The Big Comparison #3: Testing Café Coton shirts, TM Lewin, Charles Tyrwhitt

Advice: How to choose and wear a patterned, checked or striped suit? Reading The Big Comparison #3: Testing Café Coton shirts, TM Lewin, Charles Tyrwhitt Next Our Alberto raw selvedge jeans

For episode #3 of the Big comparison of shirts under 90 euros , we have grouped three brands into a somewhat special category: that of very attractive promotional strategies , with big discounts up for grabs.

Decreasing prices for group purchases, 50% off sales from the start of the season... Is this necessarily a sign of a good deal?

Let's see it together!

Charles Tyrwhitt - Blue Herringbone Cotton-Wool Shirt

A shirt priced at €49.90 - rising to €61.85 after the sleeve length adjustment option - positioned among the least expensive in our comparison.

The differentiating point about the prices of this brand? The shirts are at a decreasing price when you buy several.

The basis: the material

A light blue twill herringbone, woven with blue and white threads, with a very irregular weave that creates a “snow” effect in the fabric.

Herringbone whose irregularity creates an interesting "snowy" texture

Its particularity is to be composed of 90% cotton and 10% wool , which contributes to the mottled effect mentioned above. The material is a little warmer and has a particular touch.

It is very convincing as is, but I am a little worried about the maintenance of this shirt and the first washes: on a shirt with 10% wool, there is no guarantee as to stability or pilling.

Cutting and sizing side

The neckband is clearly wide in proportion to the rest , which will be annoying for the majority of you, but which can turn out to be a saving solution for that small minority who always have trouble closing the top button.

A well-fitted cut (but wide, for a slim-fit). The neckline is very generous though.

Other than that, I find that the sleeve alteration (offered for a small additional charge) was well executed.

In terms of fit, we feel that the brand has a somewhat old-fashioned vision of cuts , since this “extra slim fit” is more like the idea we would have of a classic “slim fit”.

What about the manufacturing, finishing and details?

A Chinese confection that struggles a little to convince...

Collar and cuffs

  • Hold: A cardboardy and excessive hold on the collar stand, while the collar itself is completely flexible. We end up with a most strange and unsightly effect, especially when the shirt is worn with the first buttons open.
  • Symmetry of the collar and cuffs: imperfect on the collar, which is even more annoying when it has long points as is the case for this one...
  • Trimming of cuffs, collar and collar stand: very good, close to the seams and regular.

Some issues with this collar when worn open...

The collar cut is asymmetrical. It's still annoying, and it's noticeable on the worn rendering...

Fineness of the confection

  • Sticking out threads: quite a few.
  • Seams: 6 stitches per centimeter, which is quite respectable for this price range.
  • Armhole alignment: all good.
  • Shirt hem: medium. Thin, but quite irregular.
  • Buttonholes: not great. Average density and relief, but a visible lack of cleanliness and threads sticking out on each of them!

Details

  • Buttons: imitation mother-of-pearl plastic, without reinforcement tail.
  • Reinforcement swallows: triangular in shape. Correct execution, nothing more.
  • Throat: simple.

Style and appearance

The material has a beautiful appearance, and this more irregular cotton-wool blend succeeds in making the herringbone, although originally very formal, more casual.

The collar is a button-down that I would call dressy or classic. The length of the collar point is closer to that of a formal shirt, which is a pretty strong bias that propels the shirt directly into the very particular (but charming!) niche of “casual tailoring”, which is considered the “relaxed” dimension of more dressy styles.

There is, however, one major drawback to this stylistic choice: the collar, which flattens too much on the torso when worn open . This really spoils some casual outfits that could have been achieved.

How to wear it?

This is a shirt that would go very well with your "gentleman farmer" tweed jackets or your Italian-casual jersey blazers.

Reinforce its texture by juxtaposing it with other winter materials , like below with donegal pants and a cashmere tie. A pair of slightly country shoes, like the grained leather boots I'm wearing here, will be completely in the spirit.

And the overall length of the shirt of course means it can be worn tucked into pants.

(Donegal trousers BonneGueule (Retail Line), BonneGueule tie , Orban's boots, Post & Co. belt)

Brand and customer experience

The choice of this brand is very wide, with a strong preference for a classic and formal style, British and very stiff.

