What is the most versatile shirt you can own? A strong case could be made for the light washed denim shirt. In the past year I’ve personally found myself reaching for denim shirts as my go to for most occasions. On top of that almost every clothing company sells some sort of denim shirt, so they’re easy to find.
Going with a lightwash denim is great because it pairs equally well with chino’s and even darker jeans, while helping you avoid the dreaded Canadian tuxedo. The denim on denim look really can look great and if you don’t believe it take a look at Marvin Gaye’s most sensual album Let’s Get It On.
Marvin Gaye’s look on the cover of Let’s Get It On is ideal weekend wear. Every time I see this album I’m struck by the joy and the simplicity of his look and just how sexy he makes a denim shirt look. Denim also pairs exceptionally well with herringbone, tweed and glen plaid fabrics. Ralph Lauren has mastered this look, even going so far as to match the color of the buttons to the color of his blazer.
GQ recently put together a list in their ongoing series of “Best Stuff”, with the lowest price shirt being $70. Instead I’m laying four shirts that I love, two expensive (but well worth it) and two incredibly reasonable. Any one of these will up your style game.
Target - Target’s newish line Goodfellow is pretty interesting. The thing I’ve been most impressed by with their new menswear is their denim. Their selvage jeans are really incredible for the price and this denim shirt is way better than it should be. I saw a friend wearing this shirt and ended up buying it for myself the next day. While it feels stiff at first, it softens up nicely the longer you wear it.
Wrangler - I don’t really recommend Wrangler for anything, except this shirt. The stonewash denim shirt has a few things going for it. First it’s longer than the other shirts on this list, which makes it easier to tuck when you’re wearing a blazer. Second, even though it’s “stonewashed” it’s actually a more uniform color than other shirts on this list. Third, it’s a suprsingly soft cotton that feels nice on the skin. The hem of the shirt is unfinished, and the stitching is certainly not uniform, but that kind of adds to it’s charm.
Billy Reid - A jump in price, but well worth it. The golden buttons on this shirt are more dynamic than a typical denim shirt but subtle enough that they won’t take away from whatever else you’re wearing. On top of that this is the only one on the list that has a plain shoulder area, which moves it out of the western arena.
Barbanera - I have a corduroy version of this and judging by the quality of that shirt, this will be amazing. A true slim fit, I would suggest sizing up. I have a feeling that this is the kind of denim shirt that you’ll want to wear everyday while simultaneously keeping it in an air tight container because it’s that perfect.
Now go buy a denim shirt and then listen the the suburb Let’s Get It On.