White Shirts: A Sartorial History
While womenswear is perpetually rewritten, contemporary menswear is consistently rooted in tradition. A man is given just a few inches of change here and there: a thinner tie, fewer buttons. Because he is limited in the tools of dress provided to him, his intents are expressed through subtleties.
While womenswear is perpetually rewritten, contemporary menswear is consistently rooted in tradition. A man is given just a few inches of change here and there: a thinner tie, fewer buttons. Because he is limited in the tools of dress provided to him, his intents are expressed through subtleties.
One of the most basic elements in the menswear arsenal: the collared shirt that buttons up the front with cuffs and a shirttail hem—seemingly timeless—epitomizes the subtle nature of change in menswear. A collar appeared on men’s shirts in the 14th century, which became upright in the 15th century. Side vents were then added in the 16th century. With such standard elements emerging early on, a man’s means of differentiation comes from manipulation of context and styling.
http://www.ledbury.com/products/cunningham-shirt
V.60.135.44
c. 1865 Gift of Mrs. Mary Goddard Zon and Mrs. Eliza Cunningham Bacas
Viewed side by side, this contemporary design by Richmond-based Ledbury and the 1865 men’s shirt that inspired it show the subtle changes in the most basic element of a man’s wardrobe: the button front shirt.
The importance of intent in menswear can be seen historically in a persisting philosophy of dress called Dandyism, which dates back to the early 1800s as a conscious practice. At its most basic, Dandyism is about being well dressed, the same goal of any sartorial pursuit. A dandy’s process of reaching this goal involves a re-contextualization of the tools in their toolbox. Dandyism began as a rejection of the dress of the British aristocracy without rejecting the aristocracy itself.
Of relatively humble birth, Beau Brummell emerged as a tastemaker in high society at this time by rejecting the stuffy formality of the peerage, instead opting for military-inspired accessories and sporting attire previously associated with countryside leisure.
The key to Brummell’s role in elevating the status of these less formal styles was his devotion to the perfection of minimalism. According to Brummellian tradition, even the most basic element of menswear, the shirt, is perfectly tailored and perfectly starched. The extreme attention to detail paid in the presentation of a dandy’s shirt increased its desirability and status as a fashion item.
V.93.84.23
c. 1885 Gift of Mrs. Charles W. Perter III (Julia Wickham Porter)
Though less commonly used than it once was, starch like that used in the stiff bib front of this shirt dated c. 1885 from the Valentine’s collection is still used to create a crisp look in men’s dress shirts. This shirt was likely worn by Thomas Ashby Wickham, an attorney in Richmond, Va., judge of the Henrico County Court.
Brummelian values of precision are still influential. In recent menswear collections, men’s shirts still appear in a traditional cut. Consistently these shirts are seen paired with informal footwear and sportswear-inspired pants, upgrading the polish of a pair of track shoes or denim jeans.
For Example:
http://www.vogue.com/fashion-shows/spring-2016-menswear/j-crew/slideshow/collection#18)
An almost ubiquitous styling technique for shirts in the 2016 menswear collections is buttoning the shirt all the way to its collar button, worn without any kind of necktie.
http://www.vogue.com/fashion-shows/spring-2016-menswear/dior-homme/slideshow/collection#12
http://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0216/3732/products/SH006-631_grande.jpg?v=1441203547
In collections presented by Dior Homme and Richmond’s Shockoe Atelier, the traditional button front shirt is styled on the model with the top button fastened and no tie.
In “Jocks and Nerds” (1989), Richard Martin and Harold Koda note the emergence of this styling in 1950s nerd culture, explaining that this practice “could only have occurred at a moment when collar buttons were customarily left open” when shirts were worn without a tie.
V.2009.41.04
Creery Shirt Shop Makers September 1961 Gift of Anne Creery Savedge
In the twentieth century, casual shirts like this short sleeve example from Richmond-based Creery Shirt Shop Makers, began to be made with “convertible” collars finished so that they could be worn either buttoned or unbuttoned.
This simple adjustment to the common, more relaxed styling of a man’s shirt (buttoning all but the top or top two buttons) again incorporates a play on formality, elevating contemporary looks that are comprised of traditionally more casual but perfected pieces: designer sneakers, quilted track pants, a silk bomber jacket.
Buttoned or unbuttoned, tucked or untucked, with or without a tie, the modern man can use the most traditional white shirt to establish his intents: He is a man of refinement on his own terms.
V.86.209.02
X.53.01.19
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V.86.153.1162
Alexandra Mitchell is a senior in the Fashion Merchandising program at Virginia Commonwealth University. After graduation she would like to further study fashion history and theory, and work to preserve current and archival fashions.
