SotD: Thursday 21st June

A shirt for the solstice.

Today I opted for a five-stripe purple-on-white shirt

Vital statistics:
Price: 4/5 (but bought in the sale :-)
Colour: 3/5
Fabric: 5/5
Fit: 3.5/5
Total: 15.5/20

Special features: Top-quality fabric, side gussets, removable collar stiffeners.

Review-Gi-Oh! summary:
For: Great fabric, good pattern, great to wear.
Against: Absolutely nothing. Great shirt.

SotD: Wednesday 20th June

A simple short-sleeved casual shirt by Howies today.

It's a Wednesday thing.

SotD: Tuesday 19th June

What does one wear to get measured for a suit?



I opted for a multi-striped, single cuff, fitted shirt. A very bold statement, this one, more of an evening shirt than a work shirt perhaps. Nevertheless, a great fit; the sleeves in particular are a perfect length. And no placket on this one, again, a pleasant change.

Vital statistics:
Price: 2/5
Colour: 4.5/5
Fabric: 3/5
Fit: 4/5
Total: 13.5/20

Special features: Two buttons on the cuff.

Review-Gi-Oh! summary:
For: Funky colour. I don't think the score above reflects how much I like this shirt.
Against: Could be considered a bit leery. But why not?

SotD: Monday 18th June

Vital statistics:
Price: 3/5 (but bought in the sale :-)
Colour: 5/5
Fabric: 3.5/5
Fit: 4/5
Total: 15.5/20 (the highest we've seen so far! Amazing!)

Special features: Matching cuff-links, embroidered side gussets, removable collar stiffeners.

Review-Gi-Oh! summary:
For: Very, very funky colour.
Against: Colour a bit shocking for some occasions.

SotD: Friday 16th June

Today's shirt is purple, with white and gold stripes. It's a very bold shirt, perfectly suited to a Friday, probably less dressy than some of the others we've seen so far. It has squared-off double cuffs, as I'm sure you've come to expect.

This is one of those shirts that come supplied with cuff-links, which I'm never sure about for at least two reasons:

1. I kind of resent the implication that the makers think the buyer (i.e. me) either doesn't have any cuff-links, or that the ones they do have aren't good enough for their shirt. Or that they think they know better what "works" with the shirt's "concept". Humph.
2. I have a suspicion that it's a bit naff. That said, a number of people (from both XX and XY varieties) have commented on it in the past, so perhaps it's one of those accessorising details I keep hearing about.

And finally, no placket at all on this shirt, which is a relief after the last few days. Honestly, I was getting placket fatigue.

Vital statistics:
Price: 3/5 (but bought in the sale :-)
Colour: 5/5
Fabric: 3.5/5
Fit: 4/5
Total: 15.5/20 (the highest we've seen so far! Amazing!)
Special features: Matching cuff-links, embroidered side gussets, removable collar stiffeners.

Review-Gi-Oh! summary:
For: Very, very funky colour.
Against: Colour a bit shocking for some occasions.

And to make matters worse

...those shirts I ordered weeks ago arrived today.

And they're lovely.

SotD: Thursday 14th June

Today's shirt is a sort of maroon-burgundy, far nicer than it sounds, with a cutaway collar and squared-off double cuffs. True to form, it has the terribly common formal placket. Dunno about you, Reader, but I'm getting a bit tired of that particular detail.

I wasn't expecting to enjoy wearing this shirt - in fact I'd already lifted it out of the wardrobe to be recyclified - but I surprised myself 'cos it's pretty nice, actually. Despite that, it doesn't score very highly, as we peruse the vital statistics.

Vital statistics:
Price: 2/5
Colour: 2/5
Fabric: 3/5
Fit: 3/5
Total: 10/20
Special features: Formal placket, side gussets, removable collar stiffeners. Nothing new here.

Review-Gi-Oh! summary:
For: Funky colour. Goes well with black jeans.
Against: Too damn large on the body, like all the rest.

SotD: Wednesday 13th June

Today's shirt is plain white, made from two-fold 140s Italian Sea Island quality cotton, with real Mother-of-pearl buttons. It's got the by-now-standard square double cuff, and its fully fitted with an honest-to-goodness formal placket. Oh yes.

This is a shirt of contrasts. It's the most expensive shirt we've seen so far in Review-Gi-Oh, and the fabric is the reason for that - it's just so darned lovely. Actually, it's not darned at all, is it? I should have written "damned" there. Anyhoo, it's a very luxurious cotton, almost silky to the touch, and feels lovely to wear (and feel, if there are any ladies out there who disbelieve me, and want to find out for themselves!).

