The Oxford cotton shirt - where did it come from and why is it the perfect summer wardrobe staple?

Oxford cotton is a long standing favourite for shirting dating back to the 19th Century originally developed and woven by Scottish mills as a lightweight and breathable material to be worn by polo players. To stop the collar flapping in the wind, two small buttons were added and thus the button-down collar, or ‘polo collar’ was born.

The timeless design of the Oxford cotton shirt has been continued to be a menswear staple, having been adopted by British sub-cultures and even made famous by the likes of former president John F. Kennedy, Paul Newman and Steve McQueen. It is now something of an icon for men’s style.

This versatile and hard wearing basket weave cotton with its distinctive marled appearance is ideal for both smart and casual occasions and is hard to rival when it comes to summer comfort.

Earlier this year we introduced brand new Oxford cotton fabrics to our range of shirts bolstering our collection with two timeless summer wardrobe staples.

We have chosen a classic navy-blue Oxford cotton to combine with our standard button down shirt pattern and a smart blue stripe for a pop-over alternative.

We hope you like them!