Be careful, English sizes and their measurement method (especially on the sleeve length which starts at the middle of the back) could confuse more than one. Get help from customer service! The shipment went smoothly.

The promotions are still impressive: between the decreasing prices when you buy several shirts, and the fact that the brand has sales on top of that, there is really enough to help those with smaller budgets get a good quantity of formal shirts. However, given the quality of this Chinese confection, I wouldn't say that it's the deal of the century either.

Finally, I regret the brand's "communication game" around English traditionalism, the mention of Jermyn Street and this whole "gentleman" universe, which often misleads consumers.

The brand manufactures in China, which wouldn't be a problem in itself if it didn't play a little on this ambiguity, and if this information was easy to find: it's not written anywhere on the site... Not even on the various labels of the shirt! I had to do some research on forums to learn it.

TM Lewin - Blue Twill Dress Shirt

A shirt priced at £34.95, which comes to a total of £42.95 after the sleeve length adjustment option. That works out at €49 at the current conversion rate, making it the cheapest shirt in our entire comparison.

Prices are not automatically converted to Euros on the shop. They seem to be much more advantageous when you order directly from the UK version of the site, than when you go to the “Europe” shop where prices are rounded up.

Much like Charles Tyrwhitt, this brand is known for its discounts on buying multiple shirts at once.

The basis: the material

A light blue twill, woven with blue and white threads, very bright, dense and regular.

The hand feels soft and pleasant.

A thick, bright, classic and formal blue twill.

However, this type of thick material should be avoided in hot weather.

It is double twisted and therefore benefits from a nice nervousness which, combined with the natural thickness of the fabric, guarantees minimal creasing .

Cutting and sizing side

From a purely “sizing” point of view, it’s a normal 38: the shoulders correspond rather well to the neck circumference.

On the other hand, in terms of cut, it is surely one of the widest “slim fits” that I have been able to pass : chest, sleeves, stomach, there is really room everywhere.

For me it's more of a straight cut than anything else.

A cut more intended for men with a certain plumpness.

Most guys (yes, including those who aren't exactly "slim") will probably opt for an extra-slim fit at home, to get a minimally tailored fit.

What about the manufacturing, finishing and details?

A Vietnamese confection that does a decent job, considering the price.

Collar and cuffs

  • Hold: a good balance between flexibility and rigidity, the collar holds without being cardboardy.
    However, he suffers from the famous “detachable cervix syndrome”.
  • Symmetry of the collar and cuffs: nothing to report!
  • Trimming of cuffs, collar and collar stand: very good, close to the seams and regular.

Fineness of the confection

  • Protruding threads: few.
  • Seams: 6 stitches per centimeter It's very honest for the price.
  • Armhole alignment: all good.
  • Shirt hem: medium. Thin, but quite irregular.
  • Buttonholes: not bad! Not much relief, but very clean.

It's not a drama but this hem of the bottom of the shirt could be improved.

Details

  • Buttons: thick plastic, imitation mother-of-pearl. No reinforcement tail and sewn parallel. Nothing special, then.
  • Reinforcement swallows: rounded in shape. Well made.
  • Patterns aligned with each other: correct.
  • Throat: simple, lined with a thin iron-on for support. Useful for giving more support to a formal shirt, which will be subject to twisting and rubbing in the trousers.

The triple gathers on the wrist. A beautiful detail very "old-fashioned tailoring", but combined with a cut that is too wide, it is not the most flattering for the silhouette of the wearer...

Style and appearance

Very wide cuffs with double row of buttons, triple gathers (sleeve pleats) on the wrist, American placket... No doubt, we are on a pure and hard formal/business style.

The satin aspect of this type of twill reserves it only for wearing with a suit. When we add its substantial length and its very classic collar, we quickly deduce that this shirt will be wearable without pants, and even to be avoided with a blazer.

Frankly, it's a little too dated and stuffy for my tastes, and the cut really doesn't help.

The collar is a very common wide Italian collar. It suffers, as I was telling you, from a common pathology on this type of dress collar: the “collar that comes off” syndrome and which completely crushes on the sides when it is not completely closed, making the shirt completely unwearable with the first buttons open.

