Reproduction classic workwear

[flat-top]

Let's come up with more "Holy Grail" workshirt ideas....

 

[bretron]

Flat-top, great idea. lets start with the "workwear" shirt details (not nessisarily all on the same shirt per se):

Heavy utility fabric
Asymmetric chest pockets (a hell of a lot of different options!)
Bakelite cat eye buttons
Scalloped shoulder yokes
Dummy ventilator holes in armpits
Chin strap
Triple stitched seams
Side gussets (preferably with selvage detail and chainstitch runoff)
Button tab on second to bottom button
Reinforced elbows
"Union" label


What else am I missing?

 

[Flat Foot Floey]

Great idea. Collecting details like pocket shapes is fun.

I would prefer designing new shirts or taking the inspiration from vintage (otherwise impossible to find) stuff rather than from modern makers. Remember the mister freedom hall of shame? I know they took there inspiration from somewhere too but still...

 

[flat-top]

and THIS fabric......

 

[Lefty]

You guys should see if the design department at Old Navy/Gap is hiring. All you have to do is take someone else's design, skimp a bit on materials, make sure not part of the materials or labor are from anywhere other than the third world, and sell it on a site that claims its members are "Keepers of the Culture of The Greatest Generation." Everything about this is shameful.

 

[Flat Foot Floey]

Yes. The goal is to be better than them not to lower our standards. I mean there are many many catalog scans and sears, Montgomery wards all had some pages with workshirts. No problem there.
I have seen the other side. My girlfriend has a small label. They put much work in it. So when the first cheap copy popped up she was really disappointed. You may say it is just business but I think it is still unfair.

PS: I don't want to argue with you boys and certainly understand the desire to get a cool design for a workshirt. Just give it a second thought.

 

[flat-top]

I think we're just talking details here...not a copies of copies. Just features, fabrics etc. Obviously Post O'Alls did not invent the engineer pocket; that was simply the best example that popped up on Google search.
Plus, we're also just having some fun.
I'll find some cool archival photos/ scans for some inspiration.

 

[handymike]

Hey Lefty and FFF, if you've got leads on some great shirts with cool period details that are made here in the Good 'ol US, then please offer them up. I'm gonna steer clear of LVC and RRL, but I'm very open... I love to see alternatives!
Cheers.

 

[Flat Foot Floey]

flat-top:
Yes, I know. No offence just showing the other side of the coin. I see so many things (vintage or repro) that I want to have. I really can relate. I also buy cheap mall shirts from time to time to satisfy my cravings. Just puttin a picture from a certain brand on a public forum and telling a cheaper brand to recreate it is not the good way imho.

handymike: I sit in europe so I got other brands close. But there are some in the US too. Have a look at unionmadegoods.com or rising sun. One need to cut the japanese brands some slack too. They put a lot of money in recreating certain fabrics.

The Luxire chambray already looks really good too.

 

[bretron]

You guys should see if the design department at Old Navy/Gap is hiring. All you have to do is take someone else's design, skimp a bit on materials, make sure not part of the materials or labor are from anywhere other than the third world, and sell it on a site that claims its members are "Keepers of the Culture of The Greatest Generation." Everything about this is shameful

Really? Wow

 

[maduro 5]

You guys should see if the design department at Old Navy/Gap is hiring. All you have to do is take someone else's design, skimp a bit on materials, make sure not part of the materials or labor are from anywhere other than the third world, and sell it on a site that claims its members are "Keepers of the Culture of The Greatest Generation." Everything about this is shameful.

Why would you say that? LVC 2013 work shirts are really nice looking but they are made in Turkey, which to me is a 3rd world as they come. Japanese brands make really high quality shirts but good luck finding anything over size 44. I would love to hear about an alternative.

 

[tonypaj]

Why would you say that? LVC 2013 work shirts are really nice looking but they are made in Turkey, which to me is a 3rd world as they come. Japanese brands make really high quality shirts but good luck finding anything over size 44. I would love to hear about an alternative.

Yes, I'm based in Europe at the moment, but I find little difference in "made in the U.S." or "made somewhere else" goes, as long as the quality, style, details, all this shebang, is as I like.

As I'm writing this, I'm wearing Spanish made biker boots, Kenyan made chinos, a Hanes t-shirt (no clue where that was made), and a European made Wrangler 11mj jeans jacket. No socks, I hate socks. I do wear underpants, today's are form Banana Republic.

 

[simonc]

I am working with them as we speak on some concepts more anon.

 

[Flat Foot Floey]

I know some of you were quoting Lefty and not me but I want to make clear that I was just wrinting about the direct theft of designs from small brands. I wasn't passing judgments about certain countries or cheap brands. Hell I bought far too many cheap work shirts myself to say something like this. But I am a graphic designer and I feel the artisanal brands sit in the same boat.


