The Oxford cloth button down (OCBD) was found–at least on these shores–in 1896 by Brooks Brothers, and since then it’s become basically the Platonic ideal of a mens’ sports shirt. John E. Brooks was in England when he saw polo players button down their collar points to keep them from flapping in their faces during the match, and thus was born, the cotton Oxford cloth staple of American style. A favorite of sockless Ivy Leaguers, business dudes power lunching, Harlem jazz cats, and, well, everybody, the OCBD is a can’t-miss shirt you can find in nearly any shop. And yet, getting the details right, the cut, the collar roll, the proportions—that’s hardly a sure thing. So we took our eyes off of JFK, Miles Davis, David Bowie, and all the guys who make this basic shirt anything but, and turned our attention to five brands doing Oxfords right.
How Do You Test An Oxford?
You wear the hell out of it. OCBDs look great rumpled, they look great pressed, they look great mowing the lawn and hauling things to the dump and picked up off the floor and worn again the next day and with a jacket and tie at a concert. So I did all these things. I was looking for how well the shirts took washing, how they transitioned from casually untucked to all gussied up, and which style of drying seemed to work best.
Brooks Brothers Made in the USA Oxford Button Down
Style: All hail the Oxford don. And with all due cap doffing to the Brothers Brooks for basically inventing the shirt, how does today’s BB OCBD actually hold up? This Made in the USA edition is Brooks through and through–traditional fit, shirring at the cuff, looks sharp, the kind of thing you’d wear on a job interview. If you’re trying to look put together, put on this shirt. Possibly with a tie and suit. I opted for the red and white stripe which seems on its face rather basic, but I love how the colored stripes actually reveal the basket weave of the Oxford cloth and add some visual interest to a shirt that so often is a blank canvas for a tie. Thanks to the sturdy construction, this one also looks great unbuttoned over a t-shirt.
Fit: With this shirt you get three fit options–traditional, regular, and slim. I went with regular, which best corresponds to Brooks’s Regent fit. Even still, the regular is still one of the more generously cut of the five Oxfords in the mix. If you yourself are generously cut, this shirt is for you. Or, if you’re feeling that slightly slouchy 90s vibe that dominates today, you’ll also love this one. I did find that when I button the collar points and leave the top button undone, the collar bows open instead of falling nicely with the signature collar roll so I found myself letting the collar points fly. Quite a few of the young dandies do the same thing in the name of sprezzatura.
Durability: Menswear message board rats know that there’s been a lot of pearl clutching about the Brooks OCBD. Some think it went downhill in the 1950s, others in the 80s. Some lament the loss of Brooks’s distinct collar roll. Presently, I see no reason to worry over the durability of this shirt. The fabric is sturdy stuff, and unlike much of the rest of Brooks’s shirting, this one is made in the USA. Fans of vintage Brooks, like current design honcho Michael Bastian, will find this shirt to best approximate the 80s OCBDs they loved. It may well last long enough to inspire fans 40 years hence.
J. Crew Broken-In Oxford Button Down
Style: J. Crew has had its ups and downs, but since Noah honcho Brendan Babenzien took over menswear in 2022, the brand’s is having a moment. Now, an Oxford shirt is such a menswear basic that you’re not going to be making any big statements unless you choose some outré pattern, but the general feel of this Oxford is very on-trend. Slightly roomy, evocative of Crew’s 90s heyday, and begging to be paired with a wider pair of chinos or a Faire Isle vest in electric colors.
Fit: The fit here is generous without being schlumpy. I opted for the XL and there’s a chance that the L would have made for a trimmer shirt. I’d say that if you’re usually between sizes, give a thought to going down. The collar is very soft and has the worst roll of any of the shirts I tested here. The more flaccid collar also means that it doesn’t frame a tie as well as you’d hope, so if you do wear a tie, try something with a little tooth like a silk knit.
Durability: Of the Oxfords tested here, this one has the thinnest fabric. Unsurprisingly, it’s also made overseas and the least expensive, so I think we’ve got a case of you get what you pay for. I don’t expect this one to last for ages and ages the way classic Brooks and J Press can, but for the price, the shirt feels fine.
Kamakura Vintage Ivy Collection Oxford Button Down
Style: It’s a menswear truism at this point—nobody does classic American better than the Japanese. In the case of Kamakura’s Vintage Ivy kit, a standing capsule collection within the broader Kamakura universe, the maxim holds. British artist, and author of Hollywood and the Ivy Look Graham Marsh is behind this collection of Oxfords and popovers, and his eye for the classic style is very strong. I’ve admired the whole set of Vintage Ivy shirts over the years, and at $120 you really can’t go wrong here. Quality to price-point, this is the hardest-working shirt in the consideration set. I’m especially fond of the green stripes.
