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We’ve reviewed the items in this guide and added highlights. Our Kirkland pick is currently out of stock online, but might be available at your local Costco.
A button-up shirt may be your closet’s stealthiest chameleon, equally at home in a blue-chip law firm, an oonz-oonz dance club, and a Sunday farmers market. But this undeniable utility can make choosing a button-up overwhelming, especially since you can spend upwards of $300 on a bespoke version or just $10 for one from a mass retailer. After researching hundreds online and having people with various body types test them, we’ve found five shirts—Oxford, dress, and linen—that stood out for their fit, quality, and wearable comfort.
We recruited testers who wore sizes S to 3XL and looked for shirts in that range (though many brands cap at XXL).
We looked for even stitching (with minimal to no loose threads!) and sturdy collars. We also checked for buttons that stay closed but are easy to undo in a pinch.
We sought shirts made with materials that are comfortable to wear and durable but still easy to care for (no dry-clean-only picks here!).
After considering shirts between $20 and $130, we found that pieces priced between $75 and $100 provided the best combination of fit, look, quality, and comfort.
Sizing is key in all clothing choices. But it merits a line of further mention in this guide, since button-ups exploy two sizing conventions: alpha (S, M, L, XL) and numeric. For example, I’m a medium and also a 16 x 33 (which represents neck circumference and sleeve length in inches). To try shirts from both sizing categories, we enlisted a group of five testers: Wired service editor Alan Henry, Wirecutter senior staff writer Kimber Streams, Wirecutter editor Thorin Klosowski, and Wirecutter’s Treye Green and Justin Krajeski (that’s me). The testers wore sizes ranging from small to 3XL (in the entries below, we specify which testers wore which sizes; it varied by brand).
The J.Crew Oxford is a light, comfy shirt that comes in several cuts, for a more-precise fit, and a wide array of colors and prints (which change often). This shirt’s thinner fabric is better suited to warm weather or layering.
How it feels: This is the lightest, softest Oxford button-down we’ve worn in a while, with a more-customized fit.
Tester fit: I wore classic M, Alan wore classic XXL, Kimber wore classic S, and Treye and Thorin both wore slim S.
Why it’s great: If you’re looking for a well-fitting, breathable Oxford that comes in a ton of cuts and colors, our panelists agree that the J.Crew Broken-In Organic Cotton Oxford Shirt is your best bet. Let’s start with the size range. This shirt comes in sizes XS to XXL and in a range of cuts: classic, slim, and tall. More fit options allow a shopper to zero in on body, sleeve, and hem measurements. In our testing and research, this level of customization wasn’t available with most Oxfords. So this element gave the J.Crew shirt an advantage, especially for those who often have trouble finding just the right fit from a standard shirt. In our wash tests, the sleeve measurement shrank an inch, so keep this in mind for sizing.
Because of the customization, our panelists were all able to find a size and fit they loved. “This was my favorite fit out of the Oxfords that I tried,” Treye said. “The arms hit at the right length, and there wasn’t any extra fabric when it was tucked in.” The J.Crew Oxford is made from lightweight, 100% cotton, so it’s nice for warmer weather or layering under a sweater. With its thinner fabric, this shirt has a little more give and allows for a bit more movement than the Uniqlo Oxford we recommend. And yet the J.Crew shirt also has solid construction—the buttons are snug, secure, and easy to fasten, and there are extras sewn inside. And the collar stands firmly.
We tested the J.Crew Oxford with mixed blue-and-white stripes (I’m a sucker for heavy New England vibes), but the available color range is ample. At the time of writing, the shirt came in 22 colors and patterns, from a light purple to a busy plaid crosshatch. There’s also a relaxed fit version. Be aware that J.Crew often sells groups of colors and patterns on different product pages, so it’s worth doing a site search to see all of the available options. If you’re the sort of dresser who likes to mix it up, you won’t find more variety than with this shirt.
Flaws but not dealbreakers: The J.Crew shirt feels less substantial than other Oxfords we wore. The fabric is light, and one tester thought the stitching felt less sturdy and more likely to loosen over time. However, we’ve always found J.Crew’s clothing to be quite durable. We’ll keep an eye on this shirt and report any issues.
