While there are certainly advantages to bespoke, MTM, or custom shirts, the majority of men today wear ready-to-wear shirts. Many will wear them their whole lives, and frankly, I still have more ready-to-wear shirts than custom shirts in my closet. Today, we rank 54 brands of RTW shirts to see how they stack up!
- 1. Ascot Chang (Unranked)
- 2. Battistoni (C)
- 3. Borrelli (B-/C+)
- 4. Brioni (C-/D+)
- 5. Brook Taverner (C)
- 6. Brooks Brothers (C)
- 7. Brunello Cucinelli (C-/D+)
- 8. Budd Shirtmakers (B-/C+)
- 9. Calvin Klein (D-)
- 10. Cesare Attolini (C)
- 11. Charles Tyrwhitt (C-/D+)
- 12. Charvet (C)
- 13. Drake’s (B)
- 14. Edward Sexton (B-/C+)
- 15. Emanuel Berg (B-/C+)
- 16. Emmett (B-/C+)
- 17. Eton (B-/C+)
- 18. Everlane (C-/D+)
- 19. Finamore (A-/B+)
- 20. Gitman Bros. (B-/C+)
- 21. Hackett (C-/D+)
- 22. Hawes & Curtis (C-/D+)
- 23. Hawkins & Shepherd (Unranked)
- 24. Hugo Boss (F)
- 25. IGN Joseph (B)
- 26. J.Crew (D)
- 27. J. Press (B-/C+)
- 28. Kamakura Shirts (B)
- 29. Kiton (C-/D+)
- 30. LL Bean (B-/C+)
- 31. Ledbury (B-/C+)
- 32. Luciano Barbera (C)
- 32. Mercer & Sons (B-/C+)
- 34. Olymp (D-)
- 35. Ozwald Boateng (C-/D+)
- 36. Pal Zileri (Unranked)
- 37. Paul Frederick (C-/D+)
- 38. Peter Manning (Unranked)
- 39. Paul Smith (B-/C+)
- 40. Proper Cloth (B *Made-to-Measure)
- 41. Ralph Lauren (C-/D+)
- 42. Reiss (C-/D+)
- 43. Seidensticker (C-/D+)
- 44. Spier & Mackay (C-/D+)
- 45. Stenströms (Unranked)
- 46. SuitSupply (C)
- 47. Thomas Pink (B-/C+ *Older Shirts)
- 48. T.M. Lewin (D)
- 49. Tom Ford (Unranked)
- 50. Turnbull & Asser (C)
- 51. Uniqlo (D)
- 52. Van Heusen (D-)
- 53. Zegna (Unranked)
- 54. 100 Hands (A-/B+)
- Outfit Rundown
Obviously, there are probably over a thousand ready-to-wear shirt brands, most of which I don’t know. Here, we focus on shirt brands that are of interest to a classic men’s style enthusiast. For the grading, we look at the quality, but then also consider how the price impacts that rating.
We’ll grade on the following scale: A means I’d sell the shirt off my back for this; B means definitely one of the better dress shirts; C means an exceptionally average dress shirt, D means still better than just a T-shirt; and F means, please take this shirt off my back.
As always, this is post is not sponsored. This is based on our team’s experience in wearing these shirts, and we’ve worn hundreds of them over the course of years. You may have different experiences, or you may prefer one shirt over another because it fits you really well, and this is really not a grading of the fit, because different people need different things. We’ll mention things as we think they’re important, but ultimately, you have to make your own decision. This is just supposed to help you guide you in the right direction.
1. Ascot Chang (Unranked)
Let’s start with Ascot Chang, priced between $189 and $320. They have lots of features, like very fine stitch density; they have very nice colors, but frankly, nobody in our team has any experience with them, so we don’t rank them for now. Hopefully, that’ll change in the future.
2. Battistoni (C)
Battistoni shirts from Rome are really known for their custom shirts. They also have a range of bespoke shirts, which are very expensive starting at like 450 dollars going up to six/seven hundred dollars.
Unlike other retail shirts like Borelli, for example, there’s really not much handwork. They have some interesting details, like if you look at their collar, it’s really kind of thick and solid. So, it always lays down nicely, and the edge is really, really raised. The buttonholes are machine-made nicely, but the buttons don’t have a long enough shank, so we get some rippling around the buttonholes. Battistoni knows how to make a shirt, so its quality is a B, but with their price, we move to D to F level.
3. Borrelli (B-/C+)
Borrelli is an Italian shirt brand, which is quite expensive, ranging in price from about 300 and 330 euros, which is about the same as dollars these days. We rank them a B to C. If you just look at the quality, I’d rank them more B, B+, but with the price, that’s where they land. They definitely have a more Neapolitan cut. You see more handwork details.
For their range of colors and patterns – because they’re more Neapolitan-inspired – you also have that color and feel influence. They often have regular sales, and for me, as a person with long arms, I often find that ready-to-wear stuff is too short for me.
4. Brioni (C-/D+)
Another Italian shirt brand is Brioni. Their shirts retail anywhere from 600 to 2,000 dollars. Obviously, you can get these shirts on sale or new on eBay and other places. Having looked at them, I have to say they’re a decent shirt. I’d rate them a B, maybe B-, but considering the price, in my book, they’re a solid F. Yes, they have great fabrics; they have Giza 45 cotton. But, in my book, no ready-to-wear shirt is worth their prices.