Fit: This is a great middle of the road fit. Not as full as Brooks, but still accommodating of lots of body types. The sizing is numeric, so measure yourself before you buy. There is one somewhat strange element of the Kamakura fit, which is that the last button hits just above my navel, meaning that there is a high likelihood of the shirt flapping open when worn untucked. I nearly always tuck in my shirt, but if you’re going for a breezier style, expect more breeze on the belly than usual. I can only guess that this detail is observed in fidelity to some 1961 spec, but I always wish there were just one more button on the placket of the Kamakura Ivys.
Durability: Kamakura’s Ivy shirts have been workhorses in my wardrobe for ages, so I’ve seen firsthand how they age with loads of washing and wear. Basically, they hang very very tough, tougher still if you hang them dry. The first place they wear is at the collar, but if you’re a Take Ivy-toting tradboy, then you’re already living for that frayed collar lifestyle. Best of all, the rest of the shirt stays wonderfully intact even as the collar and cuffs begin their slow, stylish disintegration.
American Trench Slow Weave Oxford Button Down
Style: The American Trench Slow Weave comes in the standard Oxford colors–white, blue, pink, and a pale blue and white university stripe. I’d say that this shirt is more about construction than any real style innovation. It’s sturdy as all hell and fits nice, which is about as much as you’d ask from a classic OCBD. If you care a lot about ethical American manufacturing, which out to be perennially in style if you ask me, then you can’t do better.
Fit: This OCBD has perhaps the most generous fit of the five I tried, and if I were to order it again, I’d consider going down to a Large. That said, if you’re on the bubble between sizes and like it roomy, then stay where you are. I found the XL slightly large in the neck, which is fine if you wear it open, which I do most of the time, though it did create a small gap when worn with a tie. I probably noticed it more than anyone else did, but fit purists take note.
Durability: The Slow Weave has my favorite fabric of the lot. Made from Japanese dead stock, this is wonderfully thick Oxford cloth with plenty of tooth and a nice hand. The construction is equally strong, and after several washes and lots of wears, this one strikes me as most likely to make it for the long haul. American Trench prides itself on making everything in the USA to incredibly high standards and this shirt recasts what it means to be a basic. If all our basics were this well made, we’d call them specials.
J. Press Oxford Dress Shirt with Flap Pocket
Style: Though Brooks Brothers lays claim to have inventing the OCBD, J. Press certainly stands shoulder to shoulder with Brooks as a storied stalwart of Ivy League style. Founded in 1902 in New Haven, Connecticut, the J. Press has been making essential kit for Yalies and their Ivy-inspired cohort for over 100 years. So, as you might expect, the style is as classic as it comes. If J. Press has a hallmark, it’s the flap chest pocket. Depending on how formal you like your dress shirts, the flap may be an annoyance, but personally I love it. The OCBD is the perfect middle distance between formal and casual, and though the flap pushes the Press Oxford a tick in the direction of casual, it also signals to the trad dads where your shirt came from and its place in menswear history.
Fit: Considering its identity as a bastion of traditional menswear, I was concerned that the Press would fit like a bedsheet. To my delight, the body in particular fit well. It’s by no means a slim fit, so those looking for something sleek should look elsewhere (and no, J. Press’s trim fit silhouette ain’t it). But if you want shirt with classic proportions, I think you can’t do much better.
Durability: The J. Press fabric is on the sturdy side, so I have no worries that the Oxford cloth will fray or wear through too quickly. True Ivy heads know that at mid-century, the Princeton types actually wanted their collars frayed, showing how little they cared for their worn-in kits. I washed the shirt on cold in the washer and tried drying it a variety of ways–hang dry, dryer high heat, dryer low heat—and frankly every method was just fine, which is great because who wants an Oxford shirt they need to baby? If I’ve got one qualm it’s that the flap pocket probably ought to be ironed after laundering. It gets kind of crumpled in the wash, so if you’re a stickler for neat flaps, build pressing the Press into your regimen. If you’re down for a more rumpled look then all’s the better.
Frequently Asked Questions About Oxford Shirts
So, which oxford shirt is the best?
They’re all pretty good for a bunch of reasons. The J. Crew is a relative bargain, the American Trench is clearly best made. For the money, though, I’d say that either the J. Press or Kamakura Vintage Ivy shirts are the sweet spot. They’re made in the USA and Japan respectively, and they hit the mark of classic styling and durability.
Won’t I look like an old guy if I wear Oxfords all thew time?
No! Don’t underestimate how clean you’ll look in a white Oxford tucked into a pair of jeans. Prepare yourself to be asked if you’ve got a job interview today.
Why is it called oxford cloth? Did it go to college?
Actually, the 19th century Scottish textile mill that developed Oxford cloth also made Harvard, Yale, and Cambridge cloth as well. Alas, none of the others graduated.
What’s the collar roll thing?
An Oxford’s collar roll describes a subtle arch in the collar point when it’s buttoned down. This effect is achieved because the buttons are sewn on higher than where the point would fall naturally, giving the collar a gentle, architectural curve and a detail for menswear enthusiasts to slobber over for the last 100 years.