Tag Archives: menswear

STYLE MANUAL
dress shirt fabrics

Last week we discussed 9 major patterns every man should know. Today we will explore dress shirt fabrics. Understanding the difference between some of these fabrics will not only help you flex your sartorial intellect but allow you to find the ideal dress shirt fabric for your needs.

Also check out our new Gotstyle Launch program which features a line of dress shirts, trousers, suits and leather shoes. Everything you need to build your wardrobe.

Before we break down the 10 major dress shirt fabrics, it is important to point out the fundamentals of what makes a great fabric.

Step one:  Identifying the core: is it cotton, man-made fibers or silk? Ideally, you want to stick with cotton as it is the undisputed king of dress shirt fabrics. A finely woven cotton fabric has all the properties a man could want from a garment worn close to the body: good heat and moisture conduction, durability, smoothness, and the ability to take shape when ironed.

Man-made fibers, on the other hand, don’t offer the same comfort as a cotton shirt but do have their own set of advantages. They are often wrinkle and stain resistant and can be ideal for budget minded individuals. Lastly, there is silk, often associated as a luxury fabric, silk offers that high sheen and light drape. It is great for bathrobes and boxers shorts but not necessarily for a shirt. The maintenance costs are high and long term durability low.

Step two: Know your ply. Ply is how many yarns are twisted together to make a single thread. Dress shirt fabrics are most often two-ply or single ply. Two-ply fabrics are generally superior to single-ply fabrics.

Step three: The count. Thread count indicates the size of the thread in the fabric and therefore how many threads per square inch and is often referred to with a number like 50s, 80s, 100s, 120s, 140s 160s, etc up to 200s. For example, 140s means there are 140 hanks (1 hank = 840 yards) of yarn in one pound. Higher numbers mean that the threads are finer which results in a softer, smoother and lighter fabric.

Step four: The finish. Often overlooked, the finish of the fabric is the production process used to actually mill the fabric. A 2-ply 200s fabric sounds impressive but if it’s made with low quality cotton by a dubious manufacturer then it is no better and probably worse than a 1-ply 50s fabric made by a reputable mill.

 10 Dress Shirt Fabrics

Oxford Shirt Fabric

Oxford Shirt Fabric

  • Similar to pinpoint oxford- slightly heavier thread and looser weave
  • Slightly rougher texture but is more durable than most fabrics
  • Symmetrical basket weave where one yarn may cross two yarns
  • Originally developed for sports, the oxford shirt is great as a casual button down shirt

Dobby-Dress-Shirt-Fabric-1

  • Woven fabric produced on the dobby loom
  • Characterised by small geometric patterns and extra texture in the cloth
  • Very similar to Jacquard, although technically different
  • Many dobby fabrics have stripes woven into them, although some are solid colors
  • The solid colors tend to have a faint stripe or dotted patterns woven in the same color as the base cloth

Denim-Shirt-Fabric-1

  • A sturdy cotton twill textile- possibly coarser twill.
  • Typically softer, lighter versions of the fabric then that of your jeans
  • Great for casual wear

Chambray-Fabric-shirt-fabric-1

  • A plain weave fabric with a colored warp and a white weft
  • Generally made with heavier yarns for a rugged,  blue-collar workwear appeal
  • Great for casual wear

Broadcloth-Shirt-Fabric-1

  • A dense, plain woven cloth, historically made of wool
  • A tightly woven fabric with a very simple over-under weave and slight sheen
  • Great for dressy occasions
  • Highly weatherproof and hard wearing

Flannel-Shirt-Fabric-1

  • Is a soft woven fabric, of various fineness
  • Typically fuzzy in feel otherwise known as brushed twill or brushed melange
  • Great for cooler weather like Fall/Winter
  • Ideal for casual wear

Melange-Shirt-Fabric-1

  • Special type of construction in which each yarn is a combination of fibers that are dyed and not-dyed
  • Generally very thin and very smooth luxurious fabrics with a particular soft finish
  • These different colored cotton fibers are woven together for a feathered, intentionally inconsistent, somewhat organic look.