It's also the plainest shirt we've seen so far - simple plain white, with no other check, stripe, pattern or ornamentation. Despite that, and the slightly large fit - a feature of some of my older shirts - it's a fine article.

Vital statistics:

Price: 5/5
Colour: 1/5
Fabric: 5/5
Fit: 3/5
Total: 14/20

Special features: Mother of pearl buttons, formal placket, side gussets, removable collar stiffeners. Is there nothing this shirt can't do?!

Review-Gi-Oh! summary:
For: This shirt is just lovely to wear. I love the fit and feel.
Against: Nothing really, slightly large on the body. It's a keeper!

SotD: Tuesday 12th June

Today's shirt is a Mason Poplin pink shirt with a blue check by Charles Tyrwhitt.

The French cuffs are squared, rather than rounded, and it has a classic collar and a formal placket. Crikey.

It's a teensy bit large on the body, but the sleeves are just the right length.

Vital statistics:
Price: 3/5
Colour: 3/5
Fabric: 3.5/5
Fit: 3/5
Total: 12.5/20
Special features: Formal placket, side gussets, removable collar stiffeners.

Review-Gi-Oh! summary:
For: I love this shirt. Like the colour, like the fit and feel.
Against: Nothing really, slightly large on the body. It's a keeper!

SotD: Monday 11th June

A short-sleeved casual shirt today, because it's such a nice day.
It's made by Howies, who are a good company.

The Great Shirt Review-Gi-Oh: Friday 8th June

A day off today, as I'm away from home helping celebrate my niece's 5th birthday.

Happy Birthday Alba!

The Great Shirt Review-Gi-Oh: Thursday 7th June

Today's shirt is pale pink with a 4cm white check, and cutaway collar, by Next. The French cuffs are rounded, rather than sqaure. Although it's cotton, it's always been a bit scratchy, and is not amongst my preferred shirts. It probably won't survive the Great Shirt Review-Gi-Oh!

Vital statistics:
Price: 2/5

Colour: 3/5

Fabric: 2/5

Fit: 3/5

Special features: Pocket on left breast

Review-Gi-Oh! summary:

For: I don't really feel like I've had my moneysworth out of this shirt.
Against: Tricky to iron, a bit large. Shapeless collar without a tie.

The Great Shirt Review-Gi-Oh: Wednesday 6th June

Today's shirt is a cotton five-colour stripe on white, with a single cuff (with two buttons) from Burtons.

It's the newest shirt in my wardrobe, slim-fit, with darts on the rear, and side gussets (those little triangle bits at the bottom of the side seams). It's received two positive comments already today.

Vital statistics:
Price: 2/5
Colour: 4/5 (the highest we've seen so far)
Fabric: 3/5
Fit: 4/5 (sleeves too long)
Total: 13/20
Special features: Crazy stripes, side gussets

Review-Gi-Oh! summary:
For: Great shirt, stunning colours, brand new.
Against: Sleeves too long.
This one could be the first keeper!

The Great Shirt Review-Gi-Oh: Tueday 5th June

The first day of the Great Shirt Review-Gi-Oh!

Today's shirt is a 100% cotton shirt from Next. It's white, with a blue check, about 2cm square. The double (or French) cuffs are rounded and the collar is cutaway, also known as a Windsor collar.

The body's a little large - it's not a fitted shirt, and I'm not a big chap - but the sleeves are about the perfect length.

This is one of my older shirts, bought when I first started my dalliance with cotton double-cuffs. I think I probably paid about £20.

Vital statistics:
Price: 1/5
Colour: 3/5
Fabric: 1/5
Fit: 2/5

Total: 7/20
Special features: Pocket on left breast

Review-Gi-Oh! summary:
For: Great shirt, one of my favourites, sentimental value.
Against: It's pretty thin, pretty tired, a bit large. Shapeless collar without a tie.

Announcing the Great Shirt Review-Gi-Oh!

My nephew likes to play a trading card game called Yu-Gi-Oh! (I think the exclaimation mark is part of the trademark), the rules of which are impenentrable to me, and seem to change in order to favour him winning whenever he plays against me.

This very game provides the inspiration for solving my shirt problem: the Great Shirt Review-Gi-Oh!

Instead of coolly and rationally picking the shirts I wear least, or that fit poorly, I've come up with a scheme both cunning and laborious. I'll wear every shirt for a day - that's one shirt a day for the next two weeks - and do a little comparison between them. I'll evaluate them for fit and fabric, for colour and style. It'll be like a play-off, Top Trumps for my wardrobe. The ones that don't make the cut get donated to a charity shop of my choosing.

I won't pre-judge the outcome, just let it happen and see where it leads.

It's time for the Great Shirt Review-Gi-Oh. Let battle commence!