It's not Ralph Lauren
It's not LL Bean.
It's vintage 80's Lands' End - Made in USA"They're such beautiful shirts." Daisy
The Great Gatsby
At 80% wool 15% nylon 5% corduroy, I doubt Daisy Buchanan would give this shirt a second glance but it has enjoyed more female compliments in midtown Manhattan than any suit, Hermes tie or Turnbull & Asser shirt I own. It's beautiful, comfortable, humble and perfect for eating Herring.
I loved Land's End. In college they made the Cacafuego shirts for my dorm boat. I also owned their wet weather gear. Amazing quality for the price. Lands' End was the poor man's LL Bean in 1984 and I was a very poor man.
In the 90's, I was working in Chicago and was a fan of the Lands' End Hyde Park shirt. A heavy oxford that after a few washings starched up thick like card board. As I made a little more money the idea of spending $20 for a dress shirt seemed unwise. Probably because I didn't have children.
I tried Brooks Brothers, J. Press, Britches of Georgetown and Polo. Then a steep climb to the ampersands on Jermyn Street, Turnbull & Asser - Harvie & Hudson - Hilditch & Key. Stripes, gingham, brushed twill, broadcloth and candy stripe batiste.
Casual Fridays in the late 90's turned into casual everyday by 2002 and those ampersands didn't cut the sartorial mustard with chinos. They were Grey Poupon and I needed French's. I ventured into Sears to look at the Land's End department for my old friend, the Hyde Park. Good looking from a distance but not so much up close. Paper thin and a plastic feel to the cotton. Had Hyde turned into Jekyll or had I been in the tall cotton for too long?
But I have this simple Lands' End shirt from the mid-80's. Something special and today - very unique. Over the years the wool has turned as soft as Tracy Thorn's voice and I like to eat Herring when I wear it.
Next week's, Off My Back: The Mercer & Son's Oxford Shirt.