Pinpoint-Shirt-Fabric-1

  • Pinpoint (also referred to as pinpoint oxford) has a similar weave as oxford cloth but uses a finer yarn and tighter weave
  • More formal than oxford cloth, but less formal than broadcloth
  • Pinpoint fabrics are generally not transparent and are slightly heavier and thicker than broadcloths
  • Great choice for business shirts

Poplin-Shirt-Fabric-1

  • Made from a plain weave of fine yarns, creating a thin, soft, smooth, long-lasting fabric
  • Thin and breathable – great for under jackets or blazers
  • Can be slightly transparent due to it’s thinness
  • Does well with retaining smoothness after being ironed
  • Sometimes described as broadcloth (technically different, but pretty much the same)

Twill-Shirt-Fabric-1

  • Distinctive diagonal weave
  • Soft, and a bit thicker and warmer than poplin
  • Has a tendency to wrinkle easily for some
  • Works under a jacket, but not quite as breathable as poplin
  • Seems to be difficult to remove stains from twill
PRESS

Call us biased but when you have Lennox Lewis lead a pack of 23 awesome celebrities down your runway during Toronto Men’s Fashion Week there’s no contest that your show just shut it down. That was the scene last week when we teamed up with TOM* to sponsor and style their annual celebrity Men’s Fashion4Hope charity runway show.

Hosted at College park the event was a sold out success- and quite possibly one of the most entertaining shows of the week. Not shocking when you consider that you have a collective of athletes, musicians, actors, youtube superstars and a few politicians strutting their stuff. Perhaps the only thing more interesting than the characters in the show was the fact that each celebrity was outfitted in our latest Fall/Winter styles. That may not seem to impressive at first until of course you take note of the fact that we dressed everyone off-the-rack, ranging From 6’4 Lennox Lewis down to 5’5 Senator Tobias Enverga- there were no special orders or made-to-measure, absolutely everything featured on the runway was off-the-rack! Scroll down to see all the outfits.

Special thanks to our resident stylists Shaeleigh Afton & Sharad Mohan for styling our celebrities.

All photography by: Shayne Gray

TOM* TORONTO MEN’S FASHION WEEK

MEN’S FASHION4HOPE RUNWAY SHOW

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Lennox Lewis in Gotstyle private label Blazer and shirt & Jacob Cohen jeans

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Jagmeet Singh in Zanerobe Black Cyamo Extra-Drop Chino, Gotstyle Silk Camo Tie, Paul Betenly Van Wool Vest, Weber Tie Bar & Marco Nils Micro Woven Knit Peak Lapel Overcoat

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Jus Reign in Zanerobe Navy Speck Sureshot Jogger, Stenstroms Basic White Cuff Dress Shirt, Doro Lapel Pin & Hilton Double Breasted Blazer

Suki in ZANEROBE chino, oxford shirt, Tiger of Sweden wool bomber, Vitaly Design necklace and bracelet.

Suki in ZANEROBE chino, oxford shirt, Tiger of Sweden wool bomber, Vitaly Design necklace and bracelet.

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Huse Madhavji in Sand Plaid Blazer, Mastai Ferretti Blue Shirt, Tiger of Sweden Black Herris Pants, Amanda Christensen Pocket Square & Doro Flower Lapel Pin

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Teddy Wilson in Sand paisley shirt, Strellson Contrast Slim fit blazer, A Christensen Pocket Square, Horst Tie, In God We Trust- Ridge Tie Bar & John Varvatos Bowery Jeans

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Todd Keirstead in Sunwill Grey Traveler Wool Blend Pants, Duchamp White French Cuff Dress Shirt, A Christensen Pocket Square- Girls, Gotstyle Navy Contrast Lapel Blazer, Dion Silk Bowtie & Duchamp Facet Square Tie Pin- Black

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Ajay Fry in Lab Charcoal Check Suit, Sand Paisley Shirt, Amanda Christensen Pocket Square & Doro Flower Lapel Pin

Gotstyle-Mens-Fashion-4-hope-Celebrity-Show-Alan-Snoody

Alan Snoddy in J.Lindeberg Wool Fleck Jean Jacket, J.Lindeberg Fleck Wool Trouser, Vito Blue Micro Print Shirt & Jin Qun Silk Solid Tie

Gotstyle-Mens-Fashion-4-hope-Celebrity-Show-Allan-Altman

Allan Altman in Sand Micro Floral Shirt, Not Your Father’s Suit Plaid Sportcoat, Hook + Furl Lapel Pin, Amanda Christensen Pocket Square & John Varvatos Jeans

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Benjamin Ayres in Lab Abstract Check Suit, Tiger of Sweden Steel 1 Cotton Shirt LT Blue, Weber Tie Bar & Horst Grey Polka Dot Tie

Gotstyle-Mens-Fashion-4-hope-Celebrity-Show-Dejan-Loyola

Dejan Loyola in J Lindeberg Wool Check Pants, DIBI Striped Tie, Marco Nils Grey Micro Print Blazer, VITO Grey Button Up Shirt & A Christensen Printed Pocket Square