5. Brook Taverner (C)
Brook Taverner costs around 45 British pounds, which is close to 55 US dollars or euros these days. Quality ranges between C and D. Considering their low price, they’re definitely more of a C. It’s really nothing special. It’s kind of a middle-of-the-road shirt that most men will be perfectly happy with.
They’re very comparable to Charles Tyrwhitt. They have these bulk discounts for four shirts for 120 pounds. They have a relatively large range in that price segment, so if that’s what you can afford right now, it’s worth a look. If you can upgrade and spend a little more, you will probably, get a better shirt.
6. Brooks Brothers (C)
Brooks Brothers range in price from around 88 dollars to 198 dollars. The unanimous verdict in our team was that they’re more of a C shirt, with some people arguing it’s more of C+; others, more of a solid C.
The brand has a variety of offerings; more casual shirts, dress shirts, and evening shirts. They also typically come in a wide range of sleeve lengths, which is nice if you can’t go the custom route. These days, they rely more and more heavily on synthetic coatings, so they’re not quite what they used to be. Also, they run many sales and promotions, so you should get a relatively good value, then.
If you’re not sure where to start, their Oxford cloth button-down lasts quite long. Sometimes, you can get them at a discount if you buy multiples of them. The made-in-the-US ones are typically their most expensive ones. The button-down collar is definitely the most attractive one out there. It’s just very classic.
Of course, Brooks Brothers offer a lot of stuff. So, if you’re curious about what to buy from them and maybe what to skip, check out our other guide.
Brooks Brothers: Their History & A Brand Evaluation
7. Brunello Cucinelli (C-/D+)
Brunello Cucinelli shirts range from around 495 dollars to almost 1,200 dollars. They definitely have a slightly more fashion-forward, casual style. And while the shirt looks perfectly decent, it is absolutely not worth the price. Quality is in the B to C range. With the price, it’s an F.
They actually treat their workers well. They have a philosophy. They have a vision. They claim to use sustainable materials. But, ultimately, it doesn’t justify that price tag. At the end of the day, if they can find a customer base, that’s awesome. It’s just not us.
8. Budd Shirtmakers (B-/C+)
Next up is Budd Shirtmakers from England, and while you can find a few shirts from them in like the 120-pound range, most of them are 200 or 255 up to like 345, which is quite a bit for a dress shirt. If you convert it, it gets into the 400-dollar or euro range at the top.
These are very traditional English shirts. If that’s what you’re after, that’s what you get. What do I mean by that? Solid, fine workmanship, nothing extraordinary in terms of patterns and colors, and not a huge range of collar and cuff styles.
They have day shirts in three fits: classic, tailored, and slim, and they’re really renowned for their evening shirts. They use quality materials, and, overall, I’d rate the quality as a B. If you considered the price, in my book, they’re more of a B or C company.
9. Calvin Klein (D-)
Calvin Klein shirts retail between 79 and 89, and Calvin Klein is one of those brands that offer a lot of licensing, so what you get is not necessarily consistent. There are extremely slim shirts and extremely large-fitting shirts, so definitely always try before you buy.
That being said, Calvin Klein is typically something you find at a Macy’s or a Men’s Warehouse. Nathan worked at Men’s Warehouse, and he rates Calvin Klein shirts a solid F. Preston once needed a black shirt for Concert Black, and he got one from there. It was okay. He rates it more of a D. Overall, we believe you can do better than Calvin Klein.
10. Cesare Attolini (C)
Next up are Cesare Attolini shirts, which retail around 695 to 750 dollars. Are they nine times as good as a Calvin Klein shirt? Frankly, you can’t really compare the two. Compare the level with many Italian shirts, they have more handwork in them, and they’re nice.
They’re B/B+. Can’t complain about that. They have stuff like handmade buttonholes. They use high-quality cottons. They have interesting collar shapes. So, overall, I consider them more highly than Brunello Cucinelli or Brioni. But, in my book, it’s still overpriced, so we rank from a C. Even the quality by itself is more like a B+.
11. Charles Tyrwhitt (C-/D+)
Charles Tyrwhitt shirts rank between a C+ and a D on our team. Usually priced at 99 to 150 dollars, really a unique selling point of his brand is that you had huge sales when you buy multiples at certain times of the year. They have a very solid choice when it comes to dress shirts, in terms of patterns, collars, details, and sleeve lengths. Overall, it’s a pretty shirt company, but a little more adventurous than, let’s say, Budd Shirtmakers.
Both Preston and Jack in our team give it a C. Nathan rakes it more of a D+. Preston probably built his wardrobe around his Charles Tyrwhitt shirts, and you can see more about his take on a brand in a separate guide.
What to Buy from Charles Tyrwhitt
12. Charvet (C)
Charvet dress shirts from Paris Place Vendome are certainly the place where rents aren’t cheap. They have a large custom department where you can look at all sorts of shirts. They have a huge range of fabrics. But, for ready-to-wear, I think you don’t get the handwork that you see in Italian shirts, yet you still pay a very high price of at least, 600 dollars.
