Clothing > Shirts
13 Best Oxford Shirts for Men
There are certain things in life, and in menswear, you need to be able to count on consistently. In life, that might be the changing of the seasons, and in the style world, that might be – among other staples – the reliability of the Oxford shirt. The phrase “tried and true” comes to mind, because that’s exactly what the Oxford shirt is, year after year.
- The Oxford shirt is as much a staple of an effortlessly well-dressed man as blue jeans and tan chinos.
- A classic Oxford should always have a button-down collar.
- Oxford fabric is thicker than what you would normally see in a dress shirt.
I’ve found the Oxford shirt to be one of the most versatile men’s shirts on the market. It can be worn in crisp, dressy fashion underneath a soft-shouldered navy blazer for days on the job, and some of the best Oxford shirts for men can even pull double-duty when worn untucked alongside stretch chinos or even dark blue jeans.
For that type of style move, I’d recommend selecting a garment-dyed or broken-in Oxford shirt, of which you’ll find more than a few among my picks for the best men’s Oxford shirts.
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Although once known mostly for its chinos, Bonobos is now so much more than that. Its Oxford shirt is smartly cut, neither too tight nor too relaxed. It’s made from soft stretch fabric, a must in these days of refined comfort, and it comes in a wide array of sizes and colors. It’s a surefire winner all around.
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Bonobos Stretch Oxford Shirt
I’ve said it plenty of times – the men’s clothing brand that makes your favorite chinos now can do so much more than that, including your new favorite Oxford shirt.
In my experience, Bonobos shirts are just as high-quality as the brand’s famed trousers. I appreciate the helpful, comfortable stretch fabric as well as the array of style options, and perhaps you’ll feel the same way.
Bonobos is another company that knocks it out of the park when it comes to fit (choose from options including Slim and Athletic) as well as value and versatility.
For good measure, these shirts pair expertly with chinos, denim and joggers in a plethora of cool colors. And Bonobos went a step further with modern innovation, incorporating helpful stretch into this old-school staple.
Buck Mason Campus Knit Oxford Buttondown
It’s easy to think of the Oxford shirt in the context of all-American menswear must-haves, and Buck Mason takes that inspiration to heart with its own on the style staple. That echoes through in the name itself (like the shirts worn on college quads years ago), as well as the classic nature of the shirt’s design.
The yarn-dyed Oxford knit is, like all the best Oxford shirts, sturdy but easy to wear, with nice texture and a pleasingly lived-in feel.
The Oxford shirt is already the ultimate mix-and-match fashion, and this one just might take the cake among the best iterations of the silhouette.
Taylor Stitch Jack Shirt
There’s a reason Taylor Stitch springs to mind when talking about plenty of the best menswear essentials, the Oxford shirt very much included. The Jack Shirt is a perfect encapsulation of the modern Oxford shirt.
The Jack Shirt was one of my first experiences wearing the brand, and I’ve found the company’s chest sizing system especially useful. I’ve also found the fabric of the Jack Shirt to be sturdy and yet softer with every wash – it’s an Oxford shirt truly built to last. And perhaps like me, once you buy a Jack Shirt from Taylor Stitch, you’ll want to add one to your rotation for every day of the week.
It’s a touch classic and a touch modern, now made from 100 percent organic rugby cotton that feels substantial without being too heavy.
It’s made to be worn tucked in or untucked, with a fit system based off chest sizes for a more precise shirt-wearing experience, and the buttondown collar features a pleasant roll, just like old-school shirts.
Lands’ End Traditional Fit Oxford Shirt
Lands’ End describes the fabric on its utterly classic Oxford shirt as “soft but substantial,” and that’s an ideal thing to search for as you scour the market for refreshed versions of the style.
The basketweave finish gives it texture and substance, while the agreeable price and crisp, classic colors are also huge bonuses to have in any shirting rotation.
This Oxford shirt is one to reach for when you want to nail a preppy, refined look – it would wear especially well with a shawl cardigan or navy wool blazer.
Brooks Brothers Regent Fit Made in America Oxford Shirt
Look no further than Brooks Brothers if you want to trace the history of the Oxford shirt in the States, since the pioneering company turned the shirt into a daily staple for well-dressed gentlemen everywhere.
The company has gone more modern with its fits in recent years, but the Regent fit is a regular fit option that should work well for most guys. Most notably, it’s made with care in America, something you won’t often find nowadays, and it’s as sharp a white Oxford shirt as you’ll find (style it with your favorite navy blazer for good measure).
Flint and Tinder Donegal Architect Shirt
Although best known for its rugged Waxed Trucker Jacket, Flint and Tinder (via Huckberry) can do more polished style staples with the best of them.
Here, that means putting its own spin on a certified menswear classic, the kind you can wear to roll up your sleeves and get to dreaming and designing.
In this case, they used thicker Donegal fabric for more texture and a workwear type of feel, and they also designed it with a bi-swing back and split side vent for ease of movement. With texture and durability top of mind, it’s a tried-and-true Huckberry winner.
Billy Reid Tuscumbia Classic Shirt
Billy Reid knows a thing or two about designing menswear pieces with longevity. As I’ve said before at WERD, the Alabama-based, award-winning designer tries his hand at pieces that he’d personally love to wear, which is one of the things that makes this brand so great.
