Wearing a tie with an oxford shirt is surely one of the best smart/casual combinations you can do, in addition to quietly venturing towards a preppy style. In this case, choose knitted ties , or those with rougher textures than a shiny silk tie which would be unsuitable here.

Florian, from the team, is a fan of relaxed elegance: he therefore uses a lot of seemingly formal pieces, but with more relaxed materials, such as "casual suits" from Gant Rugger or wool ties.

Relying on very neutral shades of shirts such as white or light blue allows you to wear any color in your tie (on the other hand, there is obviously a bit of taste to be had in matching your tie and your jacket).

The Florian style: the inseparable tie + shirt set, but brightened up with colorful accessories: multiple bracelets of unknown origins and a red belt...

...not to mention her fancy shoes!

With a cotton blazer, a knitted tie , and a pocket square , an Oxford shirt fits perfectly.

Wearing a street-style Oxford shirt: it’s possible!

Kevin, a great trend spotter ( Le Renardeau , that's him) does exactly the opposite of me. While I like coats with narrow shoulders, he deliberately wears an over-shouldered coat. And while I ban black from the men's wardrobe, he wears it every day, etc.

So I was curious to see how he was going to make this shirt his own. And as usual, he put together an outfit that was the opposite of what I expected : with black, and even a little yellow.

I believe that Kevin is ready to conquer the world.

He often plays on gimmicks such as original buttons on his clothes.

Tie a sweater around the waist to add color, I wouldn't think about it, I won't do it spontaneously, but I find the look very nice on Kévin.

Wearing an Oxford shirt with chinos: it couldn't be simpler

This is surely the simplest and most intuitive combination of clothing with an oxford shirt , because the chino is exactly in the same preppy vein as the oxford (you're starting to know that!). These are very versatile pieces.

With an Oxford shirt, which is a neutral base, you can wear almost anything underneath : blue or beige chinos obviously, but don't hesitate to be tempted by brighter colors like coral or brick red.

Within the team, I stopped fighting against the length of pants... Jokes aside, a shirt tucked into the pants, sleeves rolled up, gives a more mature look. Richelieu shoes weathered by time (and evenings) contribute to this relaxed side. Tom specifies that it is Grenson and that he is very happy with the quality, despite all the abuse he inflicts on them and which I condemn to the highest degree (no shoe trees, maintenance every 31 of the month, evening, etc.). And I was very surprised to see how well these shoes withstood this mistreatment.

Sleeves rolled up to mid-forearm: it's a little more daring, but why not.

With a fairly fitted designer chino (here a Marchand Drapier), low sneakers (Lanvin made of basket weave leather), a little extra sleep and a few accessories (Catherine Michiels and Atamé), we have a very easy summer outfit to wear. wear, because it is based on beige and blue.

Here's a variation of the same outfit, but with a shirt tucked into the pants. The outfit gains structure. The belt is a When I Was 17 Camel color which has acquired a patina over time.

With an Oxford shirt and beige chinos, brightly colored running shoes fit perfectly (Carhartt chinos and New Balance running shoes), like here with Alexandre (aka the white Kanye West).

Luca sans S claims that when the shirt is out of the pants, you can fly.

Not forgetting our own shirts...

If you're looking for shirts cut from fabrics that tell a story, then we'll get along just fine...

Because we went to find traditional chambrays in Japan, flannel in the Vosges, Oxford in Alsace, and seersucker in Italy. Smooth and sad fabrics like rain, no thank you.