For that, you get a great level of workmanship, nice collar, nice interlinings, unusual fabrics, but it’s still a ready-to-wear shirt. Overall, for quality, I’d rate them a B+. Considering their price, I’d rate them B+ or a C to D.
13. Drake’s (B)
Drake’s shirts range from about 190 to 250 dollars, depending on the exchange rate. Jack really likes their Oxford cloth button-down shirts, as well as their spread-collar, barrel cuff shirts.
Nathan also loves their Oxford cloth button-down ones. He likes the hand and prefers them over the Brooks Brothers. These shirts are made in Somerset in England and not in the Far East, so a higher price is more justified. They feature nice pattern matching and solid construction, and, sometimes, you can find them on sale, but they’re somewhat of a hot commodity, so it’s not that easy.
Overall, their shirts are more on the casual side. Our team ranks them a solid B, but would love them even more if they were less expensive.
14. Edward Sexton (B-/C+)
Another British brand is Edward Sexton, who himself is a tailoring legend. His shirts are also very unique style. In price, they range between 175 dollars to about 350 dollars.
If you want a classic and vintage feel without looking costumey, take a look at Edward Sexton. He has very large, spear-point-inspired collars; he has a tab collar; he has a pinhole collar; and just a more unique style than what you typically find in ready-to-wear shirts. The talls are quite tall so, if that’s something that you like, this brand is for you.
Overall, you get six color types in three fits – mostly cotton, but also some linen-silk options. We rate them a solid B for quality. Considering the price, we’re more in the C range.
15. Emanuel Berg (B-/C+)
Emanuel Berg is a German company that is pretty active in Europe. They have a made-to-measure section, but also larger ready-to-wear section. They’re not for sale in the US and Canada at this point. Price, they’re typically between 110 euros and 200 euros. They’re definitely not shy of color and pattern, have some interesting color styles. It’s a well-made shirt somewhere in the B-, maybe B to C range.
16. Emmett (B-/C+)
The British brand Emmett retails between 180 and 215 dollars. This company is much better at casual shirts than standard dress shirts. So, if you’re more into a relaxed, tailored look, that brand might be interesting for you. They don’t have a large physical retail presence, and their website is a bit difficult to navigate, so keep that in mind. Overall, rank them a B to a C.
17. Eton (B-/C+)
Eton shirts typically range between 235 dollars and 295, sometimes to maybe even a little higher. I’d say quality-wise, they’re definitely in the B/B- range. Their fabrics are really nice or B, maybe B+, but their price is quite high, so they’re more like C/C-. They offer a wide range of shirts. They have lots of patterns. Their fabrics all have a nice hand. It’s the best wrinkle-free shirt on the market. It’s the best feel. It’s not so heavily chemically treated. I think they develop that fabric in collaboration with Alumo.
I really like their standard sizes and their contemporary fit because they have long arms. I typically go with a 15.5-36 or 16-36, which is about a 41 European size, but they fit rather long. With most brands, I can’t get that.
Also, their interlinings are very nice. They’re not cheap. They don’t blister. They stand the test of time. They’re also longer in the body, in the torso, which is important for me because I have a long torso. I think their price is so high because they target haberdasheries, and they like a big margin. If you can find them at a big discount, I think it’s a decent shirt. If you want a full-fledged review of Eton shirts, check out our guide here.
Eton Dress Shirts: Are They Worth It? – Men’s Luxury Dress Shirt Review
18. Everlane (C-/D+)
Everlane shirts are priced between like 65 and 90 dollars. We’d rank them between a C- and a D+. The sizing is very slim, so if you go with them, definitely size up. The garments also shrink quite a bit, so keep that in mind. They definitely have an emphasis on eco-friendly production and minimalist style, and a kind of back-to-basics attitude. They have very plain, somewhat boxy cuts, mainly available in cotton.
19. Finamore (A-/B+)
Finamore shirts, they range between 115 euros to 330 euros depending on the fabric. I’d rank him a B+ because they have some nice handmade details, a good cut, good interlinings, interesting fabric; but they do it at a price point that is not completely out there. It was just the quality, it probably places somewhere in the A to B range. With the price, they’re more on the B range segment. They have nice amount of hand work – definitely more than Eton – but, you know, compared with Borelli and Attolini.
Overall, they have seven hand-sewn sections. Sometimes, they can be a bit short in the sleeve, so definitely make sure to get the sleeve length before you order if that’s a concern for you.
20. Gitman Bros. (B-/C+)
Gitman Brothers is a nice option if you’re looking for a made-in-the-US shirt. Priced between 155 dollars for most of their shirts and 215 for their evening shirts. They have a classic Oxford cloth button-down range.
Personally, I think I prefer the Mercer & Sons, which is also made in the US, over Gitman Brothers. Why? Well, the Gitman Brothers collar doesn’t have enough of an S-curve. It looks more like the classic Brooks Brothers version than like the modern Drake’s, for example.
They have a decent evening shirt collection, so if you’re looking for something in that department, definitely check out Gitman. In my book, they’re probably a C+, maybe a little more. If you consider the price and that they’re made in USA, they’re probably more on the B to C, maybe B- category.
