The Oxford Shirt

This American staple has been re-imagined with a better fit in mind.

A brief history of the Oxford Shirt

The humble beginnings of this shirt take us back to 19th century Europe. Competition between rival Scottish mills in particular was fierce, and one new weave broke out as a consumer favorite for men’s shirts shortly after being introduced – the Oxford cloth.

Similar to its scholastic namesake, this weave has become well known all over the world with subtle innovations over time. One of which was the button-down collar. It was polo players that started to modify their collars by pinning them down with a button to keep them out of their faces as they compete on horseback. Over time this buttoned-down collar trend became popular on both sides of the Atlantic and the American oxford-cloth button down shirt was born.

Oxford Shirts for Leisure

We designed the Hugh & Crye oxford cloth button down, or OCBD, with a complete and utter commitment to leisure. It can be a state of mind, a long drive, or much-anticipated weekend away. The places you go and company you keep are often equally as important as the things you choose to leave behind. One item you won’t want to forget is the Hugh & Crye oxford shirt, a shirt that works for whatever may unfold.

While the button-down collar shirt may be a staple of American menswear, our new oxford shirt is far from your dad’s outdated billowy version. Ours maintains an air of modernity thanks to the signature H&C tapered fit and 13 distinct colorways, ranging from light peach to rich eggplant. Convertible mitered cuffs add to the versatility of a shirt acceptable for casual days at work or relaxing times of leisure. Each oxford shirt also undergoes a special wash for an incredibly soft yet resilient finish making it the perfect shirt to toss in a duffel or wear slightly unkempt without a second thought.

In order to capture the feeling of ease and leisure, we shot this collection of Oxford shirts in the town of Poolesville, Maryland, at a farm along Sugarland Road.