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The white oxford shirt, or, a rant about RL

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rwjones

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Discussion starter · #1 ·
I have several identical white Polo Ralph Lauren "Yarmouth" oxford shirts that I wore every day in high school (along with my requisite blazer and tie). They held up until now (post-college.. got about 6 years out of them!) but are starting to yellow on the underarms and collar to an irreversible degree. I have become quite disgusted with the entire Ralph Lauren enterprise since the gigantic-polo-player-logo fiasco, the team up with JC Penney, and the bastardization of all things sartorially associated with rugby and tennis, not to mention the precipitously declining craftsmanship and overall tackiness of the brand presently. I'm in the market for some new plain white button down collar oxford shirts. I'd like to avoid external logos if at all possible, but I see BB has a nice looking hanging-fleece-adorned sport shirt that is slim-fit which is good because I'm very slender. The current price on Polo.com for the running equivalent of the RL Yarmouth is something like $90 if I remember correctly. Is it worth it, or is the construction shoddy?

Has anyone tried the "Thomas Mason for J. Crew" shirts? Or can anyone suggest a shirt that might be of interest to me?
 
#2 ·
I lost faith in the label much longer ago than you (late 80's) so I am not familiar with the quality of the 6 year old yarmouth's you were using. When I was in college I wore Brooks Brothers OCBD's. But I have to say I've been quite disappointed with the quality of late--nothing like what I remember from college and quite huge (even the slim fit). However, the Black Fleece Thom Browne button downs are a revelation. Stiffer and better cut/constructed than the old ones I had in college, terrific quality--but very expensive at $150 each. There were some models on sale recently at $75, but not the white button downs. While the sale continues, I'm back ordered on all the ones I ordered and it doesn't look good. OTOH, my girlfriend found me some in the Boston store on sale in my size, so for less than $90. this is by far the best OCBD on the market for my money, and the closest to the old 80s quality stuff we fondly remember.
 
#3 ·
I have always felt that BB OCBD's were cut enormously in the body.

The yellowing in the underarm you are experiencing is from your anti-perspirant.
 
#4 ·
I would recommend you check out lands end and have them "custom" made. For the same money you are talking about you can get a highly tailored OCBD that is tuned to both your basic shirt measurements as well as your body type, arm size, chest, stomach etc. Its not a MTM exactly but its very close and what you might (might!) sacrifice in quality of construction and longevity you will make up for in far more accurate fit.

Go to lands end and click on their custom shirt link. I would get one as both proof of concept and as a starting point in case you want to tweak the next one or five to better match your build. I have one OBCD from them and another on the way with slightly tighter measurements as I lost a bit of weight since the first one but it seems to be a solid oxford cloth shirt. I wouldn't get dress shirts from them but I would trust them as my go-to OBCD company PLUS there is no logo (just my initials on the cuff! optional however).
 
#7 ·
rwjones said:
1. I have several identical white Polo Ralph Lauren "Yarmouth" oxford shirts.
2. I wore every day in high school. They held up until now (post-college.. got about 6 years out of them!)
3. but are starting to yellow on the underarms and collar to an irreversible degree.
Click to expand...
1. Do you have any non-white RL shirts

2. If you have 5 RL white shirts and wore each one once weekly, 6 years is a good run for something you have worn 200-300 times. Based on a $90 price, that is $0.30-$0.45 per wear. If this is true, you should purchase another 5 RL shirts.

3. This relates to the first question, because it may be a deodorant issue. Have you changed your deodorant in the past year or so. You put on your deodorant before you out on your shirt.
 
Discussion starter · #8 ·
Regarding the arithmetic:
I wore them once a week throughout the latter two years of high school in which I owned them, and much less frequently after I graduated. Also, I wore them for six hours a day during high school, not an average eight or nine for an employed person.

A few months ago I learned about the antiperspirant issue and have since changed to a regular deodorant (Tom's of Maine), which definitely slowed the discoloration but couldn't turn back time. The upper back of the shirt is also showing a bit of yellowing. I've bleached them once or twice but am suspicious of bleach because I know it deteriorates fabric over time.

I think the Thom Browne BB line is out of reach, but I've tried on a handful of those items and they fit me very well because they're quite suitable for my body type (38 chest).
 
#9 ·
Anti-perspirant is a waste. I find I sweat almost as much wearing it as I do with regular deodorant.
 
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Discussion starter · #10 ·
I agree - I find that antiperspirant cuts down on perspiration for about 3-4 hours but then I actually sweat MORE between then and when I can re-apply it. Switching to regular deodorant was definitely a good decision. I generally use Old Spice or Tom's of Maine Woodspice. My only complaint with the latter is that I need to apply it more than once a day. I'm looking for a longer-acting deodorant in a masculine scent.
 
