It would be easy to ignore the difference between fully fashioned and normal T-shirts or polos. There aren’t many around, and the distinction is subtle. But good examples of the former create a very distinctive look.
Ninety-nine per cent of T-shirts are made out of pieces that have been cut from a larger sheet of knitted cotton. No matter what type of cotton is used, therefore, they are always going to feel and wear in a different way to a fully fashioned T-shirt.
You know how a lightweight sweater feels? How the seams have a greater rigidity, but the material itself can stretch more, yet hold a shape? That’s how a fully fashioned T-shirt – like those made by John Smedley (shown above) feels.
I’ve worn Smedley’s polo shirts for a while. The prime reason is their formality, or smartness. A regular polo shirt is fine with shorts and trainers, for a more casual look (I recommend Orlebar Brown), but a fully fashioned polo can actually look dressy – with leather loafers and smart chinos, for instance, or even with a light hopsack blazer.
Smedley has three cotton varieties, of which I wear Adrian (the slimmer fit).
T-shirts, in many instances, aren’t meant to look dressy. But they can be very useful for wear under knitwear. Layering knitwear looks great in the winter, but isn’t really an option in the summer. Wear a fully fashioned T-shirt under a cotton shawl-collar cardigan, however, and the result is much cooler and equally as smart: the neckline immediately elevates it above regular T-shirts.
Last year, Smedley also introduced a fully fashioned T-shirt in pure silk (the Nice), which is beautiful to wear. It looks similar to cotton, with a touch more lustre. But it feels very different on. True luxury in a T-shirt.
Smedley, by the way, are making some efforts to improve their website. You can now filter garments by many more things, such as slim fits and sleeve length, both from the top menu and on a page list.
It still has its bugs, but if you use a maker like that as a supplier of so many basics in your wardrobe (as I do), these things are significant. Smedley are also offering a discount on social media at the moment: using code FF2015 for 20% off until May 1.
On a recent post someone actually asked if I was sponsored by Smedley, given I write about them so much. It’s probably worth saying that no, Smedley do not pay for any coverage. And neither does anyone else.
Unlike a depressingly large number of menswear sites today, no one can pay for space on Permanent Style. You can advertise, but that’s it. I like that clarity – in what I read as well as what I write.
Simon, thank you for another excellent article on Smedley and the clarification about your relationship with the company. I have a number of Smedley pieces, all Fall/Winter, and have found the quality and design simply superb. Currently I’m considering the company’s sea island cotton goods, primarily the Colton and Finchley models, and am looking forward to my first purchase.
“Ninety-nine per cent of T-shirts are made out of pieces that have been cut from a larger sheet of woven cotton”
Really? I’ve seen very few woven t-shirts, and they’re usually meant for athletic wear. The standard t-shirt is knitted in a fine jersey stitch. Even the Nice looks like a knitted shirt.
You’re right Matt, of course. That was late last night and I meant fully fashioned v cut-and-sew. Changes made
Cheers
Haha. I’ve done things like that too late at night.
Simon, In looking at the Smedley t-shirts and they’re all in the slim fit model. I currently wear sunspel tees, based on your reccomendation, in size large and the fit is excellent. I also wear size large,easy fit model in the other Smedleys that I own and the fit is very good as well. At5’11”, 185lbs,43″ inch chest would the Smedley tee fit me if I went to an xl or even the xxl?
I wear a small and a large respectively, so possibly an XL, but it’s hard to be specific given I don’t wear either size myself
Hi Simon, thanks for another good article. I’m still confused about the difference between a “fully-fashioned” tee from a run-of-the-mill tee. Is the “fully-fashioned” one cut from one single piece and the run-of-the-mill cobbled together with many pieces? Or is it rather that the “fully-fashioned” tee actually is of a finer fabric, and so feels that way? Sort of like the feel you get from a dress shirt of broad cloth or poplin versus a beefy ocbd shirt? My experience has primarily been the webby tees that remind me of your typical store bought briefs.
It’s less about the material and more about the make. Think of it like a very thin sweater….
Simon,
How do the Smedley T-shirts compare to the Sunspel you previously recommended?
Very different. It’s not a question of quality, but of style that comes through the method of production.
Smedley T-shirts are fully fashioned, which makes them feel like a thin sweater – unusual, more dressy, and a very different feel.
Sunspel is a regular T-shirt – cut and sewn from knitted cotton. But of the regular T-shirts, it’s my favourite.