21. Hackett (C-/D+)
Hackett shirts are priced between 85 pounds and 140 pounds. Even though Jeremy Hackett has his quintessential English style, the Hackett brand today is owned by a Spanish conglomerate. Older Hackett shirts have held up nicely in recent years. They seem to be going a bit more fashion-forward. They’re out on par with Charles Tyrwhitt, but a little more expensive.
They have an emphasis on sustainably harvesting the materials and also more performance fabrics in the lineup, which makes them more fashion-forward and less classic. If the shirts were like Jeremy Hackett style, they’d be awesome, but they’re not.
22. Hawes & Curtis (C-/D+)
Hawes & Curtis shirts range in price between 95 and 145 dollars. Everyone on our team has tried them, and they’re pretty much kind of a C brand, maybe C-.
The funny thing about Hawes & Curtis is, if you look at their patterns, they look all a bit more casual, but the shirt itself feels like a classic dress shirt, right? Like a stiffer interlining, and they apply that same stiffer interlining to their more casual fabrics, in an ideal world, I want a softer interlining with a casual shirt and a stiffer one with a more formal dress shirt. Hawes & Curtis doesn’t get that right, in our opinion.
They do have three collar types, seven fits, and quite a bit of an option in terms of colors. They have a clear desire to cater to a wide variety of men, so it’s a bit like “jack of all trades, master of none.”
23. Hawkins & Shepherd (Unranked)
Hawkins & Shepherd is an interesting shirt brand. Their stuff ranges between 80 and 100 pounds Unfortunately, we couldn’t get their shirts in time to test them before this post, but we’ll do so in the future. They are a London-based company, and they have an exceedingly wide range of options; nice colors, patterns, and styles for day and evening.
They also have a really wide selection of pinhole collars, so if that’s something you’re looking for, for a collar bar, definitely have a look at their stuff. They also have tab collars, but since we really haven’t tried them ourselves, we can’t rank them.
24. Hugo Boss (F)
Hugo Boss ranges between around 150 to 300. Frankly, I rate them as soft F because they are pricey and not good at all. They’re very fashion-forward, and it’s not something I’d ever spend my own money on. I said, as a German kid who grew up in the same state as where Hugo Boss is originally from, they definitely focus on like trim trendy cuts; have a range of colors. If you like that, go for it. I think you can find much better value elsewhere.
25. IGN Joseph (B)
IGN Joseph stands for “Ignatius Joseph,” who’s originally from Sri Lanka but now resides in Germany. His shirts used to be in Switzerland at a very high level. They’re made in Italy. The shirts typically have a nice styling, and use very cool fabrics in nice colors. In fact, my very first good dress shirt came from Ignatius Joseph, and I bought it, I think, in 2003 in Munich. And I still have it to this day. Even though it has signs of wear, I think it’s a particularly nice shirt.
They always had these unfused collars, which is something you find more and more now from other brands, especially for casual shirts. It was always a hallmark of a shirt that he had very early on when no other ready-to-wear brand was doing it. They’re hard to find online; typically more of a haberdashery brand. Priced around 225 dollars, I would say it’s a B shirt. There’s not much handwork in there, buttons are not solid mother of pearl, but it’s a modern cut shirt, not for your grandpa.
26. J.Crew (D)
J.Crew shirts run between like 69 and 100 dollars. Their materials always feel thin; the cuts are thin. So, overall, it’s more of a D candidate. Not expensive, but also not great.
27. J. Press (B-/C+)
J. Press shirts come at around 135 dollars, so they’re a little less expensive than Drake’s, for example. Probably a bit better than Brooks Brothers. So, somewhere in like the B-, B to C range. The classic American shirts, still made in the US. Actually, it’s really fairly priced. They have a typical Oxford cloth, broadcloth, typical end-on-end, and so forth; but just come in two fits: classic and trim.
28. Kamakura Shirts (B)
Kamakura shirts are between 80 and 220 bucks. They have nice fits and good color options, but they’re often out of stock. Nathan also really likes their polo shirts. He ranks them at like a B. They have their four fits, unique color options, and patterns; they have an impressive number of cottons, and they have a focus on high quality, meaning their stitching is typically 22 stitches per inch, which is quite high.
29. Kiton (C-/D+)
Kiton shirts are around 630 dollars to 1860 dollars. Kiton also has an emphasis on handmade shirts made in Italy. Their stuff is always expensive. The fabrics are always really nice and soft, for their suit jackets and also for their shirts.
For shirts, you definitely have more of a smaller range, and they’re just priced to be in line with their jackets. I think, overall, this is like a B-quality shirt. But, with the price, again, we’re at an F level. I just wouldn’t pay that. If you can pick them up at a discount, you’re getting a good shirt. They probably have more of a strong focus on like the casual end.
30. LL Bean (B-/C+)
LL Bean shirts are really cheap. They’re between 30 and 65 dollars. They’re kind of workhorse shirts that are not special in any sartorial sense, but in terms of longevity-to-price, they get an A. Are the fabrics anything decent? No, they’re not. But, overall, I’d say it’s probably a C/C- kind of shirt. Personally, I wouldn’t buy any of their dress shirts. Maybe I try some of their flannels.