#11 ·
rwjones said:
Regarding the arithmetic:
I wore them once a week throughout the latter two years of high school in which I owned them, and much less frequently after I graduated. Also, I wore them for six hours a day during high school, not an average eight or nine for an employed person.
Click to expand...
That does not matter, there would be little condition difference if you wore the shirt for 6 hours or 8 hours, assuming the environment and working conditions are the same.

rwjones said:
A few months ago I learned about the antiperspirant issue and have since changed to a regular deodorant (Tom's of Maine), which definitely slowed the discoloration but couldn't turn back time. The upper back of the shirt is also showing a bit of yellowing. I've bleached them once or twice but am suspicious of bleach because I know it deteriorates fabric over time.
Click to expand...
It is better to use the deodorant and then put on the shirt rather then shirt first, something to take note if you put the shirt on first or use the deodorant during the day too.

You should start to hand-wash the shirts, not after every wear but maybe every other wear. Sometimes laundering clothes does not remove all the marks, hand-washing does not require that much more effort, it just takes longer.
 
#13 ·
are people now not wearing undershirts?

Prior to wearing undershirts- such as high school and early college- I wrecked shirts. I haven't had a "pit stain" problem at all since I did that and at one point I was about 25 lbs heavier than I am now, but nary a shirt damaged.
 
#14 ·
The OCBD I mentioned as "on the way" arrived today and I can say that the BB oxford cloth I have on another shirt feels slightly heavier than the one I just got but the fit is fantastic. While a lot of RLPL Shirts are balloons (as are the BB's, maybe even worse) This happens to fit perfectly in the body. I would like to have the shoulders maybe come in half an inch (which I may be able to accommodate on the next shirt, I am not 100% sure) but otherwise its basically perfect.

I did recently get a BB dress shirt using their MTM program and that fits REALLY perfectly but I was measured for that a dozen different ways in person, this was over the web and not fully tape-measure results dependent. Some of the "measurements" are pictures of people with varying degrees of gut and biceps etc. but actual measurements as well. The whole thing including shipping was $57. I dont recall if that was a discounted price but really, how can you go wrong at that price?
 
Discussion starter · #15 ·
deanayer, did you confuse BB with LE in your reply? BB MTM shirts start at ~$130.

bbcrock, I often do wear undershirts, but not all the time - especially in warm weather or when I have an open collar (I don't like when the undershirt can be seen near the clavicle). Also, when wearing a white dress shirt (Tyrwhitt Sea Island for me), I don't like how one can make out the outline of the undershirt underneath the sleeves of the dress shirt. Pet peeve. Beyond that, an undershirt won't protect the yellowing of the collar.
 
#16 · (Edited)
Chi said:
I have always felt that BB OCBD's were cut enormously in the body.

The yellowing in the underarm you are experiencing is from your anti-perspirant.
Click to expand...
Yep. Undershirts are a necessity. I realize the standard-issue, crew neck variety can look ugly/dorky when you unbutton the collar of your shirt, but that's what v-neck undershirts are for. V-neck t-shirts are your best friend when it comes to protecting your overshirts from sweat stains and antiperspirant stains.

rwjones said:
I often do wear undershirts, but not all the time - especially in warm weather or when I have an open collar (I don't like when the undershirt can be seen near the clavicle). Also, when wearing a white dress shirt (Tyrwhitt Sea Island for me), I don't like how one can make out the outline of the undershirt underneath the sleeves of the dress shirt. Pet peeve. Beyond that, an undershirt won't protect the yellowing of the collar.
Click to expand...
V-neck undershirts will eliminate the seeing-your-shirt-near-the-clavicle problem when wearing an open collar. As for making out the outline of the undershirt beneath the shirt, that may happen with thinner-fabric shirts under the right lighting conditions. It's just one of the hazards of the trade, I guess. When all is said and done, I'd rather that happen to me than the pits on my shirt get visibly sweaty, and/or the antiperspirant under my arms stain my shirt. :)
 
#17 ·
rwjones said:
deanayer, did you confuse BB with LE in your reply? BB MTM shirts start at ~$130.

bbcrock, I often do wear undershirts, but not all the time - especially in warm weather or when I have an open collar (I don't like when the undershirt can be seen near the clavicle). Also, when wearing a white dress shirt (Tyrwhitt Sea Island for me), I don't like how one can make out the outline of the undershirt underneath the sleeves of the dress shirt. Pet peeve. Beyond that, an undershirt won't protect the yellowing of the collar.
Click to expand...
to clarify - the LE shirt was $57 with shipping, the BB was a lot more and I had to go to the damn store to get it since nobody asked if I wanted it shipped straight to me house.
 
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deanayer
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