Welcome back to the Gentleman's Gazette. In today's video,
we'll be taking a look at the overshirt
or shacket with a sartorial eye, and whether it's a timeless treasure or a passing trend.
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Now, in recent years, there has been a surge in popularity for the
overshirt and it's touted as being one of the biggest trends in menswear. Now,
you know we're all about classic style and not fast fashion, but it got us to thinking,
even the classic two-piece suit is an evolution of something that started earlier on in history,
right? So, if we apply our menswear knowledge and steer clear of the hype train,
perhaps we can find out whether or not the shacket deserves a place in your wardrobe. Now, what is
an overshirt? Now, at this point, you might have worked out that an overshirt is somewhat different
than a regular dress shirt. Indeed, its other name, "shacket," is the merging of the terms
"jacket" and "shirt," which does pretty much sum up what it is. But, is it just me or
does "shacket" sound a little bit weird? After all, we don't call formal boots
"shoots" because they're somewhere between shoes and boots? So, if an
overshirt is a mixture of a shirt and a jacket, what respective features of each can you find in
this garment? Now, while at a glance, it looks like a dress shirt, it's got a collar without
a lapel, it's fully open at the front with a button or press stud fastening to the neck,
and will typically have shirt-style cuffs, which can be fastened similar to barrel cuff
shirts. But, as we can see, it also has elements that you can find on a jacket - more robust and
hard-wearing fabrics, a more strict hemline at the bottom, and several pockets. These pockets
can come in varying styles like a patch or a flap. This mixture of features makes an overshirt unique
as it certainly isn't designed to be worn against your skin like a
dress shirt. This means it sits more within the realms of being classified as a jacket
more than a shirt. And, of course, a regular dress shirt is made from lighter and softer
fabrics. Dress shirts are usually designed to be comfortably worn as a first layer and they are not
designed to be worn as a top layer. Trust us. The 2000s tried and it did not work. Now,
how long has the overshirt been around? Now, if you're a fan of this channel,
you know that we love finding out the origins of the clothes that we wear today and what exactly is
it about them that makes them classic. We've looked at many different items of menswear,
such as suits, shoes, and even gloves, to explore their long and storied history as to how they've
evolved over time. For example, in this video, we learned how a suit went from this to this.
Quite an evolution, right? What makes the overshirt particularly interesting
is how it really hasn't changed how it looks that much over time.
Like most clothing, we could trace it back hundreds of years.
But, the overshirt really came into light as a garment of note in the late 1800s. It was around
this time that workers tasked with hard manual labor jobs were starting to modify their denim
overalls. They'd keep the robust trouser portion, but remove the bib and braces for more mobility
and to be as comfortable as possible when working in some pretty questionable conditions. The result
is now the iconic pair of jeans and you can learn more about them in our review of the Levi's 501
jeans. In order to offer further protection to the top half of these workers, either from dirt
and grime of the day or as another layer from the elements, manufacturers quickly designed a
garment that ticked all the boxes for what these workers needed - the same robust fabric their
trusty jeans were made from, the ability to be worn over the top of other clothing, adjustable
levels of protection, and easy storage and access to items they might need throughout the day.
It's here where we see the overshirt in the same configuration as to what we see today. Although,
at the time, its less than glamorous origins meant that it was predominantly a sign of the
working class and it was not worn by anyone who didn't need to wear one. That is until,
like most trendy items of clothing, it was worn by someone famous - a certain Mr. Paul Newman,
who much like Steve McQueen, was a veritable style icon of the 60s. In the 1967 film "Cool
Hand Luke," we see Newman play chain gang inmate Lucas "Luke" Jackson. In this film, he and other
inmates wear a prison-issued overshirt they called a "chore jacket." It's a well-worn,
light blue denim somewhat bleached by the many years of wear in the hot
Florida sun and it features all the overshirt staples that we've already talked about -
patch pockets, shirt-like construction, and can be buttoned up to the neck without a lapel.
Although, I wouldn't want to wear it that tightly in that kind of heat.
Ouch. Newman was fond of wearing the overshirt, not just on set,
but in his personal life, too. And we see him don the overshirt again on the set of
the 1994 film "Nobody's Fool." This time in a sand color and sporting a corduroy collar,
a feature that would be most notably applied to denim jackets,
which you can learn more about here.