Hope that’s helpful
Hello Simon, I have a weird and off topic question so please excuse me for that. I have gone through a lot of body modifications in the past few years, I’ve lost 35 kg and now I’m in the process of building lean muscular mass. I’ve also developed a passion for classic menswear, though I haven’t acted on it yet. The main reason is that I think I am at least 2 years away in gaining muscle mass from reaching the perfect aesthetic. But I just can’t wait any longer. I feel like I’ve accumulated enough knowledge to buy the stuff that would make me look stilish. I worry that if I invest a lot of money now the clothes won’t fit me in a couple years. I’ve also read that bespoke tailors leave an allowance so in case you gain weight they can modify the fit a little. So, is my only option bespoke?
Bespoke would certainly have more allowance for that kind of thing, but on the other hand they will never be able to adjust everything, and you will lose that perfect fit if your body is going to change a lot.
I’d hold off, and perhaps invest in things like shoes and accessories. If you care about fit on clothing, long term, it will best suit a body which is consistent – perhaps consistently ripped, but which doesn’t change radically
Is it fair to say that the cotton t-shirt can now be considered on a par with bespoke tailoring in terms of quality and formality? Only, I notice that Gieves & Hawkes, Admiral Lord Nelson’s uniform makers, are now selling them.
To be fair Mac, Gieves have long sold ready-made clothing. And it’s a lot better quality now than it has been for years.
no matter how much money i possessed (or my credit card allowed me), i could not spend one hundred quid on a t shirt, no matter where or how it was made. another fiver buys you a drake’s jacquard, for goodness sake.
Would you spend it on a sweater?
It’s strange, I’d spend that sort of money on a John Smedley polo shirt but not a John Smedley T shirt. Part of my brain can’t get over the fact that it’s ‘just a T shirt’.
yes, i’d spend it on a sweater, and a lot more than a hundred quid these days, of course. i should have said in my previous that i’ve always considered t shirts to be underwear. i only really wear them under a shirt in the wintertime.
Thanks – that’s very different, yes.
If you ever want something more significant under a shawl-collar cardigan, you know what my recommendation would be!
Simon,
Whats the collar like on these? I just tried two slim fit small garments from JS and I could barely get my head through the collar opening. They seem to make the collar inforced with a standard non stretch stitch which means it limits the amount of give in that area. I understand why thats done but imho they got the collar opening diameter wrong as it seems kid size (or my head is huge).
Rgds,
T.
I do find them small sometimes too, but that’s the collar you’ll get with a fully fashioned, fine merino. Seams don’t have much stretch.
Just a quick update on the sizing with JS, which I find to be pretty strange to be honest, curious if this is something you came across as well Simon. I already have an Adrian polo in small and apart from the collar opening which is a tad too small when buttoned up, the rest of the garment fits almost spot on. The area around the buttons seems to pull a bit, but I’ve seen a few photos online and I think this is typical as there’s no reinforcement behind the buttons and the cotton is rather soft and delicate so the material moves a bit. This is easily fixable when the garment is washed as you can shape the cotton a bit.
Yesterday I’ve ordered two more slim fit garments from JS, this time Mediums, as Small can sometimes shrink in the wash and overall end up looking like something borrowed from a younger brother. I got the Roth Pique polo, nice collar, Medium length is good, could be an inch tighter in the body, but apart from that a nice indeed slim fit. Now the funny bit here is the opening of the sleeves, I’ve got pretty skinny arms and on a Medium these are tight. The other garment is a Tyburn, also Medium and this fits more like a Small, sleeves are on the verge of too short, body is too short (and I do have a short body anyway) and overall the whole garment is simply too tight.
So my question is, how come one slim fit garment in a Medium is so different from another slim fit one? I know there’s some cut changes between various models but I wouldn’t expect such massive differences. Also wasn’t expecting the sleeves on the Roth to be so tight in a Medium, just doesn’t make sense and doesn’t fit the rest of the garment cut (I understand seeing this on the Tyburn as the whole thing seems to be undersized).
Cheers,
Tom
Regarding T-shirts, any comment on Derek Rose? I have about a dozen of their micromodals and they look and feel good to me, but I’m tempted by Smedley in light of article, and this thread.
They’re nice for the price, yes, though like the vast majority of t-shirts they are not fully fashioned like these Smedley ones