The way we dress has changed immeasurably in the past two decades. Liberated from old sartorial expectations at work and social events, we have more freedom than ever in how we express ourselves through our clothes. But that creates its own challenges.
The casualization process has also somehow re-mystified certain pieces that once had a clear role and function in our wardrobes. Once a staple, it’s now a source of anxiety for guys who need to wear one but only on occasion. From collars and cuffs to fabrics and fits, questions about what to look out for—and ultimately bring into your own wardrobe—abound.
Never fear: We’re here to dig into what makes a good shirt, well, good. To do so, we decided to use an example from a brand that’s getting it right: 100Hands. In a clothing industry in which corners are cut but prices frequently aren’t, 100Hands is a bright spot that proves proper shirts can still be done the proper way.
Based in Amsterdam, 100Hands was set up 12 years ago to represent the polar opposite of mass production. The brand makes all its shirts in India, where the significant amount of handwork involved is carefully nurtured. Its name came from the fact that, at the time of its founding, 50 shirtmakers were involved in the making of a single shirt.
Now it has 450 full-time artisans. In November, 100Hands opens its first-ever retail space on London’s Savile Row to serve a growing band of customers fond of its no-nonsense approach. In the Americas, the brand is available at Bergdorf Goodman and the Armoury in New York, Harry Rosen in Canada, and Silver Deer in Mexico.
And, of course, you can buy it online. From a distance, most shirts look the same. So you can really recognize a good one only by trying it on and getting a feel for it.
Extract — continue reading at the source.