31. Ledbury (B-/C+)
Ledbury shirts are typically between 100 and 200 dollars. They use the same nice Albini fabrics and other stuff that other made-to-measure shirt makers use. There’s not really anything special about them per se. I’d rank them between like a B- and a C.
32. Luciano Barbera (C)
Luciano Barbera shirts are around two to four hundred dollars. They are made in Italy with a nice interlining; interesting patterns on the shirts. But, no real hand work, except maybe on the shoulder, where you can see that they folded the sleeve nicely in there to get a little more room. Considering their price, I’d rank them a C.
32. Mercer & Sons (B-/C+)
Mercer & Sons shirts are priced around 185 dollars. They make every single shirt to order. You can mix, let’s say, a size 16 collar with a size 15 and a half body. So, it’s made for you. It’s really focused on Oxford cloth button-downs. They have a large range of different colors and stripes and patterns so, if you’re looking for that kind of shirt, I think they’re very specialized in it. It’s a soft collar, it’s a soft cuff. You just get plastic buttons, but it’s a shirt with a nice fabric that ages well. Overall, I would rank them a B to C for the rarity factor. And made in the US; I don’t think the price is too high.
34. Olymp (D-)
Olymp is a German department store brand ranging in price from around 60 to 100 euros or the same in dollars. Frankly, when I grew up as a teenager, I had a few Olymp shirts; sometimes with like, you know, non-iron coating. They’re very plasticky. The style is not very refined. So, today, I would definitely not buy Olymp shirts. Ranking D to F.
35. Ozwald Boateng (C-/D+)
Ozwald Boateng shirts go between 275 pounds and 300 pounds, which is quite pricey. But, he was always well-known for bold colors. The quality is nice. There are very unique collars, but it almost seems like you have to buy into the entire look for it to work well in an outfit. They’re kind of sleek, modern, and have like bold jewel tones, which is something that you have to like. Personally, I prefer more of the pastel tones.
They offer both day and evening shirts and use Swiss cottons, so you get a good product at a high price. Overall, in my book, they’re more of a D. If you like the bolder style, they’re probably more in the C range.
36. Pal Zileri (Unranked)
Pal Zileri shirts retailed between like 230 dollars and 420 dollars. A friend of mine always called Pal Zileri “the clothing choice of pimps,” so I, personally, and no one on our team has any experience with it. So, no ranking.
37. Paul Frederick (C-/D+)
Paul Frederick is an interesting brand. They used to be really cheap shirts. I remember when I went to a law school, a professor here would recommend them to law students; get your formal work uniform shirt at a very low price, and they even added your monogram on the shirt. I think now they’ve changed a bit.
They increase their retail pricing, and they changed their offering a bit. I think, in general, it’s too flashy for a classic taste. Every once in a while, you see something interesting, like a traditional vintage spear-collar-inspired style. I got some Winchester shirts, for example, with an orange stripe and a yellow stripe, which is not something you typically find in ready-to-wear. Overall, I’d say grade C to D.
38. Peter Manning (Unranked)
Peter Manning makes stuff for short men. No one on our team is in that height range at the moment, so we have no experience.
39. Paul Smith (B-/C+)
Paul Smith shirts are priced between 250 and 300. I actually saw the factory once in Portugal, where the shirts are made, and they’re made there at a very high standard – good inner linings, great pattern matching. So, you get a solid shirt with solid fabrics.
Paul Smith, of course, is a bit more fashion-forward, so if you like that, you pay a little extra for that. They have a tailored fit. Overall, I rate them B to C because they’re in a higher end. Quality-wise is definitely a B shirt.
40. Proper Cloth (B *Made-to-Measure)
Proper Cloth ranges at a price of 95 and 345 dollars. They’re mainly a made-to-measure company, and they still make every shirt one by one. So, they offer for you to buy ready-to-wear sizes so that you can get your collar size and your sleeve length and whatever else, and then they just make the shirt for you, so it takes as long as I made-to-measure shirt. So, I would always recommend you actually get all your measurements. You’d probably get a better-fitting shirt, and you just go with their ready-to-wear brands.
I’ve only ever had their made-to-measure offering, so it’s hard to rank their ready-to-wear offering. For a made-to-measure, I would rank them in the B to B- range. They’re pretty good value for what you get made in Asia. They’ve excellent customer service. For their cuff buttons, I find their cufflinks holes too small, so only about half of my cufflinks actually work with the shirt. Something to keep in mind when you get a French cuff.
41. Ralph Lauren (C-/D+)
Ralph Lauren shirts range from about 60 dollars to about 700 for Purple Label. They have those Oxford cloth button-down shirts with a pony. Nathan says he bought a bunch at the outlet, and they all sucked. I’ve had their Purple Label shirts. They were made in Italy. They have unusual fabrics; they use bold fabrics. They are typically in a 16 size and a 35 length even though they don’t sell the sleeve lengths separately. Just have to figure out what works and what doesn’t work for you.
