How the Oxford shirt became a signifier of cool

You’d probably think, as it’s one of the best-known items of clothing in the menswear book, that the Oxford shirt would have some glittering origin story. Alas, no. Unlike the Penny loafer, which rumour has it was designed as a casual shoe for King George VI, the Oxford shirt hasn’t got some fairytale coming-to-life story. Instead, its birth story dates back to 19th-century Scotland, and not the hallowed halls of Oxford University, as many have come to believe.

The button-down Oxford shirt was actually made from one of four cloths that a Scottish textile mill created, with each one named after a prestigious school. Oxford cloth is made from cotton threads and has a noticeable basket-weave pattern, which is, in turn, breathable and, more often than not, crease-resistant. The others were Harvard, Cambridge and Yale, but these became mere footnotes in menswear history. Only the Oxford has stood the test of time, becoming a wardrobe icon in its own right.

Invented for polo players of the British Raj, thanks in part to that aforementioned breathability, the Oxford shirt got pick up from, well, every guy and his son. The Oxford shirt – usually with a button-down collar, but not always – eventually made its way to, you guessed it, the four universities that played a little part in its origin story. It became a piece of American prep, being worn on leafy escapades at the big American colleges and becoming the signifier of Ivy League prep. Students paired them with baggy chinos and loafers. Ties were worn loose or done up. It was then propelled into the public eye by the likes of Paul Newman and Clark Gable in the 1950s, before brands such as Ralph Lauren and J Crew, both of which made business of the prepster look, pulled the style out of university campuses and sent it onto the high street. It was the go-to for vacationing Americans yachting off the coast of Cape Cod, and businessmen who wanted to suit up.

Today the Oxford shirt is going as strong as ever, and has its place in the wardrobe of every guy. This is thanks, in part, to Tyler, The Creator, who has made prep his own. Alongside pastel-hued cardigans, two-tone loafers and chino shorts, the Oxford shirt has become a key part of his signature uniform. It’s also down to a prep revival in mainstream fashion, which was only spurred on by the 2023 blockbuster film Saltburn. The Oxford shirt is now a symbol of the well-to-do man, as much as it is those who eschew the norms of proper dressing. “Once merely a formal staple, typically worn with a suit and tie, the Oxford has evolved into a wardrobe chameleon, spanning across seasons,” says Alex Kessler, fashion news editor at British Vogue. “Sure, it contains the potency to achieve black tie levels of spiffy, should an occasion call for it. But it also has the ability to nail pared-back versatility. With a few tweaks – unbuttoned, untucked (preferably both at once, if you ask me) – it effortlessly pairs with unexpected companions like shorts (be they tailored or of the basketball variety) and dad trainers, injecting an off-beat freshness into any look.”

Ralph Lauren still has the Oxford shirt front and centre of its brand, stamped with its Polo logo as a signifier of the item’s importance to its longevity and identity. Luca Faloni’s shirts are cut from linen, season after season, for shores warmer than our own, making them the perfect holiday staples. Many mainstream fashion brands have also gone mad for the Oxford, a little over 100 years since it was first put into production. Jacquemus’s versions are over-sized and come with the Gallic brand’s logos, acting as menswear catnip, while Thom Browne, the American master of left-field collegiate prep, has trimmed the sleeves of his scholastic Oxford shirts to make them summer-friendly. Drake’s and Aimé Leon Dore, the latter arguably the coolest brand on the planet, have made decent business from selling classic Oxford shirts, both plain and striped, which are to be worn with shoulder-slung cashmere knits and boxy chinos. Sort of how Paul Newman or Clark Gable styled out their own back in the day. This, in itself is a reflection of the timeless nature of an Oxford shirt, all these years on, and for years to come.

This feature was taken from Gentleman’s Journal’s Spring 2024 issue.

Like this? Now read about the best menswear products in the world right now