For the very fact that it has a much wider sartorial range than anyone could’ve ever imagined, the humble striped button-up shirt is one of the most effective moves in menswear at present. Because when you stop and think about it parenthetically, there’s really no look a button-up can’t serve, whether you happen to be channeling a ‘90s sitcom heartthrob, ‘80s skate punk, or neo-prep Ivy Leaguer.
Of course, finding the right button-up is easier said than done. Historically, the hard thing about shopping for a striped shirt is that it’s always been too easy to buy the wrong one. Because they can also be conservative. They can radiate “amped-up finance guy,” or worse, “aspirational Gordon Gekko.” Many striped shirt purveyors have long catered to this group, crowding the field and making it harder to find quieter, more laid-back options.
But recently, there’s been something of a shift. Simply put: We’re not sure so many good striped shirts have ever been available at the same time. When we say good, here’s what we mean: Designers have taken the stuffy striped shirt and freaked it, messing with silhouettes, collar size, drape, stripe widths, and color palettes. There is now a sea of deeply considered shirts in all manner of dusty, muted, brown and purple-y tones, that look as good tucked in or worn free, and are also a touch oversized, granting the wearer ultimate ease of movement (and making sure they’ll never be confused for a guy on his Summer Fridays lunch break). They’re a breeze to wear, and a compliments-magnet. As a bonus, the more hardy, structured ones are basically light jackets.
A great striped button-up also invites you to make plenty of discerning choices. Go full ‘90s red carpet with one open over a black T-shirt, burnished black loafers and some slouchy dress pants. Make good with the Copenhagen crowd by wearing one with Mfpen’s crispy travel pants. Or scratch that—take it the direction of an old J.Crew catalog alongside your bluest denim and sandiest Converse. You can always throw one over a ratty vintage tee and some solid mesh basketball shorts for a healthy dose of high and low. The point is, you can take the right striped shirt in pretty much any direction you want to.
The choice is yours, but to help you make it, here are nine undeniably evolved striped button-ups (read: no button-down collars here) that we’d happily wear as the mercury starts to fall.