Sizes: XS to XXL Fabric: 100% organic cotton Front pocket: yes Fit: classic, slim, slim untucked, tall, relaxed Number of colors: up to 22 (including white, blue, several stripes, plaids)
Though a bit rigid at first, the affordable Uniqlo Oxford Slim-Fit Long-Sleeve Shirt is polished and comfortable enough to wear on a regular workday or at the weekend.
*At the time of publishing, the price was $30.
How it feels: The Uniqlo shirt’s slim fit isn’t stifling, but it is notable. This shirt is well-constructed enough to work into your weekly wardrobe.
Tester fit: Kimber and I both wore M; Alan wore 3XL; Treye and Thorin both wore S.
Why it’s great: The Uniqlo Oxford Slim-Fit Long-Sleeve Shirt is a fairly good-quality Oxford button-down that’s decently priced and comes in a variety of colors and sizes. The shirt I tested had a few stray threads sticking out from the seams, but the combed-cotton fabric was thick. And the shirt has strong buttons and nice, rugged double-stitched seams. Though the Uniqlo shirt comes in fewer colors than the J.Crew shirt, it’s also less than half the price. So the Uniqlo shirt is a great deal, especially if you want to try out a few unconventional colors.
This shirt comes in a wide variety of sizes: XXS through 3XL (though we’ve noticed that they aren’t always in stock). The shirt fit most of our panelists well in their normal sizes, but the biggest caveat is right there in the name: Slim-Fit. Curiously, the Uniqlo Oxford is offered only in a slim fit, with no regular option. In practical terms, that means the shoulder and chest measurements are an inch or so smaller than those of the brand’s regular-fit shirts, including Uniqlo’s flannel shirts. “It’s clear that Uniqlo is definitely made for thinner people,” Alan remarked after testing a 3XL, which had a chest measurement of 28 inches. (The brand’s regular 3XL measures 29 1/7 inches.) Even so, Alan found the fit wearable, as did his fellow panelists. If you’re worried about sizing issues, test it out in-store, or order a few sizes online and factor in the $7 return shipping fee.
This all-cotton shirt instructs wearers to machine-wash but line-dry. That’s not always realistic, so we threw it in the dryer on low heat to see what would happen. The shirt shrank an inch in length and another inch in the sleeves, but it was otherwise unnoticeable. That’s not a huge amount, but it is more than on any other shirt we washed. Keep this in mind for sizing and when deciding how to clean the Uniqlo shirt.
The Uniqlo Oxford comes in five colors: off-white, gray, yellow, blue, and navy (though these update seasonally). I tested the navy and was surprised at how polished, sleek, and expensive it felt, especially for something costing $30. It’s also worth noting that although the other colors have standard white buttons, the navy and yellow feature colored buttons to match the shirt, an especially elegant and cohesive touch.
Flaws but not dealbreakers: Although the Uniqlo’s fabric is generally comfortable, we preferred the more expensive J.Crew Oxford. Though both feel tough, the Uniqlo shirt was still stiff, even after weeks of testing and a few washes. That said, you’re paying about half the price for the Uniqlo, and it’s a good-looking shirt, so this may be an acceptable trade-off. As we stated above, this shirt comes only in a slim fit. If you prefer shirts that are a bit more billowy, our other recommendations may suit you better.
Sizes: XXS to 3XL Fabric: 100% cotton Front pocket: yes Number of colors: five (navy, pale blue, yellow, gray, off-white)
The soft and stretchy Bonobos Tech Button Down is durable and handsome. And it comes in a wide range of colors and sizes, more than for any other shirt we tested.
The soft and stretchy Bonobos Tech Button Down is durable and handsome. And it comes in a wide range of colors and sizes, more than for any other shirt we tested.
How it feels: The smooth nylon has just a bit of stretch, so the shirt feels light and sleek against the skin, not cheap or staticky (like some synthetic blends). The sensation is completely different than what you get with most cotton shirts (which usually feel crisp and can drag against the skin).
Tester fit: I wore M regular, Alan wore 3XL regular, Kimber wore S short, and Treye and Thorin both wore S slim.
Why it’s great: We found Bonobos clothing to be comfortable and of high quality, so I was psyched to test its standard dress shirt. I wasn’t disappointed. Of the 12 dress shirts I tried, the Bonobos shirt fit and felt the best, and our panelists readily agreed.
