Like the optimum length of short inseam, what constitutes the perfect summer shirt is a topic of great contention. At least it is in the Highsnobiety office.
Collar, color, and the just-right amount of “awkward sleeve” were all factors that weighed heavy upon our search for the ultimate summer shirt, conducted on an international Highsnob zoom recently — you know, back at the important stuff.
What that perfect shirt looks like, well, that’s still in dispute. But below is our editors’ attempt to find it. From Bode button-downs to ruffle moments via the “holy trinity of dress shirts,” you’ll find our thoughts on some of this summer’s best shirts.
Christopher Morency, Editor-at-Large: “This is a beautiful shirt. This is a classic. You could pair this with shorts, you could layer this, you could pair this with black pants, with sandals, with sneakers. This is a good purchase.”
Jake Indiana, Senior Features Editor: “It’s beautiful tailoring. But you can’t wear that color in the summer without it just being covered in bugs.”
Malaika Crawford, Market Editor: “This is a McDonald’s yellow right?”
Thom Bettridge, Editor-in-Chief: “The thing about McDonald’s colors is they were designed to make people not want to stay in the restaurant.”
Malaika: “Maybe I don’t want people to talk to me.”
Jake: “I can really see Corey in that shirt.”
Corey Stokes, Fashion Director: “It’s a beautiful shirt.”
Louis Almond, Style Editor: “There’s something quite virusy about this one. It’s making me uneasy.”
Rihanna Matthews, Market Edtior: “It just reminds me of being on shrooms.”
Thom: “I think ruffles are having a moment right now.”
Herbert Hofmann, Creative Director: “I wouldn’t know how to wear this without looking ludicrous.”
Corey: “Oh my god — oversized with like a nice wide leg.”
Thom: “White, baby blue, and pink. Those are the holy trinity of dress shirt colors.”
Corey: “I would go up a size if I was purchasing this for sure. Because the sleeves look definitely too short.”
Thom: “It looks a little bit like a shacket. I think this is actually a shacket.”
Jake: “It’s a little children’s hospital but I don’t hate it.
Malaika: “It’s cute. It reminds me of children’s fairytales.
Thom: “I went to a Valentino show and there was an all-white dress code, and when I got to the show it looked like we were all going to commit mass suicide.”
Malaika: “Very Midsommar.”
Thom: “Yeah it’s that vibe. What I like about this shirt is that it has that perfect awkward sleeve length.”
Jake: “It’s a little too ‘We Are the World.'”
Thom: “I like it. This is postmodernism at its finest.”
Corey: “I feel like the commercial version needs to be a little less stringy.”
Thom: “Imagine dipping one of those things in your Aperol Spritz.”
Christopher: “Harry Styles wears all this stuff.”
Thom: “This is cheaper than the Prada shirt.”
Christopher: “Back to the Prada — where did you find it? Because I might actually buy that shirt.”
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