Indeed, the hard-wearing denim fabric would be refined into its own unique type of jacket. The
overshirt would become more associated with robust cotton twill and other such practical cloths. New
York photographer Bill Cunningham was another individual synonymous with the overshirt. Almost
religiously wearing a royal blue model for the most part of his four-decade career. And now, into
the 21st century, we see the popularity of the overshirt is booming, being worn by celebrities,
influencers, and menswear aficionados alike. Now, what makes a good overshirt fabric? At this point,
it goes without saying that an overshirt needs to be made of something sturdier
than your typical dress shirt material. It's probably best to avoid the fine cotton poplin.
Instead, an overshirt should be made of something robust with a strong feel to it.
A nice weighty cotton is one of the best choices for an overshirt it's a little more refined than
some of the hard-wearing fabrics, such as denim, but it can still hold its own when it comes to
durability. Linen is another great choice for an overshirt as the fabric is surprisingly strong.
Of course, one of the characteristics of linen is that it wrinkles. But,
when you have a well-made overshirt and a quality and dense linen,
it can look extremely elegant in both formal and casual ensembles. As far as other fabrics go,
pretty much anything can be made into an overshirt -
corduroy, wool, flannel, even leather. We feel that there's a difference between fabric
with substance, like a heavy cotton twill, and fabric that's just big,
something like a thick and fuzzy wool. These types of fabrics take the overshirt away from the shirt
portion and more closer to a full-blown jacket. Overall, we believe the best overshirts are made
from traditional shirting fabrics, the robust kind like cotton, linen, and corduroy. If you're
looking for a heartier fabric, a fine wool which keeps its sartorial edge can be a fine choice.
Next, fit. By now, I'm sure you know that we're all about fit here at the
Gentleman's Gazette. So, it should come as no surprise that, with an overshirt,
fit has an important factor. As is often the case,
the optimal fit will sit somewhere between loose and tight. But, as an overshirt is
meant to be a more relaxed layer, it's better to lean towards a more roomier fit
as the tight fit will not only restrict your movements, but also what you can wear with it.
Next up, features. As its origins of the chore jackets suggest,
an overshirt should give you the opportunity to transport and store your items throughout
the day. The kind of things that a suit jacket might enable you to also carry around.
Things like your wallet, keys, phone, even a pen,
and any other essential items you might need in your everyday carry. With these items in mind,
pockets are going to be the name of the game when it comes to an overshirt.
Just how many pockets you need will, of course, be up to you. There's basically two different
styles of pocket configurations when it comes to overshirts - the double-breasted
pocket configuration or a single-breast pocket with patch pockets at the hip. Now,
we find the double-breasted pocket configuration to be a little bit unbalanced. The two symmetrical
chest pockets at chest height with a lot of space underneath just looks a little bit odd.
This style looks far better on the trucker denim jacket style. The extra seam lines help balance
the design. On the other hand, a single-breast pocket with patch pockets at the hip is much
more reminiscent of something you would see on a tailored jacket. Therefore,
that is our preferred style of pocket layout on an overshirt. As we feel like it's closer to being
an odd sports jacket, which we find much easier to combine with elements of a classic wardrobe,
some overshirts will have flapped patch pockets, which close with buttons or snap fastenings,
and we think you'll agree that the button closure is a very elegant and secure choice.
Some particularly nice examples of overshirts come from the British manufacturer Drake's. No,
not him. There we go. Here, you can see all the style elements of what we've talked about today
working together in brilliant harmony. A weighty cotton twill in a not too tight, not too loose fit
with flapped patch pockets secured with buttons at the hip, and a single-breast pocket that shaped,
which looks like a pocket on the opposite side, is actually the stitching of an internal pocket for
the inside of the jacket, which is great for keeping important items close to your chest,
literally. Now, does it have a place in your wardrobe? Now that we've looked at
the hallmarks of a quality overshirt, let's see how it could fit into your wardrobe.