The Bonobos sizing options are unprecedented for a mass retailer—eight sizes, with a wide variety of fits and lengths. The standard-size shirts range from XS to XXL and can also be fitted for chest and shoulder measurements (tailored, slim, standard, or athletic) and shirt body length (regular, short, or long). The extended-size range goes from 2XL to 4XL and is currently offered in standard and prominent fit. It’s worth mentioning that the size 4X chest measurement goes up to 64½ inches, the most generous we saw for any shirt in any category. For an off-the-rack option—one that’s not made especially for your body by a tailor—the Bonobos shirt provides about as good a fit as you can find. I loved the fit of my shirt, and so did every other panelist. As with most shirts we tested, with this one various sizes and colors tend to go in and out of stock. But they’ve come back every season for at least two years, so we feel confident that Bonobos will keep making this model.
Kimber, who wore size S, found that the “short” length—which is 1¼ inches shorter than the regular—fit better than any other button-up shirt. At 5-foot-6, they’re often left with too much bulk on dress shirts, which makes tucking unwieldy. Not so with the Bonobos. Alan wore a size 3XL (which has a 61-inch chest, 37-inch sleeve, and 33-inch body), and he loved the sizing and the shirt’s soft, pliant fabric. “It feels great with or without an undershirt,” he told me. “The length of the sleeves and the width of the collar is perfect.” After it was machine-washed and -dried, this shirt shrank an inch in body length.
I agreed. The shirt sat cleanly across my shoulders and tucked into my pants with minimal wrinkles. At 2 inches, the collar stood a little shorter than others we wore (most were around 2½ inches); it looked streamlined, not diminutive, and still easily accommodated a standard tie. The collar wasn’t itchy or overly tight, and the stays (rigid plastic inserts that anchor a collar’s point) were thin and stable.
The synthetic fabric is a mix of 93% nylon and 7% spandex, so it has a subtle stretch and feels smooth. Unlike some synthetic blends we tried, this fabric didn’t feel slippery or overly thin; it didn’t feel like the kind of fabric you should be very careful wearing around a fire pit. I despise transparent dress shirts—in dressy settings, your nipples should never show through—and the Bonobos shirt offers full coverage, full stop. No nipple peeks at all, even without an undershirt, which wasn’t the case with a few of the other dress shirts I tested (the horror). That being said, the shirt also wasn’t so thick that it made me hot or sweaty.
This shirt is well constructed, with buttons that are easy to fasten. And the design allows for micro sleeve adjustments, thanks to the two buttons on the wrists. Another nice touch: two replacement buttons sewn inside the bottom of the placket.
One tester was so enthusiastic about his Bonobos shirt that the one he tested wasn’t enough. “Honestly, I’m about to go buy more of these shirts,” Alan wrote. “They’re some of the most comfortable and well-fitting dress shirts I’ve ever tried.”
Flaws but not dealbreakers: When we originally published this guide, extended sizes of this pick cost $118 — $20 more than the standard-size shirt. Bonobos has since updated the pricing, and all sizes now cost $99. At first touch, the fabric felt cheap, according to Kimber. And that’s an honest, subjective reaction to fabric that isn’t natural, like cotton or linen. Once they tried the shirt on, though, they said it felt smooth and comfortable.
Sizes: XS to 4XL Fabric: 93% nylon, 7% spandex Front pocket: no Fit: slim, tailored, athletic (XXL and smaller only), prominent (XXL and larger only), standard Lengths: short (XXL and smaller only), regular, long Number of colors: 19 (XXL and smaller only), five (XXL and larger only)
The well-made Kirkland Men’s Tailored Fit Dress Shirt is nicely priced, and its fit is roomy, not slim.
How it feels: The fit is more relaxed, and the fabric is substantial, if a little stiff—it wears like a shirt that will last a while.
Tester fit: I wore 16 x 33; Kimber and Thorin both wore 15½ x 33; Treye wore 15 x 32.
Why it’s great:If you’re looking for an affordable yet high-quality dress shirt, Kirkland makes our favorite pick. Currently, the Kirkland Men’s Tailored Fit Dress Shirt is unavailable online, but you may find it at your local Costco. If you can’t find it there, and you’re looking for a shirt of similar quality and style to purchase online, consider the Kirkland Signature Men’s Traditional Fit Dress Shirt. We haven’t tested it, but we may consider it for a future update. Like the Tailored Fit Dress Shirt, this shirt is also made from two-ply 100% cotton. Unlike our pick, it has a button-down collar.
