Five Plus One is our weekly series of buyer’s guides. We pick a specific category and dig up five great options along with one that’s a little outside the norm.
It’s hard to beat the comfort of linen in the springtime, and while there are a lot of different shirt styles out there something about linen fabric and popovers just looks right. Some of you might prefer your linen popovers with short sleeves, but today we’ll be exploring those that go all the way.
1) East Harbour Surplus: Kirk Collarless Popver in White Linen
East Harbour Surplus’ Kirk Collarless Popover might just be the ultimate summer shirt. The minimalist design, with its lack of a true collar and half-length placket, works perfectly with the lightweight linen fabric. Whether you intend to wear this shirt with colorful chinos and some classic penny loafers or with your favorite pair of loose fitting selvedge jeans, this shirt is going to look great.
Available for $215 from Unionmade Goods.
2) LA Panoplie: Tencel/Linen Banded Collar Shirt
LA Panoplie seems to agree with East Harbour Surplus about the perfect design for a linen shirt: banded collar on a popover with a half-length placket. This shirt is composed of a 55%/45% linen/Tencel blend, which should maintain the light and comfortable nature of linen while taking advantage of the underutilized fiber known as Tencel (a sustainable modern fabric that is produced from wood fiber). This popover is dyed an understated pink color and features a rounded hem.
Available for $74 from Need Supply.
3) G. Inglese: Hand-Sewn Popover in White Linen
No Man Walks Alone always seems to find the very nicest products to stock, and their new Hand-Sewn Popover from G. Inglese is no different. It is constructed from a beautiful linen fabric, but more important than that is the fact that this piece is entirely hand-sewn in Italy. It features a lightly spread collar, half-length placket, simple mother of pearl buttons, and a hand-rolled hem.
Available for $325 from No Man Walks Alone.
4) Orvis: Long Sleeved Popover in Linen
Orvis’ Long Sleeved Popover is likely a bit divisive. While its basic design is fairly standard, its contrasting black buttons and western details (such as the from pockets and back yoke) are unlike other linen popovers on the market. That said, if you like the style you are unlikely to find a better deal on a 100% linen shirt. It’s available in two different colorways, a classic white and washed blue, and at its low price point you might as well just get both.
Available for $89 from Orvis.
5) Blluemade: French Pullover
New York’s Blluemade is all about linen (hence that second “L” in the name), importing only finest Belgian fabric to make their line of bottoms, accessories, and tops like this French Pullover. This unisex popover is inspired by a vintage piece from a nineteenth century French farmer and features a high gusseted hem, button breast pocket, and a single pleat at the end of the three-button placket.
Available for $260 at Blluemade.
Plus One – Engineered Garments: Banded Collar Long Shirt Black Handkerchief Linen
Engineered Garments’ Banded Collar Long Shirt is one of the more unique popovers on the market. Most of the details are fairly similar to other popovers, such as the banded color and half-length placket, but this shirts extra long length is quite different and recalls a South Asian kurta shirt. The extra length is split up with slits up the side seams, which makes it much more comfortable to wear while sitting and easier to access your pant’s hand pockets while standing.
Available for $271 from Blue Button Shop.