They used to have this Keaton collar, which was this extreme cutaway, which they often made in a Winchester shirt. They still sell this, and, now, other brands offer it, too. But, when I think of Ralph Lauren Purple Label shirts, that’s what I associate with. The workmanship is kind of a B-, I’d say. B.
Styling can make it or break it, but, at the price level, I’d never buy new. You can find them discounted on eBay and many other places, so if you find something, go for it. A new retail price for Florida is always overpriced. Overall, let’s say, shirts are not a strong suit of Ralph Lauren, and, if you want to know what we would buy from them, check out our other guide.
What to Buy from Ralph Lauren
42. Reiss (C-/D+)
Reiss shirts are between 110 dollars to about 200 dollars. They’re very slim, pretty tight shirts. Sometimes, they have nice kinds of cotton. But, it’s definitely more of a mass-manufactured shirt.
They’re sized in extra small to extra, extra large, so that typically tells you to be cautious. Overall, it’s probably a C to D shirt if you find something that fits you.
43. Seidensticker (C-/D+)
Seidensticker is another German brand. More at like an Olymp level, maybe a little more expensive at 70 dollars. Twenty years ago, their non-iron fabrics were awful. I never tried them again, so I don’t know exactly where they’re at. Probably in the B range, I would guess.
44. Spier & Mackay (C-/D+)
Spier & Mackay shirts are 55 to about 68 dollars. First and foremost, Spier & MacKay is a value-driven brand and what you get in terms of detail and fabric for the money is pretty good. The problem with them is fit. It’s rather slim, so unless you have slim arms, I wouldn’t necessarily recommend them to you. I’d also stick with their button-down colors because everything that is lined has this kind of collar curl, which doesn’t look nice.
We have an extensive “Is It Worth It?” for their shirts, so check it out to see what we recommend and what we don’t recommend.
Are Spier & Mackay Shirts High Quality? (Value Review)
In any case, their customer service is terrible, so overall, I give the shirt itself maybe a B/B- grade. But, customer service is solid F.
45. Stenströms (Unranked)
Stenströms shirts are 295 dollars. They’re another Swedish brand like Eton. They’re more well-known in Sweden. Eton is more well-known outside of Sweden. I would say, they’re very similar to Eton and maybe Emanuel Berg. I’ve only seen them in person. I’ve never really worn them, so I won’t give them a ranking.
46. SuitSupply (C)
SuitSupply shirts range between 100 and 140 dollars. Both Jack and Nathan really liked their shirt. They were positively surprised by the attention to detail and their fabrics, as well as the range of casual to dress shirt range. Overall, though, it’s still a younger man’s shirt.
They really like cutaway collars. They no longer point collars. And price-wise, they’re probably at the top end of where they should be. Overall, they run slim – just like their jackets – so definitely size up.
47. Thomas Pink (B-/C+ *Older Shirts)
Thomas Pink is a shirt brand that is known for the pink gusset in their shirts. They range in price between like 75 pounds and 225 pounds. Over the years, they’ve definitely undergone a transition. Their old stuff was rather good in quality; their new stuff, under their new ownership, we haven’t tested personally.
They offer five fits; primarily, cutaway collars; and I think they used to be more of a B to C. Hard to tell where they are now.
48. T.M. Lewin (D)
T.M. Lewin is about 45 to 60 pounds, so quite a bit less expensive than Thomas Pink. These shirts are quite fashion-forward these days with small collars and very slim fits. They have a massive selection of shirts with four fits and four color types. That’s it. Similar to Charles Tyrwhitt, they have numeral sales and buy-in-bulk offers, so that’s what they’re focusing on. Today, we’d rank it at D.
49. Tom Ford (Unranked)
Tom Ford shirts cost between 595 and over a thousand dollars. I mean, they’re made in Switzerland, which is a high-GDP country. If you look at their evening shirts, they actually have a tab to button in, so we have nice detailing. Tom Ford has a nice taste level. The collars are typically big. I’ve seen them in person; I’ve just never worn one or bought one because they’re just so expensive. They also don’t really justify with nice handwork or anything. You just buy the brand. And so, no ranking from us.
50. Turnbull & Asser (C)
Turnbull & Asser, a famous British shirt maker with Royal Warrants and prices to boot. About 350 bucks all the way up to a thousand dollars is a lot for a shirt. They’re still handmade in Gloucester, England. They have typical flat English mother-of-pearl buttons, but it’s a mainly machine-sewn shirt, unlike the Italian shirts. They have traditional English collars with nice interlinings, and Jack really likes their look. The sleeves are also quite long, but all their fabrics seem to be very prone to wrinkling and hard to iron.
Overall, I think they’re better at traditional formal shirts than casual shirts. Personally, I never understood their love of the three-button barrel cuff, but that’s their thing. Anyway, I would rate them a B as quality, but an overall D because they’re just overpriced and a pain to iron. If you have to go to them, they do get creative sometimes and have unusual fabrics and make cool stuff. But, at that price point, you can get that done bespoke for much less.
51. Uniqlo (D)
Uniqlo shirts are just about 40 dollars, and I wouldn’t call them a true dress shirt. They’re more of a fast-fashion company. While some of their polo shirts and stuff can be quite good, especially for the price, I wouldn’t quite recommend these shirts if you are in the market for dress shirts. Again, their sizing comes in XXS to XXL. When you see that, you always know that you have to compromise.