The Tailored Fit Dress Shirt that we tested has numeric sizing from 15 inches to 18 inches in the neck, including half-sizes, and from 32 inches to 36 inches in the sleeve. The cut is generous, ideal for someone with broad shoulders, big arms, and a wide chest. It’s one of the longest shirts we recommend. But that shouldn’t be a problem since dress shirts are meant to be worn tucked in—the longer the shirt, the less opportunity it has to come untucked. I’m 5-foot-11, and a 16 x 33 shirt hit me mid-thigh. Once they tucked the shirt in, the extra fabric wasn’t a problem for any testers. And they all found the shirt fit well, if not exactly “tailored” (perhaps a bit of a stretch from the Kirkland product-naming department). Don’t look to your dryer to tighten up the fit, though—in our tests, this shirt didn’t shrink at all on low heat (which the care label recommends).
The Kirkland fit smoothly along my torso, with no puckering at the chest or shoulders. “This shirt was spacious enough for me to easily lift my arms and have a good range of motion,” said Treye, who wore a 15 x 32. Though other dress shirts Treye wore were tight around the neck (even when he ordered his exact measurement), the Kirkland was pleasantly loose, with a thin, affixed collar stay that kept the collar from drooping or sagging.
The Kirkland Men’s Tailored Fit Dress Shirt is made from two-ply 100% cotton, with straight, consistent stitching. (I spotted just a couple of loose threads, significantly fewer than on other shirts at this price point.) Because it is pure cotton, this shirt is not stretchy like the Bonobos shirt (if you favor the give of spandex, this isn’t the shirt for you). But it’s also comfy without being bulky, so none of our testers felt constricted or hemmed in. The fabric is totally opaque and feels durable, especially for the price. A final high-end touch: The last button hole is horizontal, rather than vertical; this is to prevent the fabric from gaping over the stomach and keep it secure. For the price, no other dress shirt came close to Kirkland’s quality. The H&M dress shirt we tested, for example, was $5 more, and it looked and felt extremely cheap.
Flaws but not dealbreakers: This shirt feels stiff at first, but it softens after repeated wears. Some of our panelists thought that the cotton weave was rough and itchy, especially compared with the feel of the Bonobos shirt. Fair enough. That’s because, as we noted, it’s a cotton shirt, without the silky feel of a synthetic, and that distinction is a matter of preference. It also comes only in white (the standard color most people would tend to buy their dress shirts in). But if you’re looking for variety, you’ll have to go elsewhere.
Sizes: 15 x 32 to 18 x 36 Fabric: 100% cotton Front pocket: yes Number of colors: one (white)
The Club Monaco shirt looks and feels polished enough to wear to a nice lunch yet casual enough for a day at the beach. Like all linen shirts, this one is meant to wrinkle.
How it feels: The Club Monaco Slim Linen Shirt feels smooth, well constructed, and breathable but not flimsy.
Tester fit: I wore M, Alan wore XXL, and Kimber, Treye, and Thorin all wore S.
Why it’s great: Linen fabric can evoke strong feelings—people usually love it or hate it. Its weave is more textured than that of cotton, and many people relish how the coarse, breathable fabric feels against their skin. Others don’t appreciate that texture, or the fact that linen is notorious for wrinkling—most shirts we tested ended up deeply creased and misshapen within an hour. Of course, that’s also part of the charm of linen. The rumpled look is part of the deal—it’s perfect for hot summer days, vacations, or other less-iron-crisp moments.
The Club Monaco Slim Linen Shirt was the best of the eight linen shirts I tested. It wasn’t scratchy—not even on my first wear—and it wrinkled less than most, staying relatively sharp through a day of working, running errands, and grabbing dinner with friends. Even today, it is more pleasantly disheveled than distractingly unkempt.
Like the Uniqlo Oxford, the Club Monaco linen shirt comes only in a slim fit. In general, that wasn’t something that irked our testers—or something they even noticed—except when it came to length. The Uniqlo shirt is shorter than some button-ups we tried—29½ inches; this would be tricky only if you prefer a tucked look, or if you have a long torso. In those cases, I recommend checking out the J.Crew Baird McNutt Irish Linen Shirt instead.
