The Oxford Shirt Is a Versatile Essential

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This classic cotton button-down can be worn a million ways.

Every man should own a button-down oxford shirt. It's a staple of menswear notable for its versatility: It can be dressed up or down, it fits with a variety of wardrobes and it complements a range of body types. And while men's publications proselytize investing in quality, and countless brands offer "definitive" designs of the oxford, the components of a well-made shirt are, at best, vague.

According to designer Todd Shelton, "the only absolute detail for an oxford shirt is a button-down collar. The length of the collar point is possibly the most important detail and a big decision for a brand." He says the differences between brands can be minute, but they mean a lot — especially to the trained eye.

"Every shirtmaker uses the same basic construction techniques. The difference between makers is how disciplined and artful they are in applying those techniques," he says. "The single greatest variable between brands, and the ultimate contributor to quality, is the shirt pattern — it's their blueprint for shirt construction. A pattern makes up all the shirts’ components and how those components sew together. The pattern wholly controls how well a shirt will fit. If the fit is not right, the best fabrics and the smartest details are meaningless. Fit is king."

You probably can't ask J.Crew where the brand made its own oxford or to see its (possibly patented) shirt patterns, but that's why, if you can afford them, you should pick one from a smaller brand with a transparent, trusted history.

Shelton says yes, the fit is important, but oxford shirts live and die by their yarn quality. Low-end yarn means a plain, lackluster shirt. However, though, a well-fitting shirt can hold its own against those crafted from superior cotton.

"Oxford is such a basic fabric that a fundamental, like yarn quality, is a key ingredient. Oxford is a heavy fabric, which requires a thicker yarn when weaving. A thicker yarn can be created two ways: from one single heavy-gauge yarn, or by twisting two or more finer yarns together. Oxford cloth made from multiple finer, twisted yarns will be softer and richer. It makes a big difference," he says. "My experience has been, you get what you pay for when it comes to fabrics, especially oxford."

Gitman Vintage owner Chris Olberding says while one could save on an oxford from a bigger, cheaper brand, you really do get what you pay for (like Shelton said). Picking a slightly pricier shirt means you'll own the shirt longer, even if you wear it every single day.

"Many inferior makers offer a good-fitting shirt," Oldberding says, "some even with a decent collar roll. But show me one that lasts more than six months of continuous wear and came through the American laundering process. You’d be hard pressed to find it."

Gitman Vintage's 100 percent cotton Oxford Shirts are made in the US by third and fourth generation sewers. They follow traditions established by Max Gitman way back in 1932, but carried on by Chris Olberding. "Making a [Gitman Vintage] shirt involves about 75 minutes, 50 steps and about 25 separate pieces that are divided into three main sections of the factory floor, starting with cutting, moving into finishing and ending with inspection," he says.

It's hard to call Todd Shelton's shirt an upgrade on Gitman Vintage's, but it is more expensive. To be honest, it's the little details that drive the cost up, plus the quality of the yarn itself. "I found a horn button years ago made in Italy. It was in line with our brand aesthetic. But horn buttons are harvested from bulls, and I didn't think that was necessary. Instead, we have a company in Iowa make our version to look like horn," Shelton says.

Plus, there's a degree of customization that comes with ordering one of these.You pick your size, collar, fit and pocket.

While J.Crew sells excellent oxfords from others (like Gitman Vintage), the brand also makes its own. You can pick from five colors, three fits and six sizes. Unlike Gitman's, though, these are made elsewhere and imported, albeit from organic cotton.

"I wish men could get to a place where they’d embrace a shirt that has a bit of a rumple — and didn't feel the necessity of eliminating wrinkles or commercial pressing," Shelton says. "It would save them lots of time, money, and chemicals. In my opinion, an industrially cleaned and pressed shirt is dated. Great fabrics, with a slight rumple, on a clean-groomed man is natural and cool — even in a professional setting."

When it comes time to clean it — say it has a slight... stench — Shelton says it's OK to wash it on cold and then let it hang dry.

"A light ironing at home is great if the occasion calls for it, and you have the time and patience," he adds.

This option from Brooks Brothers is the OG — a category definer if there ever was one. Invented all the way back in 1900, this classic is colloquially called the OCBD (oxford cloth button down). It's changed a little over the years (purists will point out), but the core components remain: the collar roll, relaxed fit and 6 pleat cuffs.

This iteration from Wythe New York is inspired by a few vintage finds — specifically those from the 60s. It has a Western twang, with its oversized, pointed collar and its relaxed yet flattering fit. Plus, Wythe pre-washed these so they arrive super soft as if you'd already been wearing it for years.

I'm not necessarily condoning stretchy dress shirts by including L.L. Bean's Comfort Stretch Oxford, but I'm not admonishing you for being interested either. This option is soft, flexible and fairly plain — but in a good way. Plus, the brand's innovative TrueCool fabric wicks moisture and keeps sweat from soiling it.

"My experience has been, you get what you pay for when it comes to fabrics, especially oxford, and the best oxford is coming out of Europe," Shelton says. And that's exactly where Drake's Cotton Oxford Cloth Button-Down comes from. It's cut from 100 percent and handmade in Somerset, England. The fit is flattering — not too big, not too tight — and the shirt's finished with mother of pearl buttons.