Let’s be honest, summer is just an unnecessary distraction from buying and wearing lovely big coats.
Festivals? Vacations? Both fine, but filling your wardrobe with near-identical outerwear is what life is really about. And thankfully it’s almost time for our favourite sartorial season: Autumn.
It’s an awkward transitional period that calls for versatile clothing. That’s where overshirts come in.
Heavier than a normal shirt and lighter than a jacket, leading many (lazy, incorrect) people to dub them ‘shackets’, the understated overshirt has roots in utilitarian 20th century workwear but has become a style staple over the past decade.
They come in a variety of fabrics – twill, cotton, chambray, you pick – but all put in a shift against unpredictable weather. What’s more, they can slide underneath your coat to lend you extra layers in the frosty depths of winter. You need one, in other words.
To help you out we’ve rounded up some of the best overshirts available right now:
Universal Works
The ‘Baker’ chore jacket has been Universal Works’ best-selling piece for over a decade, and that should come as no surprise. It’s a modern staple with a storied history. And while the style has been rejigged time and time again in a range of fabrics and colours, this indigo Mr Porter exclusive made of lightweight slub-cotton is one of our favourites.
Bakers Slub-Cotton Overshirt, mrporter.com
Mr P
Too much mustard gets up your nose? Nonsense. This Mr P Cuban collared overshirt, made from a puckered cotton-corduroy that’s not too dissimilar to seersucker, is a great way to inject some brightness into your muted autumn wardrobe.
Cotton-Corduroy Overshirt, mrporter.com
Topman
You don’t need to spend big to get a quality overshirt. Topman have a wide selection in a range of colours, but this khaki two pocket is our top pick.
Khaki Two Pocket Overshirt, topman.com
