Welcome to Skimp, Spend, Splurge, a series that looks at a given style in menswear (dress shirts, black dress shoes, dive watches, navy blazers, etc…) and examines three different options at ascending price points. If you’ve got a suggestion for Skimp Spend Splurge, send those in to joe@dappered.com
NOTE: The untucked shots below are for fit/side sculpting illustrative purposes only. A lot of us like to know how boxy a shirt may (or may not) be before we buy it and wear it tucked in. These are true dress shirts, so you’re not going to want to wear them untucked.
For $33? Pretty, pretty good. It’s basic, but it’s executed well. Fabric is a blend: 60% Cotton, 36% Recycled Polyester, 4% Spandex. There’s some stretch to the fabric, but the use of the word “performance” seems like an exaggeration here. It’s not a super stretchy, wicking Rhone Commuter or anything like that. Far from it. Yet many “tech” button up shirts look unfortunately casual, (which the OG Rhone Commuter falls victim to,) whereas this Goodfellow dress shirt looks and wears like a classic, classy, sharp dress shirt. Sold in ballpark “alpha” sizing (S/M/L/etc.) Not the more precise neck and sleeve measurements you’ll find on other dress shirts. But that’s not unexpected. This is Target, not some old-school tailor on Savile Row.
One of the best shaped collars you’ll find in the mid-level “spend” price tier. It’s crisp, has good length to the points, and looks great with or without a tie. Fabric is a nice and smooth feeling, 100% cotton. But while it’s smooth feeling, it’s anything but smooth looking right out of the washer and dryer. These things REALLY wrinkle. So you better know how to wield an iron. But a lot of guys abhor the feeling or chemistry that goes into a lot of non-iron shirts. Some non-iron finishes are much better than others, but if you’re looking to go old-school, then the 100% cotton poplin BR uses isn’t a bad choice. They’re a bit pricey for what you get at full price ($90), but when they’re 30% or 40% off, they’re a solid deal. Really wish they were sold in neck and sleeve sizes though. The not-as-precise alpha sizing (S/M/L/, etc…) won’t feel like the best fit to all.
As good as it gets. Ledbury’s Made To Order (MTO) program allows you to pick from four different fit templates, neck and sleeve sizing that provides sleeve length options down to the half inch, and you get to pick one of six(!) collar styles. The hidden button down collar is shown above, but for those who want versatility, go with their mid-spread-dress option. The Ledbury Mid Spread collar is known as one of if not the best in the business. Looks great dressed up with a tie, but also excels when worn without a tie thanks to the combination of good structure and their famously slightly lowered second button. That second button, being positioned just a touch lower than almost all other dress shirts, means you end up with that perfect amount of distance of “un-buttoned-ness” when you undo the top button. You’re neither too restricted looking, nor are you looking too cheesy/chesty. Can’t say that about other dress shirts, which often leave the wearer feeling stuck between undoing one button, or undoing two and risking looking like a slimy cheese-ball.
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