The Club Monaco comes in XS to XXL, or 35 inches to 47 inches across the chest and 32 inches to 38 inches in the sleeve. (Though we saw an XXS during testing, at the time of this writing XXS was no longer available; we’ll keep an eye on whether Club Monaco restocks it come summer.) Some linen shirts we saw needed to be hand-washed, but this one is machine-washable and can tolerate the dryer, which helps cut down on wrinkles. In our tests, it shrank only half an inch in both body and sleeve length.
Although many of the linen shirts I tested were essentially see-through—pretty standard in the category—the Club Monaco lent more-than-modest coverage. The brand describes the linen as lightweight. And while it’s certainly not thick or burlap-y, I could wear it to work without seeming indecent or overly casual.
The Club Monaco shirt is the second-most-expensive linen shirt we tested. But the value was immediately apparent. I particularly loved the stylish details, like the white shell buttons (on the white shirt I tried). It’s one of only two shirts we recommend with a high-quality thread shank to secure the buttons and make them easier to fasten. The collar buttons down, too, and the shirt comes in a sea of pleasant blue tones, as well as a nice crisp white.
Flaws but not dealbreakers: If you have an especially long torso and plan on wearing the shirt tucked, you might find the Club Monaco Slim Linen Shirt to be too short. And because the shirt has a slim fit, if you like your linen baggy, size up.
It’s also worth mentioning that not everyone loves linen—even very nice linen. “Linen shirts are not for me,” Thorin said, noting that the fabric sat uncomfortably on his body. (He wore the shirt in size S.)
Sizes: XS to XXL Fabric: 100% linen Front pocket: yes Fit: slim Number of colors: four (white, “mushroom” beige, blue, navy)
I’m a style writer, which means I compare, test, and report on wearable items. To prepare for this guide, I talked with friends about their favorite button-up shirts. I brushed up on the difference between button-up shirts and button-down shirts. I learned about dress shirts, Oxford button-downs, and linen shirts (as well as Zoom shirts). I spent a month obsessing over minute features that distinguish one shirt from another. After separating the wheat from the chaff during my personal testing, I put together a diverse panel of testers to give me feedback on the best button-up shirts.
I started by researching hundreds of button-up shirts. And, based on specs and user reviews, I narrowed the field to 29 highly rated models: 12 dress shirts, nine Oxfords, and eight linen shirts. For this piece, we focused on button-up shirts marketed to men, though these styles can be worn by people of any gender. Kimber Streams, a senior staff writer who is non-binary, enhanced the scope and feel of this guide with their participation. Unlike shirts marketed to women, the shirts in this guide have straight seams, with minimal tapering at the hip and similar measurements at the chest and waist.
In my first round of testing, I wore each shirt for a few days. After getting a sense of the feel, I eliminated ones with thin- or starchy-feeling fabric, transparent fabric, ragged stitching and frayed seams, or flimsy buttons and irregular button holes. I also noted when a shirt didn’t offer enough size diversity and when stores had poor return policies (though that didn’t immediately disqualify a contender). The following criteria narrowed down our list even further:
Fit: Fit is extremely important in all of our style guides, and it can be difficult to account for a wide variety of body types. I recruited panel testers of different sizes to wear each shirt, from S to 3XL. A person’s aesthetic is entirely subjective, but we investigated whether each button-up shirt looked and felt good enough to be worth the price—especially since many of the ones we tested and recommended are costly.
Sizing: Many button-up shirts cap out at XXL, so it was difficult to ding any particular brand for that sort of limited range. Still, we looked for shirts that offered an even wider variety of sizes. To check for shrinkage, I measured the sleeve and body length of each shirt, and then washed and dried it according to its care label. Then I measured again to calculate the difference.
Quality: I was looking for high-quality, well-constructed button-ups that would last for years. During my initial testing, I looked for shirts with even stitching at the seams, few to no loose threads, and well-built collars. In the dress shirt category, I looked for shirts with sturdy collar stays.
Buttons: Some shirts were difficult to button and unbutton, while others were too lax. The best stay buttoned and pop out with a flick of the thumb.
Fabric: We tested shirts in several different types of fabric. But no matter a shirt’s composition, we insisted the fabric felt comfortable against the skin, and that it was durable and opaque enough that it didn’t require an undershirt. We also looked for fabrics that are easy to care for. Most of our picks are machine-washable.