Gotstyle-Mens-Fashion-4-hope-Celebrity-Show-Dan-Talevski

Dan Talevski in John Varvatos Moto Jogger, Zanerobe White Oxford Shirt, Zanerobe Salem Knit Cardigan, Lab Blazer with Ribbed Cuffs & Tiger of Sweden White High Tops

Gotstyle-Mens-Fashion-4-hope-Celebrity-Show-Gabe-Grey

Gabe Grey in Tiger of Sweden Green Evert Suit – Mirco Print Shirt by SAND, Strellson Tie & Doro Lapel pin

Gotstyle-Mens-Fashion-4-hope-Celebrity-Show-Kevin-Brauch

Kevin Brauch in Tiger of Sweden Herris Solid Pants, Mood of Norway Edvard Slim Jacket, Tiger of Sweden Denzel Tuxedo Shirt & Jin Qun Silk Puff

Gotstyle-Mens-Fashion-4-hope-Celebrity-Show-Micahel-Lafav

Michael Lafave in Gotstyle Dinner Jacket, Stenstroms Tuxedo Shirt & Hiltl Pants

Gotstyle-Mens-Fashion-4-hope-Celebrity-Show-Mike-Ward

Mike Ward

Gotstyle-Mens-Fashion-4-hope-Celebrity-Show-Morgan-Cameron-Ross

Morgan Cameron Ross in Zanerobe Dynamo Denim, Zanerobe Sevent Ft LS Rib Cuff Oxford Shirt Navy & Kent and Curwen Tan Trench Coat

 

Gotstyle-Mens-Fashion-4-hope-Celebrity-Show-rainbow-sun-francks

Rainbow Sun Francks in Hardy Amies Navy Tux Jacket & Trousers, Sand Dot Pattern Shirt & Jin Quin Black Pocket Square

Gotstyle-Mens-Fashion-4-hope-Celebrity-Show-Tyrone-Edwards

Tyrone Edwards in A Christensen Pocket Square, Tiger of Sweden Evert Large Check Dark Blue Suit, Sand Mini Paisley Shirt, Dibi Grey Tie & Weber Tie Bar

Gotstyle-Mens-Fashion-4-hope-Celebrity-Show-Saad-Rafi

Saad Rafi in Dion Bow Tie, Stenstroms Tuxedo Shirt & Lab Fleck Tuxedo,

Gotstyle-Mens-Fashion-4-hope-Celebrity-Show-Senetor-Tobias

Senator Tobias Enverga in Dion Black Bow Tie, Paul Betenly Black Tuxedo, Denison Boston Floral Black Scarf, Jin Qun Silk Puff & Gotstyle Basic White Dress Shirt

 

STYLE TIPS

Sorry to break it to you guys but high school is over, which means like your education its time to graduate your style. The stakes are higher and your competition more aggressive. You can’t just talk the talk you gotta walk the walk. Which is why we’ve put together another great back to school style guide to help you steer clear of those juvenile graphic tees, dirty jeans and comical knapsacks. It’s time to say goodbye to the boy you were and say hello to man you’re about to become! Because we all know you got to dress better, to do better.

BACK TO SCHOOL STYLE GUIDE 2015

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Horst Knit Bomber: $198, J. Lindeberg Micro Print Shirt:

NEW ARRIVALS

Our first round of new arrivals come from SAND Copenhagen and Tiger of Sweden. This fall we’re definitely going back to British-inspired pieces. Think heavy tweed Sportcoat’s in deep burgundy or navy tones, oh and f*cking bold forest green power-suits.

NEW FW’15 ARRIVALS

SAND Copenhagen and Tiger of Sweden

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[Featured Item]

Sand Plaid Check Double Breasted Jacket $775

Outfit Details // Champion x Todd Snyder Crewneck Pocket Sweatshirt $115 Buy now,  John Varvatos Bowery Slim Jeans $258, Van Gils Leather Boots $250 Buy now

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[Featured Item]

Tiger Of Sweden Evert Peak Lapel Wool Suit- $999

Outfit details // Sandqvist Dustin Black Laptop Bag $475 Buy now, Stenstroms Slimline Basic Dress Shirt $195 Buy now,  Hudson Haddow Leather Brogue Shoe $248 Buy now

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[Featured Item]

