After we reviewed a dress shirt from IGN Joseph and a Made-To-Measure shirt from J. Hilburn, we would like to present you with a review of a Deo Veritas dress shirt. Make sure to read our other dress shirt reviews, especially the mytailor shirt review.
Deo Veritas – The Company
Deo Veritas is a shirt company based out of Chicago, IL. Initially, their shirts were made in Hong Kong, but the shirt I received for this review were made in Turkey.
The Deo Veritas Dress Shirt
With so many online shirt manufacturers around, I honestly did not expect too much when I first examined the website of Deo Veritas. However, they offered a single needle stitching, mother of pearl buttons and, most importantly, the option to choose custom collars and features, which seemed above average.
The Deo Veritas Order Process
After we had agreed to work with Deo Veritas on this sponsored review, they provided us with a coupon code so we could order free shirts on their website. The website order configurator works, but it is not always super intuitive. For example, it did not save my measurements and special requests the first time around, but in the end, I was able to order just fine. Since I already have bespoke experience, I had my properly measured body measurements and used those. But I was also able to use shirt measurements, standard measurements or their Qsizing, where one uses standard data to determine the fit without having to measure.
On top of that, I was also able to provide pictures via email, which is helpful to get the fit right.
Once the order was complete, delivery of 10 – 14 days from order placement was advertised. My order was placed on Nov 3, 2016, and I received the first shirt on Nov 21 with TNT. Not all shirts were shipped at once in order to make sure the fit was right.
The Shirt Fabric
Their fabric selection is not huge but not small either, and they have enough options for most men. I opted for a light blue bamboo-cotton blend shirt which has almost a silky feel but wrinkles easily, as well as a striped cotton, checked cotton and mini-houndstooth cotton as well as a mini herringbone cotton shirt.
The Shirt Collar, Cuffs, Pocket and Placket
Online, they have several collar styles available, but I was also given the option to get a custom collar design, which was nice.
For details, I switched it up between the shirts. I went with double cuffs, button cuffs, standard collars, custom collars, mother of pearls buttons, no pocket, French placket, traditional placket and a tailored fit.
For further personalization, I was able to choose a monogram, which is machine stitched. Since I just wanted to test it, I had it embroidered inside the collar, where it is invisible for others.
I was also able to order a pocket square from the same fabric, but it was small and came with machine stitched edges, and I believe no gentleman should wear pocket squares with machine rolled hems.
The Deo Veritas Initial Shirt Result
In the past, I have had issues with the fact that one of my shoulders is more sloped than the other. However, I always provide pictures of my posture to tailors and shirtmakers, so they have a better understanding of my body. When the first Deo Veritas shirt arrived, the fit was not to my satisfaction. It was tight in the shoulders and upper sleeves and restricted my movement. When I lifted my arms the shirt moved up. For example, I was not able to eat comfortably wearing the shirt. However, in the waist, the fit was good.
The shirt seems to be machine sewn without any form of handwork, which I think is normal for this price category.
Deo Veritas Remake Shirt Results
I let Deo Veritas know about the issues I had and shared my thoughts with them. They offered to remake the shirt and the next shirt I received from them fit me much more comfortably than the first one.
These were the things I noticed on all Deo Veritas Shirts I received from this order:
No Button Shank
The buttons had no shank and hence the fabric wrinkles around the buttons on the placket, which is usually a hallmark of lower end shirts, as outlined in our $30 vs. $300 Dress Shirt Guide. Of course, I could cut all the buttons off and have them sewn back on with a shank at a local alterations tailor, but that’s costly and inconvenient.
Unbuttoned Collar Tips Do Not Rest On The Shirt
In my opinion, a good shirt will have collar tips that rest on the body at all times. The Deo Veritas shirts did not do that when unbuttoned. Only when I buttoned the collar and exchanged the plastic collar stays for metal ones, did I get that result. First, I thought it was just ironed incorrectly, and it would change after the shirt had been washed a few times, but it did not. The only Deoveritas shirt that didn’t do that was the one with the under-button-down collar where the collar is buttoned to the shirt, so it doesn’t move. I mostly wear a tie or bow tie, but if I wanted to go without a tie, I would not wear the shirt since I personally really dislike the look of collar tips that do not rest on the shirt body.
Wrinkly Sleeves
The sleeves on these shirts are not rotated like a bespoke shirt but just sewn in a straight line like the side seam of the shirt. It seems to me that as a consequence, the sleeves wrinkle quite a bit, but it could also be other issues with the cutting process. Since I usually wear a jacket with my shirts, it is not a problem for me because they sleeves are comfortable, but I would not wear these shirts without a jacket in public.
Contrasting Buttonhole
I am not a fan of contrasting buttonholes, and while Deoveritas offers them, I opted for matching buttonhole threads. They honored that request except for one shirt, where I chose contrasting collars and cuffs in white. The body of the shirt was gray, and the buttonholes were dark, which matched. However, the cuffs also had the gray buttonholes on a white cuff, which looked quite gaudy in my opinion.
The Verdict
In my opinion, Deo Veritas shirts have some advantages and disadvantages.
For example, I believe Deo Veritas offers a higher degree of customization options than the average online made-to-measure company. For example being able to choose a custom collar is a nice option. I also like that they offer fused or unfused collar options.
However, in my opinion, the shirts also have some disadvantages such as the lack of button shanks, collar tips that do not rest on the shirt, and wrinkly sleeves.
At the end of the day, I personally prefer mytailor shirts because they offer a much broader range of fabrics, a higher degree of customizations in the sense that it is a bespoke process, not a made to measure process and I like the option to either order online or to meet a travelling tailor (not just a sales rep) to be measured in person.
Because of these considerations, I personally rate Deo Veritas at 3 out of 5.
I’m the one who suggested the unfused collar option to Vinnie. You can thank me later. ;)
Well done Jovan, thanks for convincing Deo Veritas to offer them! An unfused collar is not the best option when you want a crisp look but it is extremely soft and great casual or semi formal shirts.
Thanks once more for bringing that to Deo Veritas’ attention!
You’re welcome! He was the first one in the world of online tailoring I asked who was very receptive to that idea and said, quite quickly and confidently, that it could be done. Most others (not naming names) have had to hum and hah a lot before giving me back the answer that it couldn’t be done or they never got back to me about it at all. He seems to employ very skilled tailors. Is it anything close to a CEGO, Kabbaz, or Anto shirt? Probably not and one shouldn’t expect them to be that level either. But it’s still the best online MTM shirt I have in my wardrobe.
I actually prefer the slightly imperfect look and comfortable feel of it. Just look at Connery’s shirts in his 007 movies — the soft spread collar slightly rumpled turnback cuffs are things of beauty. Top shirtmakers still make double cuffs and the collar band with sewn interlining since they hold up longer, even if the customer wants a fused collar.
I do wish Deo Veritas would have sewn interlining available on the front placket as well. I wouldn’t mind paying a bit extra on top of the $9 for it.