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S MEN WHO ARE CONTINUOUSLY LOOKING TO IMPROVE OUR STYLE, WE’RE ALL ASPIRING TO HAVE OUR CLOTHING CUSTOM MADE FOR US. UNFORTUNATELY, THIS ISN’T REALISTIC FOR EVERY GUY OUT THERE . THE NEXT BEST THING TO CUSTOM IS KNOWING WHICH RTW MEN’S SHIRTING BRANDS OFFER THE BEST FITTING SHIRTS FOR THE BEST PRICES. HERE AT GENUINE, WE’RE ALL ABOUT DOING THE RESEARCH AND FINDING THE BEST MENSWEAR BRANDS THAT YOU SHOULD BE WEARING. THE FOLLOWING 5 MEN’S SHIRTING BRANDS PROVIDE A WIDE RANGE OF BOTH GREAT FIT AND GREAT VALUE IN MEN’S RTW SHIRTING. THESE ARE YOUR ANSWERS TO FINDING THE BEST READY-TO-WEAR SHIRTS ON THE MARKET.
TWILLORY - $$
The RTW brand we talk about a lot on Genuine Men’s Magazine, Twillory, offers wonderfully crafted shirts for a fraction of the price that other brands charge. Small details, like free collar stays, mother of pearl buttons and free shipping, prove Twillory is a great value for those looking to build their shirting wardrobe. Their deals include 2 for $99 or 3 for $149 and offer two types of fits - tailored and traditional. Neck and sleeve lengths are on par with most RTW shirts, but don’t expect the typical billowy sleeves. Their wide variety of shirt patterns consist of different plaids, ginghams, checks and even window panes. They now even offer some of the safest non-iron dress shirts on the market (most non-iron shirts are treated with formaldehyde to keep them from wrinkling). These wrinkle-free shirts also save on the laboring time ironing. Unlike most big retailers, Twillory insists on trying to give back as much as they can. For every shirt you buy, they send you a mailer bag to send in your old shirts to donate to Career Gear. They’re a young brand that are just getting better with age
HUGH AND CRYE - $$
Hugh & Crye, a Washington D.C shirt maker that was created in 2009 by Pranav Vora, offers a uniqueness in their fitting process which only takes a few minutes to determine what size might be best for your body type. They were one of the few early brands to developed a great cult following and constantly impress us with their variety of offerings. They’ve touched on so many great details of RTW shirt making. At almost 12 different size options and 8 different collar styles, H&C has a larger range than most of its competitors. Starting with their standard issue white pointed collar shirts, they now offer other garments, like the perfect fitting t-shirt, short sleeve popover shirts and even great fitting blazers. Every year they’ve gained traction and continue to expand offerings to men who are in need of a few great wardrobe staples. Their prices for dress shirts start at the $85 mark, but you can rest assure they frequently have great items in their sale section for around $65. How great of a deal is that? Be sure to go to their site and sign up for their newsletter and you can earn a free shirt or get an additional 10% off your first order.
SPIERS & MACKEY - $
Our next RTW shirt brand comes to us all the way from Canada. Spiers & Mackey started in 2004 as a custom made-to-order shirt company and now provides budget friendly dress shirts at an affordable and fair price. They offer a bit more in terms of product selection with both OTR/ MTM suiting, trouser, polos, and even men’s accessories. Here’s why we love Spiers & Mackey: #1. Their 3 different sizes (classic, contemporary and slim) are similar in build to shirt sizes from retailers like Charles Tyrwhitt or Brooks Brothers. #2. A large selection of styles means great options for someone looking for something new in their wardrobe. Different collars, fabrics weights, cuffs… there’s no telling how many great variety of shirts you can come across. Purchase wardrobe staples such as contrast club collar shirt, or be different with a great button-down collar polka dotted shirt. #3. Price. They have bundle pricing options which drops shirts to almost $60 each and in some cases, even $30 a shirt. That’s a steal for the variety and quality you’re getting. We’ve found a variety of other people who have reviewed their shirts. HERE, HERE, and HERE. Make sure you give Spiers & Mackey a try if you’re looking for some great RTW shirting.
LEDBURY - $$$$
Labeled as “Luxury Men’s Shirts”, Ledbury really gives you everything you need in a shirt. Another Washington D.C based company, they’ve elevated their brand to a higher level than some of the others on this list. While they may seem higher priced for most of the GMM readers, let’s try and put it into perspective why you should invest in a $150 dollar dress shirt. # 1. Two different fits (classic & slim), MOP buttons and a LARGE variety of fabrics. #2. Their shirts have the option for a customized sleeve in 0.5″ increments. This level of personalization isn’t seldom with any of the “off the rack” shirt makers we’ve encountered, and is another testament to Ledbury wanting you to have the best fitting shirt possible. #3. Their website is extremely easy to navigate, so finding the perfect shirt is no sweat. #4. YES, THEY HAVE A SALE SECTION! Sizes can be hit or miss, but there are definitely some great deals to be had. If you’re looking to really improve your wardrobe and want a shirt that is as close as one can get to being MTM, Ledbury is it.
KAMAKURA - $$
Inspired by the Ivy League look of the United States and the British tailoring of England, comes an unlikely competitor all the way from Japan. Kamakura has long taken the art of the men’s dress shirt and made it their duty to keep its manufacturing a sacred tradition. In 2012, they opened their first New York location in Midtown, in an attempt to break into the then flooded men’s market of Brooks Brothers and Charles Tyrwhitt. They’re known for their traditional button down collar shirts…always a staple in any man’s wardrobe. While their online reviews are mostly glowing, they do have a few minor inadequacies as most RTW shirts do. #1. They only have two a confusing their sizing chart is compared to some other big manufacturers. The shirt neck and sleeve measurements are a bit abnormal. So if you’re in the NY Metro area, we recommend stopping into one of their stores. (Here’s link to their sizing chart) #3. Last but not least, some say that their fabrics don’t break in as well as the BB or CT shirts after a few washes. Obviously this is all based all on personal opinion, but we want you to be aware of what others are saying. In our opinion, Kamakura is top-notch RTW at its best! Visit Kamakura online and see if they’re offering is right for you.