When it comes to the Tuscumbia Shirt, that means perfecting what Reid calls “lived in luxury.” The collar rolls perfectly, the fabric is soft and gets better with age, and the fit is timeless and flattering.
Everlane Organic Oxford Shirt
Everlane tends to go the extra mile in turning standard menswear essentials from good to great.
In the case of this Oxford shirt, that meant revamping the fabric to 100 percent organic cotton for a sustainable touch in keeping with the brand’s transparent production policies.
That also meant opting for a classic fit, one that’s more roomy than tailored, but still flattering. Taken together, it means they’re making one of the best Oxford shirts for men.
Charles Tyrwhitt Oxford Weave Shirt
Head over to England to find one of the most true-to-form examples of the original Oxford shirt, with plenty of accurate details and carefully considered design. You’ll find options made from sleek, non-wrinkle and no-iron fabric, but its the Button-Down Collar Washed Oxford Shirt, made from 100 percent cotton, that checks the right boxes in our book as far as the best men’s Oxford shirts are concerned.
Touches like the rolled collar itself and the chest pocket are small, on-point touches, while colorways like Stone and Ocean Blue shake things up from the norm just enough.
Todd Snyder Favorite Oxford Shirt
New York-based designer Todd Snyder has quite the penchant for taking throwback picks and making them modern and wearable for today’s well-dressed man, including the collegiate-inspired Oxford shirt.
The designer makes one of my personal favorite Oxford shirts, and the name itself of this shirt notes that Snyder designed it to reflect his own tastes.
The fabric is surprisingly supple yet durable, the fit is tailored without being overly tight, and in my experience, this shirt looks great untucked or tucked in beneath one of my favorite blazers.
The style is one that can be worn with everything from rolled selvedge denim (also sold by Snyder) to linen dress pants in the warmer months, and the fit and details of this shirt are spot-on.
Perhaps that’s why it earned the “Favorite” tag, since it’s meant to get every portion (from fit to the cool button chest pocket) absolutely correct. Opt for an eye-catching striped option as a nice change of pace from neutral colors.
Alex Mill Shirt in Garment-Dyed Oxford
Alex Drexler, the son of former J.Crew CEO Mickey Drexler, founded his brand with a simple vision: Make menswear and women’s wear that’s, well simple, functional, breezy and timeless.
At its core are cool, on-trend yet timeless staples like chore coats, faded denim and garment-dyed blazers, plus this well-made Oxford shirt.
The garment-dyed fabric is extremely soft to the touch, the fit is tailored but not too tight, and the fact that you can mix and match this shirt with Alex Mill trousers and cozy sweaters is a nice bonus, too.
J.Crew Organic Cotton Broken-In Oxford Shirt
If you trust J.Crew to make an affordable tailored suit and other go-to items like your favorite henley and expertly lived-in jeans, why not turn to the venerable American retailer for another timeless pick?
When I first discovered the versatility of the Oxford shirt, I immediately turned to J.Crew to dial in my perfect fit and preferences. The “Broken-In” moniker is an ideal fit indeed, with super-soft fabric and classic Oxford shirt details.
I’ve also found that this Oxford shirt can be worn easily with a pair of faded stretch jeans from the brand, or with a pair of crisply cut chinos and brown leather dress shoes at the office.
Four fit options (including options for taller guys) deliver agreeable styling potential for practically everyone. Beyond that, the price is outstanding for J.Crew’s consistent quality, and you’ve got your pick of 15 bright, engaging color and pattern picks beyond just crisp blue or white.
Reigning Champ Cotton Oxford Windsor Shirt
Perhaps you’ve experienced the hard-wearing longevity of Reigning Champ sportswear, which is designed and built in Canada with grueling training sessions top of mind.
The company models its gear off classic, time-honored sportswear, and they’ve certainly got an appreciation for heritage classics. It’s that appreciation that makes it a natural fit for the brand to design an Oxford shirt, which has plenty of preppy roots.
Using set-in sleeves with a fuller cut, this shirt is an easygoing yet sharp change of pace when you hang up your Reigning Champ hoodie for a dressier occasion.
Where did the Oxford Shirt originate?
So named for the Oxford cloth fabric used to weave the original Oxford shirts at a 19th-century Scottish mill, the best Oxford shirts today nod to that lineage while resting squarely in the pantheon of modern menswear classics.
The shirt owes its name to England’s own Oxford University, although the style was later co-opted by American college students in search of a historic prep look – yet another key part of the history of one of the best shirts for men to be found anywhere.
It really does seem like the best Oxford shirts are as all-American as they get, especially when worn with dusty tan chinos or blue jeans (also functional menswear staples that made their way into everyday life).
What are classic Oxford details?
Any way you look at it, the Oxford shirt features crucial details like a buttondown collar – used to keep the collar from flapping around when worn by British polo players, plus (oftentimes) a chest pocket, another more casual detail. And, note that Oxford fabric is heartier than, say, thinner fabrics used for dress shirts.
The Oxford shirt is, today, one of the best business casual style moves as well as a dependable go-anywhere shirt in virtually any season.
The best Oxford shirts are the type of shirt you can wear untucked with slim dark blue jeans, layered under a lightweight jacket or paired more casually (unbuttoned over a tasteful graphic tee, for instance).
Now that you know the basics of one of the best shirts for men, let’s sort out which Oxford shirt you need in your wardrobe.
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