What is An Oxford Shirt | Oxford Shirt Collection By Paul Brown
What is an Oxford shirt ?
Our new blog describes one of our best selling shirts – the oxford shirt. It is important to recognise the different forms this shirt can take on as an Oxford shirt can refer to a specific cloth or style of shirt.
Cloth
The Oxford cloth is a basket weave cloth and is recognised for its luxurious feel , wonderful weight and draping capabilities. It is a very popular shirting fabric and is one of three popular weaves we offer, the other two being poplin and twill.
Style
There are shirts that are made using Oxford cloth and traditional Oxford shirts. The latter not only includes Oxford fabric but has several important design features such as:
Button down collar- originally invented for polo players to stop the collar waving around during play
Box pleat in the back – this is found between the back and yoke and offers extra movement in the shirt
Single button cuff
When to wear Oxford shirts
Oxford shirts are incredibly versatile and should be included in every men’s wardrobe. Popular colours include white, light blue and pink. Oxford shirts can be plain colours, checks and stripes. The shirts work well with jeans along with chinos and trousers for smarter occasions and work wear.
Oxford shirt outfits
As mentioned earlier there are two types of Oxford shirts. Those that use Oxford fabric and those that include key features like a button down collar and single button cuff. We have put together a mixture of outfits that include both types of shirts.
1. White Oxford Shirt with blue jeans
A classic stylish look that never looks dated. This is a classic white Oxford shirt with button down collar. We have added our signature detail inside the collar and cuffs for extra style. Wear with tapered or slim leg jeans.
2. Blue Oxford with beige chinos
A classic preppy outfit, our nicely styled blue oxford shirt is finished with a contrast navy paisley print from famous Italian shirting mill Canclini. Complete the outfit with our create your own beige chinos available in 200 different combinations to ensure the perfect fit every time.
3. Pink Oxford Shirt with moleskin trousers
Perfect for summer and holidays abroad, our pink oxford looks great with our tan moleskin trousers but would also look equally at home worn with our tailored chino shorts. Like our chinos, our chino shorts are made using 97% cotton with 3% elastane, making them really comfortable to wear.
4. Bucklesham Oxford Shirt
This shirt uses the same cloth as our white button-down shirt, but the styling is very different. Finished with contrasting grey buttons and buttonholes this shirt is perfect for a night out. We have styled the shirt with our red chinos and navy moleskin bomber jacket.
5. Dunwich Pink Oxford Shirt
One of our most popular shirts, the pink Dunwich is finished with the fun and quirky Liberty London “queue at the zoo” print used inside the collar and cuffs.
We offer Oxford shirts for ladies not Just for men
In addition to our men’s Oxford shirts we also offer ladies Oxford shirts. In this case it is the use of the cloth rather than all the traditional styling. In our case we have dropped the button down collar, but have kept the same front plaque and single button cuffs. Like the men’s oxford shirts we continue to incorporate our signature styling but using floral and paisley prints inside the collar and cuffs.
You will also find that our white and light blue oxford shirts incorporate 3% elastane. This is becoming increasingly popular among ladies blouses, as it allows the shirt to stretch just in the right places making them extra comfortable to wear and fits well..
Luxury Oxford shirts , hand-made in England
All our Oxford shirts are hand cut and made at our Suffolk factory in England. We use traditional British tailoring techniques including a split yoke for extra comfort around the shoulders coupled with single needle stitching throughout. Many of the seams are double stitched to ensure they will never fail.
We use only the finest materials in the production of our stylish shirts and >blouses. This starts with first class shirting fabrics from the finest European mills. We use a cotton based sewn- in interfacing to offer support to the collar and cuffs along with the finest threads and buttons to ensure a superior finish.
Washing instructions for Oxford shirt
We recommend a 30 degree wash and for best results hang the shirt straight from the washing machine. Never put in the tumble dryer and iron on medium heat on the inside of the shirt.
Other shirts and clothing
In addition to our men’s Oxford shirts, we also offer men’s double cuff shirts for those formal occasions that require a tie along with a linen shirt collection and short sleeve shirts. In addition to shirts we have our popular create your own trouser collection along with boxer shorts, waistcoats and our jacket and coat collection. Everything you see on our website is proudly designed and made to order in England.
Conclusion
An Oxford shirt today and take on many different forms and designs however they should also use Oxford cloth. That said not all Oxford fabrics are equal and if you want a great shirt, it starts with using fabrics woven by the very best shirting mills.
For our Oxford cloth we use Soktas in Turkey who are globally recognised as one of the finest shirt mills. Once you have good cloth then it comes down to personal preference and your own style. Some men prefer the classic design features such as button down collar, while others are content with the cloth and are looking for something different. There is no right or wrong answer.
Price and Value
Our classic garments are always made in the UK from fine fabrics and are built to love and to last. They do not go out of shape or come apart after several washes so you can wear them again and again. Contrast this to much cheaper high street versions that end up stuck in your wardrobe after being worn just once, never to see the light of day as they were ill fitting or didn't survive the laundry. You pay a price up front but value is only apparent with the passage of time. The adage of ‘don't buy cheap, buy smart ‘fits here and you will do your bit for the environment as well.
Sustainability and Size
I cannot leave this blog without mentioning sustainability. It means many different things to many different people. It is well known that the fast fashion industry does enormous harm to the environment, particularly oil based fabrics and single use garments. You should consider this fact every time you shop for clothing. Here at WISC we make classic garments that are built to last from natural fabrics to help minimise our impact. They are designed to be worn again and again without losing their shape or appearance. Multiple use also means that they become value for money. We also make most of our products to order so that unwanted stock is never a feature. Size is also a factor in sustainability. If clothes fit well they will be used a lot and the issue of returns for ill fitting garments becomes redundant. We stress this on our site and in addition to an extensive detailed size guide, we offer a special ‘design your own trouser’ section for this very reason. If you generally purchase off the peg chinos for example and try to make them fit, why not visit our website with your measurements and we will make you a pair. Going forward we continue to look at ways of improving our sustainability credentials further. You should also always consider recycling or donating any clothes you really don't want or need.
We Make a Wide range of Clothes
Here at WISC we make a selection of products for both men and women including trench coats and boxer shorts. All are made from the best material and manufactured to the same exacting standards and are made to order so as to reduce unwanted stock issues.. Our collections are on sale to view and buy online so why not pop onto our site and put something in your basket. You will be supporting British manufacture and of course they make great gifts tooFrequently asked Questions
Do you make your Oxford dress shirt for men in the UK?
Yes we design, cut and make all of our clothing, including our casual and formal shirts at our own premises in Suffolk, UK. It is not a quick process but ensures quality. It does mean that We are rarely able to offer a sale price and cannot offer next day delivery. However when you receive your garments we are sure you will feel that it has been worth the wait.
What is the Difference between an Oxford Dress Shirt and a Poplin dress shirt for men?
The difference is in the fabric. The two types of fabric, Oxford and Poplin, are woven differently. In addition, a traditional poplin dress shirt for men does not have a button down collar.
Do you Ship Worldwide?
Yes, we ship to 40 countries including the USA at favourable shipping rates. UK delivery is free
Do all your Oxford Shirts share the same collar?
No. We offer dress shirts striped and plain made from oxford fabric both with and without a classic button-down collar
What is an oxford shirt?
An oxford shirt is simply a dress shirt made from oxford fabric. However it is also associated with a with a button down collar
Why should I choose British Made Clothing?
Clothing made in Britain is generally made to high standards with workers being properly paid and looked after. Many imports are made by exploited workers in dangerous premises. Britain also has a long history of making fine garments
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