Back to topic. Here are two brands I found on tumblr. They don't seem to have proper webshop but some designs are rather cool. (Yes, chambray shirts too)
http://slowboatdeadstock.tumblr.com
http://redwiteblue.tumblr.com

These are more for repro classic workwear inspiration I think.
http://deeppocketjeanco.tumblr.com/
http://theoriginalvagabond.tumblr.com/

 

[Bruce Wayne]

Does anyone make a modern blue collar work shirt in cotton? I found some fabric I like on the Luxire page, but $60 for a work shirt seems expensive.

Thanx!!!
Charlie

 

[Lefty]

Why would you say that? LVC 2013 work shirts are really nice looking but they are made in Turkey, which to me is a 3rd world as they come. Japanese brands make really high quality shirts but good luck finding anything over size 44. I would love to hear about an alternative.

I agree, and don't/won't own most LVC and RRL. Japanese brands are limited to size, but there are makers in other first world countries, and more and more cropping up in the US everyday. Of course, they do cost more, and I like that. I like paying more for an item I feel good about, and I like buying less.

For US and other first world makers of denim and/or shirts, try some off this short, non-exclusive list
US
Left Field NYC
http://www.leftfieldnyc.com/
Roy
http://www.roydenim.com/
Jack/Knife (very much up and coming)
http://jackknifeoutfitters.com/
Rising Sun
http://risingsunjeans.com/
White Horse Trading Co
http://www.whitehorsetradingco-usa.com/
Circle A Brand (originally Russell's Shirts, he's finding his groove)
http://russellsshirts.blogspot.com/
Fingers Crossed (I just learned about this one on Hickoree's and don't know much about it)
The Hillside
-both found here http://www.hickorees.com/category/made-in-the-usa

England
Tender
http://www.tenderstores.com
an amazing artisan, William seems to do it all -
http://denimhunters.com/history/european/tender

Sweden
Gooseberry Lay & Co - I have two shirts from them and both are amazing
Indigofera
both available from Sivetto/Unionmade
http://sivletto.com/

Denmark
HAN Copenhagen
http://hankjobenhavn.com/
Hansen
http://hansengarments.com/home

Germany
Merz B Schwanen
Schiesser

Japan
take your pick, there are scores of them

There's a lot out there - far more than I've listed, and plenty of demand for more high quality items made by responsible domestic or foreign makers.
The global marketplace should spur innovation and skill, not just price roll-backs. To me, subcontracting shirt/suit manufacture to India, Thailand, etc (as continues to grow more popular on this site), is the most un-American, un-Golden Era of activities.

 

[bretron]

I still think you're way overblowing this. My intention was to develop with other like minded workwear enthusiasts on this forum an ideal shirt on the understanding that a fellow forum member could build it at a discount from the $300 variety. I certainly don't support sweat shops and do my damnedest to buy local or from craftsman brands worldwide (including Indonesia) including many you listed.

 

[Rudie]

I think there is also a difference if a company copies a design and offers it as part of their collection or if a customer approaches a company to make a one-off copy of a garment he found elsewhere and is unable to obtain from the original manufacturer. As much as I like all the RTW stuff by Mr. Freedom & Co., none of their stuff would fit me due to my long arms and thin neck. E.g., I love the Apache style chemise hirondelle by Mr. Freedom, but even their biggest sizes have sleeves that are way too short for me by 1.5 inches, while I would need the second smallest size neckwise. I would have no qualms having Luxire copy one of these shirts as it would be the only means for me to get one. On the other hand, I agree with Flo that copying from a company that offers MTM or bespoke service would be unethical.

 

[simonc]

No one is talking about selling, we are talking about developing clothes for ourselves based on classics, we want made in fabrics for ourselves. I say let's see what you've got in mind.

 

[Lefty]

My intention was to develop with other like minded workwear enthusiasts on this forum an ideal shirt on the understanding that a fellow forum member could build it at a discount from the $300 variety. I certainly don't support sweat shops and do my damnedest to buy local or from craftsman brands worldwide (including Indonesia) including many you listed.

and, as such, this seems like a great idea

except that

1. The maker has no such interests/ethics. It is not a person-member, it is a business-member (sponsor, actually) whose interest, as a business, is profit.
This is illustrated by its willingness to copy anything and everything posted from the red wool LVC jacket to this more recent example.

The shirt can be made exactly as in the image, with the pocket design, button-holes, the squared sleeve plackets and nicely rounded side slits. We also recently made a shirt with bi-swing back.

2. ...

Are these also made in Bangalore/India?

That is correct.

I'm not going to say that I don't have a closet full of 3rd world regrets, but I'm working on donating all of them to thrift stores. Slowly, and with a bit more consideration, I'll try to replace them with goods that I'm proud to own.

Clearly, mileage around here may vary.

BTW, this

I still think you're way overblowing this.

is one of my defining character traits.