That being said, at this price point, if you compare it to other brands, I think Uniqlo is better than others. But, overall, I would still not recommend them. I think their dress shirts are more in a D territory.
52. Van Heusen (D-)
An American classic, Van Heusen shirts range between 45 and 70 dollars. If you go through the old apparel arts magazines, I think the quality you had at the time was very different from what it is today. Typically, they have other trimmer cuts, the fabrics don’t feel nice, and the collars are nothing special either. Often, they come in cotton blended with polyester, and that’s something you’d find at Kohls. Maybe you even need a simple white shirt, it might do the job, but, otherwise, it’s in a D to F territory.
53. Zegna (Unranked)
Zegna shirts range in price from 445 dollars to 890. I’ve no experience with it because of the high price point. Even if it was a perfect shirt in terms of quality, I probably wouldn’t get it any better than C or D just because of the price.
54. 100 Hands (A-/B+)
Last but not least, we have 100 Hands, which is priced between about 90 and about 350 dollars. First of all, they have two lines. They have the Gold Line, which contains about 34 hours of handwork, and then, they have the Clack Line, which is around 16 hours of handwork. Both shirts have more handwork than pretty much any other shirt we covered here on this list. The Gold Line is truly bonkers.
I have two of their shirts. I’ve had them for years. Every single stitch there is handmade. It’s unbelievable. Is it necessarily better? I don’t know. I don’t think so. I mean, the shirt has held up. I machine wash it, and both of them are just fine. The selection of fabrics there is rather limited, but what they offer is of good quality. Also, they’re buttonholes for cufflinks, and their French cuff is rather small, so if you have bigger cufflinks, that might be an issue. Otherwise, in terms of workmanship and quality, I’d say the shirt is an A. Considering the price, we’re going in the A to B range. But, considering it’s less expensive than other brands and you get a much higher level of workmanship there.
Do you agree or disagree with our ranking? Please share your personal rankings in the comments below!
Outfit Rundown
In today’s outfit, I’m wearing a combination of two broken up suits. The pants are from a navy suit, and it’s just a navy blue hop sack. The top and the waistcoat are made of a nice flannel fabric. It’s a small houndstooth and chocolate brown and off-white. The pants are part of a suit of a Fort Belvedere prototype. The jacket and the vest are from my tailor. My shirt is light blue with a pin collar from Siniscalchi in Milan.
My cufflinks are blue malachite and gold from Fort Belvedere, and so are my light blue linen pocket square and my tie. The collar bar is gold, and you can also find it in our shop with a ball end. And the blue delphinium is a little boutonniere that is made in Germany out of silk. My socks are the shadow stripes in navy and red, and I’m pairing them with mid-brown shoes in suede. They’re cap-toe Oxfords on a nice last by Yanko.
It sounds to me like the #1 complaint with all of the shirts is the price to quality ratio. Only the LL Bean, the Uniqlo, and (in my experience) Van Heusen are in the “affordable to the average person” range, even if the quality is bad by comparison.
I feel like a great follow up would be a “Bang For the Buck” edition. What is a line that would be a good introduction to someone who hasn’t had a great experience with menswear (quality, price, availability, etc.) without skipping groceries for several weeks to pay for it?
Quite agree with Matt – it feels too simplistic to me to rank them without looking at ‘bang for the buck or how you are going to use the shirts. For instance, I have a few Uniqlo shirts that are perfect for traveling: the fit is good (enough), the fabric robust and I don’t mind if they get roughed up on a long flight.
A “Bang For Your Buck” edition sounds intriguing, Matt. You’re spot on regarding the price-to-quality ratio – I personally don’t understand how certain brands can justify hundreds or even thousands of dollars for some of these shirts.
Very useful article, thanks a lot!
I agree with your praise of Kamakura and Drakes. I own a few of each, mostly OCBDs, and have a good impression of both.
I actually also have some TM Lewin shirts, more formal shirts. They have held up well. They are not to the quality of Drakes and Kamakura, but imo offer good valmue for the money, especially if you take a multi-buy offer.
To Scandiavian readers, Kamakura shirts can be bought through an online retailer called CareofCarl. As the brand is relatively unknown in Scandinavia, there are often quite a few in their sales.
Our pleasure, Neils! Glad you enjoyed the list, and thank you for your personal views on some of the brands mentioned.
Charles Tyrwhitt for 100 Dollars?
Don’t know about their US prices, but through sales and codes they have throughout the year you can easily get them for 30-40 EUR.
A ranking like this should concentrate on quality and style. Borrelli is possible to buy at Calvin Klein prices. American full retail price is not the average price of sale.
My experience of Turnbull & Asser shirts is the same: the “exclusive” fabrics are very wrinkly. Classic, beautiful and uncomfortable unfused collars. Nice buttons, ugly buttonholes, not very great pattern matching.
Budd makes some stuff in India.
Your minimum price for Finamore seems too low. For some retailers, they offer shirts in very exclusive fabrics that can double that maximum price…
The made in Spain and Switzerland Zegna shirts are fine machine made shirts. Zegna makes Tom Ford.