How to wear it?

Think of this shirt as a business shirt to wear only with a tie and a suit.

Expect this cut to look rather odd on you unless you are very overweight or past a certain age.

( BonneGueule flannel pants , BonneGueule tie , British Shoes shoes)

Brand and customer experience

The range of choice offered by brand is very wide, but outside of formal or business style, I find that most of the more casual options are not very appealing . They often fall into what is called “the dad shirt”, in the cliché and pejorative sense of the term.

This involves a selection that conforms to a somewhat "dated" vision, as if thoughtful and well-made clothes were intended for work. "Casual" would mean, roughly, small checks and stripes in colors that don't harmonize well with each other, and improbable cuts.

Please note, just like at Charles Tyrwhitt, English sizes and how they are measured (especially on the sleeve length which starts at the middle of the back) can be confusing. Don't hesitate to ask customer service for help!

Nothing to report about the expedition which went well!

Very good promotions that can make the prices drop very low if you combine the sales with orders for several shirts at the same time!

Same problem as at Charles Tyrwhitt: a certain “communication game” of the brand around “British tailoring”, Jermyn Street and traditional methods, without writing anywhere on the site that the shirts are made in Vietnam. Again , this is not a problem in itself, but we must not mislead the consumer.

Well, at least it's visible on the label when you receive the shirt...

Café Coton (“Selection” Line) - Blue herringbone business shirt

This shirt and its line are a special case in this test.

I included this line which is intended to be more “high-end” because you asked me for it a lot, especially because its starting price of 130 euros is automatically reduced by 50% each season.

So that makes it a safe purchase at 65 euros. Is it a real bargain?

The basis: the material

A bright - even slightly shiny - light blue chevron made of sky blue threads. The weave is tight and the thickness, medium.

It is therefore a shirt intended more for winter or mid-season.

Blue chevrons that catch the light well.

It has a “nervous” hand (due to the “double twisted” thread): to the touch, you can feel that the shirt tends to regain its shape more easily when you exert pressure on it . It will therefore crease a little less quickly, especially since the fabric is “consistent”.

Cutting and sizing side

This fitted cut suits me quite well.

It's a 38 with no surprises in terms of sizing: fitted just right for me in the chest; slightly fitted in the stomach without overdoing it; very "standard" for the type of body shape targeted.

A very consistent fit, despite some discomfort in movement at the armhole.

Obviously, we are on a real formal shirt length, designed to be worn tucked into pants.

That said, the shirt really lacks ease at the arms . You feel tense at the slightest movement: the fault is that the armhole is too low.

It's a shame, the small excess of fabric present at the back of the shoulders - well measured however - could have allowed for better ease with a higher armhole... and this, without compromising the fit.

What about the manufacturing, finishing and details?

Some good points, but given the starting price indicated, this Turkish confection is very disappointing. On sale, it takes a price already more proportional to its quality.

Collar and cuffs

  • Hold: the iron-on is well chosen, finding the right balance between flexibility and rigidity without being too cardboardy. It hardly “cracks”. However, this collar struggles not to “fly away” on the sides when worn open, which makes the shirt almost unwearable open without a tie. A real negative point, therefore.
  • Collar and cuff symmetry: Imperfect on the collar. When folded in half on itself, it cannot align. This kind of asymmetry is problematic because it affects the overall harmony of the shirt in an imperceptible but present way, especially on an area as central as the collar.
  • Trimming the cuffs, collar and collar stand: fairly close to the edge but you can still pinch the excess on the cuffs.

Fineness of the confection

  • Too many loose threads . The workmanship is not very clean. Needs improvement, especially on the swallows and the hem of the bottom of the shirt.
  • Seams: on the cuffs, there are indeed 8 stitches per centimeter as announced on the site, which is rare enough to be mentioned.... However, it seems that this is not the case on the entire shirt, and that we are rather at 6 or 7 depending on the places. Quite disappointing.
  • Armhole alignment: all good.
  • Shirt bottom hem: not good. Uneven, with huge threads sticking out. This is not normal for a shirt that costs 130 euros, excluding sales.
  • Buttonholes: Beautiful, well-raised, dense and clean buttonholes. A good point for this shirt.