Price: I considered a range of button-up shirts priced between about $20 and $130. There was a significant difference in quality between $20 shirts and those that cost $30. I saw another jump between shirts that cost $30 and those that were $75. Shirts priced between $75 and $100 seemed to be the sweet spot for fit, look, quality, and comfort. I was happy to find a few easy-to-recommend budget-friendly picks, too. I didn’t find anything more than $100 that I thought justified the cost.
Of the 29 shirts, I found eight button-ups—two dress shirts, four Oxford button-downs, and two linen shirts—worthy of a second round of testing. To get a range of opinions, I sent them to a panel of writers and editors whose opinions I trust. (I wasn’t part of the panel, since I’d done the initial testing and research.) Those testers spent a week with our button-up shirt contenders, and they then reported their findings.
Dress shirts and Oxford shirts differ from one another because dress shirts feel more formal, they’re made of thinner material, and they have stiff, buttonless collars. Oxford shirts look more casual, and they’re thicker and often rougher to the touch. And—you guessed it—their collars button down. They’re called Oxford shirts because they’re made from Oxford cloth, with a durable basket-weave pattern. Many consider it a badge of honor to wear an Oxford for so long that the collar and sleeves begin to fray. Dress shirts, on the other hand, should never look anything but crisp and new.
Though many people tend to use the terms button-up and button-down interchangeably, a button-down shirt refers to shirts with collars that button down at the corners, typically Oxford shirts. As such, dress shirts are not technically button-downs, though both dress shirts and Oxfords are button-ups (meaning they fasten at the center with buttons).
In this guide, we also recommend a linen shirt that has a distinctly airy look and feel, compared with shirts in the other two categories covered here. But it is also, in fact, a button-down because its collar is secured by buttons.
Every button-up shirt will eventually reach the end of its lifetime in your closet, but the better you take care of it, the longer it will last. We recommend wearing an undershirt, to prevent pit stains and excessive wear. You can also elongate a shirt’s life by washing in cold water and ironing on low heat (when necessary).
If the button-up shirt is still in good condition but no longer your style, we recommend selling or donating it. There are online sites where you can sell second-hand clothing, like ThredUp, Poshmark, and Ebay. If you aren’t concerned about making any money back, Give Back Box is a vendor service that gives to retailers and charities to help those in need—though items generally have to be in excellent condition. And to cut down on shipping impacts, you can check the location of local thrift shops in your area, on sites like GreenDrop.
If your button-up shirt is worn out, you can textile recycle it, a process by which old clothes are recovered for reuse. A group called SMART (Secondary Materials And Recycled Textiles) offers a ton of information about how and where to recycle your clothes. When all else fails, turn your button-up shirt into a paint smock, or upcycle it in other fun ways.
If you’re looking for an exceptionally soft dress shirt, I love the Banana Republic Slim-Fit Non-Iron Dress Shirt. It has an unusually cut collar that’s flatter, wider, and less pointed than those on the shirts we recommend above. The shirt’s availability went in and out of stock as I wrote and reported this guide; otherwise, it’s a great shirt if you can find it.
If you’re looking for a sportier dress shirt, the Club Monaco Stretch Poplin Dress Shirt looks sharp and streamlined, but it isn’t as soft or comfortable as the Bonobos shirt we recommend. Like the Bonobos, this one is extremely light-feeling. I noticed a ton of wrinkles, though. So get the Stretch Poplin shirt only if you’re handy with an iron, committed to dry cleaning, or unconcerned with a few creases.
For a slimmer Oxford shirt, the Club Monaco Long Sleeve Oxford Shirt is a great, narrow-fitting option that comes in solid and striped varieties. It fit me notably well. But friends who wore it didn’t agree and found it to be ill fitting. I didn’t move it on to panel testing.
The Kamakura Tokyo Slim Fit is a really special Oxford shirt, with clean construction and beautifully tight stitching. Two significant issues stood out, though. First, I had trouble buttoning—so much so that I thought I was doing something wrong. Second, the stock and sizing are both extremely limited. Kamakura shirts are made in Japan. So if a shirt you order from this company doesn’t fit, you’ll have to return it to Japan. (We tested the Kamakura New York Slim Fit in the dress-shirt category, too, and we encountered these same perks and issues.)
If you don’t mind a more-transparent linen shirt, try the J.Crew Baird McNutt Irish Linen Shirt. Like the Club Monaco Slim Linen Shirt, the J.Crew isn’t itchy, and it is a pleasure to wear. It’s a touch see-through, though, which is less of a dealbreaker if you’re wearing it while on vacation.