Sand Wool/Cashmere Blend Micro Structure Blazer $725

Outfit details // Brown Helmer Leather Backpack by Sandqvist $495 Shop NowStenstroms Micro Herringbone Check Shirt $255

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[Featured Item]

Tiger of Sweden Evert Large Check, Peak Lapel Wool Suit $999

Outfit details // Sand Floral Print on Stripes Shirt $225, Amanda Christensen Wool Tie $95, buy now

PRESS

Gotstyle recently teamed up with Robert Cribb and The Toronto Star to host Mankind’s inaugural man-makeover contest. The contest required people to write to us expressing why they or in many cases their spouses needed a dramatic head-to-toe makeover. After pouring through 100’s of letters both Founder Melissa Austria and Robert Cribb found their lucky winner, Daniel Rocchi.

Daniel, a father of two and a drama teach openly revealed to us that he’s a living, breathing Value Village mannequin. Nearly every piece of apparel attached to his body on the day we spoke could be traced back to the shelves and racks of the Villages. Now there’s nothing wrong with Value Village as a haberdasher. But as the winner of Mankind’s inaugural man makeover contest proves, real money spent on something fresh delivers a lift to male confidence and cool.

This is where we stepped in to give Daniel a $1000 Gotstyle makeover- the end result? Press play below and then click here to read the full story behind Daniels transformation.

STYLE MAKEOVER WITH

ROBERT CRIBB & THE TORONTO STAR

 

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CELEBRITY STYLE

I remember King West back in the day when buildings were boarded up and abandoned with dilapidated cars in the alleyways. It definitely wasn’t a safe place at night and it was practically impossible to find a cab. We would head down there occasionally for 606 and Roxy Blu (where I first discovered house music). Then West opened up and quickly became the “cool spot” in the city despite being in the middle of nowhere.

When Brassii opened in 2003, King Street felt like it could be somewhere in New York. Then Century Room and Brant House came on the scene and the party got started. As time went on and people came down Brassii lead to Buca, Jacobs and now Buca Bar and Century Room begot Blow Fish and Portland Variety. Brant House added Cheval (now Valdez) and partnered in the birth of Everleigh.

But this isn’t really about the evolution of King Street, although the transformation is extraordinary and begs further discussion. It’s about a group of guys who have been friends, family and business partners for longer then most couples have been together. Together they shared a vision to build an empire and today they sit on their respective thrones as the Kings of King West. – Melissa Austria

RALF AND ZARK

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“So, I figured I’d better get to know this guy. If you can’t beat them, join them…”

Melissa: How did you guys first meet?

Ralph: I kept bumping into Zark in Yorkville where he was promoting for Fluid Sundays.

Zark: Ralph’s like “who’s this fucking guy”, then he showed up at one of my parties and realized that there were some cute girls there.

Ralph: So, I figured I’d better get to know this guy. If you can’t beat them, join them…

Melissa: So then you joined together to start ZRF (Zark, Ralph and friends) promoting some of the best nights in the city at the best clubs. How did it go from promoting to opening up Century Room?

Ralph: I actually did one of my first parties here back when it was a pool hall called Mocking Bird.

Zark: I wanted to do parties here after I came back from Miami but the owners wouldn’t let me.

Melissa: How did you know that you you’d made the right decision opening Century Room?

Ralph: Oh god in the first week. But those Century Room days are now non-existent; it will never happen again. We opened right after they introduced bottle service.

Zark: It was crazy – people were spending money. It was great energy.

Melissa: What is the future of King Street now?

Ralph: Now with all the restaurants, I think it’s one of those places where people come, jump around. But I do think that people still want to go and dance at some point. That’s why we made [Everleigh] a little more “lounge-y”. We kind of get a slightly older crowd. No 19 year old is going to want to hang out here.

Zark: The best years of Toronto nightlife have passed. It definitely takes more work… constantly coming up with new ideas… more programming. With Everleigh we’re trying to be less trendy and more about being a brand and a fun place to hang out on King Street.

Melissa: So you’ve been partners since 1999 then?

Zark: Nothing prepared me for marriage like my relationship with Ralph. You’re bound together by something you love, but there’ll be days that you’ll come to the office and want to punch the other person out.

Melissa: What happens when one partner wants to cheat on the other?

Ralph: It happened with Zark and Blowfish and with me and Portland Variety, but it’s all still under the same umbrella.

Zark: That’s the only thing I would do different. With different partners its harder to make a unilateral decision to do something like a percentage spend on marketing.

Melissa: So partners forever?

Zark: As long as we both keep making money for each other (laughing).