There's no denying that an overshirt is on the more casual end of the menswear spectrum, which
is why I'm here instead of Raphael or Preston. But, that doesn't mean to say you can only wear
with casual clothes as some other style sites might have you think. I'm sure we can do better
than the suggestion of just buying nine different overshirts to wear with a t-shirt and jeans.
The trick to getting overshirts just right is to look at traditional menswear colors - browns,
greens, and blues. These are all fantastic shades to look for in an overshirt. These
will also lend the most versatility when it comes to styling. As far as patterns go,
we'd also suggest staying away from loud prints and patterns. Instead,
allowing the texture of the fabric to add some visual interest like a rustic and slubby linen.
Now, let's start off with the casual end of things with a pair of classic dark wash jeans,
perhaps a simple white t-shirt, an overshirt in burgundy or even other earth tones.
Wool or corduroy would be great options here, but you could also do a robust cotton as well.
Dark brown shoes or even chukka boots with a matching belt. This look is such a great way
to elevate a casual ensemble to a refined classic outfit. By adding the overshirt to this ensemble,
you get the versatility of being able to wear it open as a jacket or buttoning it up like a shirt.
The latter of which will make it a touch more formal. Because the overshirt has a shirt collar,
your face is framed in a way that an odd jacket would not be able to. And popping the collar like
this, adds the element of casual confidence to the look, too. Styling points such as the leather
belt and shoes emphasize the casual touch. But, because the shoes aren't ultra casual sneakers,
there's a bridge between casual and formal. Sticking with a similar overshirt,
let's take things to the other end of the spectrum by adding a few formal touches.
A classic Oxford cloth button-down shirt or even a patterned sports shirt
and neutral chinos will all serve as the base for this outfit. And adding a striped tie
and a complimenting pocket square will serve as the color elements in this outfit. Because
the shirt might sit more on the casual side, it works well with the nature of the overshirt,
whereas a spread collar dress shirt with double cuffs would be far too formal to add here.
With the patch pocket on the breast, adding a splash of color through your pocket square is
so easily done. And it could even be applied to the previous, more casual look as well.
And although you could easily wear this ensemble without a tie, it really does a lot to help pull
everything together in this outfit. As a pro tip, stick with casual fabrics for your tie and pocket
square. A shantung knitted or grenadine tie strike the perfect level of formality here,
as well as soft wool or linen pocket square. You can even experiment with adding additional layers
such as the knitted waistcoat or sweater. Doing this provides more visual interest and
also provides a greater element of warmth, which brings us nicely to the question of
seasonality. What time of year is best for wearing an overshirt? Although an overshirt is an ideal
transitional layering piece, as we discussed in this video, we say you can wear one year-round,
even in the depths of winter or at the height of summer. It all depends on how you choose to layer
it by adding items from your wardrobe in seasonal fabrics, such as breezy linens and seersucker
in the heat and cozy wools and flannels in the cold. You can even use an overshirt as a middle
layer with an overcoat or trench coat on top. If anything, we'd consider an overshirt to be
just as versatile as an odd jacket and, perhaps, even more so in its ability to transcend into
casual elements of an outfit more than some sport jackets. So, after taking a look at the overshirt,
its history, and its place in your wardrobe today, we come back to our main question: is the
overshirt timeless or simply just a trend? Well, it's certainly not a brand new item of clothing
that was designed just a few years ago as we saw with its origins in late 19th century workwear.
So, it's definitely stood the test of time. And the fact that when you look at one of
those historical garments next to a more modern version today, you could go out and buy one.
It really is remarkable how little the overall design has changed. But, what really ticks the
box for us is the multitude of styling options and the ease of which and how you
can incorporate an overshirt into your wardrobe for both formal and even casual looks. Therefore,
we say that, on balance, the overshirt is a timeless garment. As with most clothing,
there will be particular iterations of the overshirt that might push it into
the more trimmed territory, such as the choices for fabrics, fit, and detailing.
But, if you stick with the classic design that we've discussed today, then you'll be guaranteed
to enjoy a timeless overshirt. Today, I'm wearing a blue overshirt with a blue and white striped
sport shirt, khaki pants, and brown chukka boots. And, of course, rounding out the outfit, my brown
shadow-stripe Fort Belvedere socks. Check out the Fort Belvedere shop here for socks like these.
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