The H&M Slim Fit CoolMax Shirt was so synthetic that I found it distracting. The thin polyester/cotton blend was reminiscent of my elementary school uniform (and not in a good way). It was also tight around the neck and difficult to button.
I dismissed the Uniqlo Men Super Non-Iron Slim-Fit Long-Sleeve Shirt because its stock was too spotty. But when I did get my hands on one that fit, it was pleasantly unstarchy. However, the wide collar is unusual, and this shirt is $10 more than the widely available Kirkland shirt.
The Bonobos Washed Button-Down Shirt (which also comes in Extended Sizes) is lighter and looser-feeling than the other dress shirts. I wouldn’t wear it in a formal or even business-casual setting.
The J.Crew Bowery Wrinkle-Free Stretch Cotton Shirt was pretty big and lumpy, at least on me. J.Crew’s website describes it as being “more casual than your dressiest shirt,” but it looks too frumpy to compete in this category.
Some may love the pleating along the wrists of the Brooks Brothers Stretch Madison Relaxed-Fit Dress Shirt, but I find the look too stylized to appeal to a wide audience (and I personally don’t like it). Securing the top button is also tricky—a particularly claustrophobic feeling.
The Untuckit Wrinkle-Free Las Cases Shirt’s wide shoulders looked silly on me, falling way below their natural slope, even after I followed Untuckit’s instructions to find my “correct” size. The dark blue threading along the wrist-and-arm buttonholes is eye-catching—maybe too much so. And although the Untuckit is well constructed, the cotton fabric feels scratchy, which is unfortunate for a shirt that’s around $100.
Our panel testers didn’t like the Brooks Brothers Original Polo Button-Down Oxford Regent Shirt, which now appears to be out of stock. “The fabric is stiff and doesn’t breathe well,” Kimber said. The rest of us chimed in with our own varied complaints about texture and blousy-ness. A pass—especially for the price.
The Banana Republic Untucked Standard-Fit Cotton Oxford Shirt’s thin-feeling fabric is actually lovely. But there were a number of stray threads on the shirt I received, and the button holes were especially tight. Airy fabric plus tricky buttons: a frustrating combo nobody needs.
If it weren’t for the pocket strangely centered on the chest, the Bonobos Stretch Oxford Shirt could be a good-looking option. Unfortunately, it feels starchy and uncomfortable, too, with inaccessibly tight buttonholes.
I found the Alex Mill Mill Shirt in Garment Dyed Oxford’s long sleeves oddly short. In one of my earliest tests, I measured the skin peeking from the sleeve with my arm outstretched. Most shirts revealed about 2 inches. The Alex Mill? A whopping 4.
The H&M Regular Fit Linen Shirt is fairly well constructed, but it crinkles heavily in the back. It’s also pretty itchy, similar to many of the less-successful linen shirts I tested.
Like the H&M Regular Fit Linen Shirt, the Abercrombie & Fitch Linen Button-Up Shirt (now sold out) is super-rumpled to start, with lots of loose threads along the seams. Even worse, the stitching looks uneven—bent and wrinkled—and the weave is quite transparent, so you’ll probably need an undershirt.
The Banana Republic Untucked Slim-Fit Linen-Cotton Shirt (no longer available) looks and feels very basic and borderline crude. (For example, there’s a Banana Republic logo on a floppy tag on the bottom of the front of the shirt.) I also found the buttons painstaking to unbutton.
The Brooks Brothers Regent Regular-Fit Sport Shirt in Irish Linen is too expensive to feel this coarse, IMHO. Points for expert stitching, demerits for the dreaded tight buttons.
I really think the Untuckit Wrinkle-Resistant Linen Crianza Shirt is corny-looking (along with Untuckit’s dress-shirt offering). It sits a little too high on the waist, runs a little too long in the arms, and hugs the neck too tightly. Although the shirt feels well made, the Large, meant to match my dimensions perfectly, was way too big. And despite being one of the most expensive linen shirts we brought in to test, it wasn’t soft.
This article was edited by Hannah Morrill and Jennifer Hunter.
Justin Krajeski is a former staff writer reporting on everyday carry at Wirecutter. He previously wrote about tech at Wirecutter. He carries things every day. He’s very well versed in carrying.
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