Details

  • Buttons: fine mother-of-pearl, cross-stitched. No reinforcement tail. The mother-of-pearl is a nice bonus.
  • Reinforcement swallows: not very neat. It's really not well sewn.

This is not the prettiest reinforcement swallow I have seen this year...

  • Patterns aligned with each other: no, which can be a problem on such an imposing herringbone pattern.
  • Throat: American. The stitching is not straight everywhere, and the effect is reinforced by the misalignment of the chevrons. The combination of the two really gives the impression that the entire throat is undulating everywhere. This jumped out at me as soon as I opened the shirt.

It's wavy a little weirdly, don't you think?

Style and appearance

The main interest of this material really lies in its slightly shiny, but natural appearance .

This characteristic, which is also found on certain slightly thick shirt twills, makes it very “precious” and therefore reserves it for very formal outfits.

But for a shirt that is meant to be so formal, the details are a bit heavy for my taste and the whole thing lacks “purity” : the American placket, combined with the chevrons and, above all, the double row of buttons on the cuffs, give it a side that is too busy and cramped. It is even slightly old-fashioned in my opinion.

This is a model that will probably appeal more to fans of somewhat strict British tailoring.

As for the Italian collar, even if it is a “standard” choice, I regret above all that it was poorly worked: we have a case of a “collar that comes off” quite visible...

How to wear it?

Dress shoes, tie, and suit or mismatched suit! You can't avoid it, this shirt is made for that and nothing else!

( BonneGueule flannel pants , British Shoes oxfords, BonneGueule tie )

Brand and customer experience

No complaints about the delivery and the site, the necessary is done. On the other hand, we have here a good example of the kind of promotional strategies that we do not endorse at all.

The starting price is way too high for the product you are buying, and the 50% off that comes back at the start of each sales period , regardless of stock, makes you believe it is a super promo... when in fact the shirt simply falls to a more “normal” price considering its quality.

Regrettable.

In short...

A quick summary of the strong points and those to improve on these three shirts!

The Charles Tyrwhitt Herringbone Cotton-Wool Shirt

Highlights

  • A material that stands out from the crowd.
  • An interesting stylistic bias.
  • A very affordable price, especially when taking advantage of promotions.
  • The ability to adjust the sleeve length.

Areas for improvement

  • A neck size that is inconsistent with the sizing (but this will be a good point for the few men who always have trouble closing the top button ).
  • A confection that leaves a little to be desired.
  • The collar that sits strangely.
  • The brand's “ British tradition” communication game, which is quite far from the reality of the product.

The TM Lewin blue twill shirt

Highlights

  • A good material.
  • A very affordable price, especially when taking advantage of promotions.
  • The ability to adjust the sleeve length.
  • A decent level of finish for the price.

Areas for improvement

  • The “collar that takes off” and collapses on the sides when worn open.
  • The “British craft tradition” marketing is a bit overrated, though.
  • Different prices on the “Europe” version of the site and the British version. There is surely a legal and commercial explanation behind all this, but from the consumer’s point of view, it is not very pleasant to see.
  • The style is a bit old-fashioned.
  • The haircut that took me from 23 to 43, in one photo!

The blue Café Coton herringbone shirt

Highlights

  • A beautiful material for a formal shirt.
  • Pretty buttonholes.
  • Mother-of-pearl buttons.

Areas for improvement

  • The collar that flies away.
  • The confection leaves something to be desired.
  • The alignment of the patterns which is absent, rather annoying on this type of material.
  • Ease of movement.
  • The brand's pricing strategy.

That's it for this third episode! The fourth and final part will be released next Sunday.

In the meantime, feel free to reread the first and second episodes of this comparison.

And as usual, feel free to ask your questions and share your feedback in the comments. We will be happy to answer you!

Nicolò Minchillo, in expert mode

My name is Nicolò. I am a Copywriter and have been at BonneGueule since 2015. I obviously write articles and create videos on our YouTube channel, such as "Sapristi" or "Sape m'en Cinq". All this with a certain love for debate, which I will never lose. Alongside that, I lend a hand to the product department so that we can develop inspired clothing in great materials.

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