The comment about Pal Zileri is really unhappy. Why not instead to say that Bijan is for pimps? Or Kiton? Or Cifonelli? Or Tom Ford? Sure Zileri does some super shiny ceremony garments and untastful stuff, but not more than many others and they have many classic and sober options too.
The made in Spain and Switzerland Zegna shirts are fine machine made shirts. Zegna makes Tom Ford.
20 years ago Massimo Dutti used to sell very nice and durable shirts (made in Portugal) with thick mother of pearl buttons. I bought one from their top line that is still my all time favourite. The collar is half destroyed but never a button fell off… For many years now they have opted for cheap fabrics and I lost interest in them.
Great review! Emanuel Berg is polish company not german one.
I hope you do a review of Blank Label. They’re one of the smaller mtm outfits that rarely get covered. Thanks for the great work!
I think your rankings are a major miss, what are you basing the rankings on? I also think this was poorly researched. If you are going to do ranking of all these brands you should go to all the stores and experience what they have to offer and then write about it. People seem to want to go to second hand stores to buy nice stuff to just save money, but they are missing out on the experience and also these companies have true craftsman working for them and they take a lot of pride and dedication that goes into these pieces. When people run to buy cheap mass produce garbage made in sweat shops not only are they losing out on the experience but also killing a dedicated and skilled workforce. I am very much about people dressing proper and have my own tailor who custom makes me all my work attire and casual attire. It is expensive but it wasnโt about the cost for me. In fact I used to shop at brooks brothers because it fit off the rack for me or needed a little tailoring. They have cheapened and changed something that I thought was pretty good! Thatโs when I went searching for something that work for me.
Hi Cory, as explained in the article, this list has been researched through many years of several GG team member experiences with the brands in-store, online, and second-hand. The ranking is based on the quality of the goods vs. the retail asking price.
I would have to disagree with findings. You also cant compare machine made to hand made or partial hand made. A lot of the cheaper stuff will look and feel good but if you wear it frequently you will be replacing every 3-6months and the more expensive stuff will last years.
Raphael lost me by downranking Turnbull & Asser as “hard to iron.” There actually quite easy to iron as they’re made from a durable, high end cotton. Maybe, he’s trying to iron some vintage T&A shirts. Second complaint is that he seemed to disregard fabric quality and only focused on stitch construction. The fabric used to make the shirts is often what you’re paying for. Yes, a Charles Thyrwitt shirt may seem like a great bargain, but then when you’ve punched out the elbow in under a year, the bargain doesn’t seem so great.
Hi Nick, both I and Raphael have struggled when ironing Turnbull and Asser shirts – they always seem to wrinkle and crease at the collar for me – whereas other shirts we both own don’t have these issues. Furthermore, I agree that the cloth is typically a big proportion of the cost, however, I have Charles Tyrwhitt shirts that are a couple of years older than my Turnbull and Asser shirts, but the CT ones are holding up better than the ones from TA. Specifically, the collar points on all my TA shirts have started to fra, even though they’re used in the same way as my CT shirts. Happy to hear that you’ve found success with the brand, though!
I am amending my comment. There is often a little crease in my T&A collars that I struggle to get out when ironing. I guess I just got used to it. Other than that, T&A shirts have yet to let me down. I own about twenty that I used for daily office wear (tie & jacket) and have yet to lose one. They are made to last. There are many gradations of cotton, cashmere, etc and T&A consistently uses the top without charging for their name (unlike fashion houses). If taking in cost-per-wear, overall comfort in real world use I have to say that T&A is great. I have one Ascot Chang shirt that’s about ten years old and can vouch for them. I gave up on CT shirts after having blown several elbows in less than a year’s use. The obvious difference is the quality of the fabric, IMO. And the discussion of fabric quality in the brands was the one thing I thought was missing in an otherwise very informative video. Thx.
Good evening,
1. Thank you very much for this ranking and for all the effort it represents. Some brands are well rated but the style is not fine and delicate as for Drakeโs or Kamakura Shirts.
2. I agree with many of you. I bought about 15 shirts from Turnbull & Asser. The visuals are enticing. But they all got damaged pretty quickly at the collar and cuff points, even though I had a large collection of shirts to rotate. It’s a pure scandal. I don’t even understand why it gets a C – unless you can explain to me that they have suddenly improved. I looked at their manufacture as recently as two and a half years ago in their Jermyn Street shop. It’s not convincing, despite the charm of the place which brings its beautiful mirages.
Even the many beautiful ties I have bought from T&A have had a short life.
3. I was very long satisfied with the Pink brand which was the bottom of my shirt stock (about 30 shirts) that I could keep for years. However at the end before this brand stopped, the quality had gone down with collars that creased easily in particular. I don’t know what this phoenix brand is worth now.
4. You didn’t note Hilditch & Key. I also had a number of shirts from them (about 30 shirts too). The quality dropped even faster, as did the quality of their welcome in the Jermyn Street shop. Simply obnoxious.
5. In comparison, I also bought the famous ultra-sold T.M. Lewin and Charles Tyrwhitt shirts. Although the fit is not as fine and delicate at first glance, I was very pleased with the absolutely unbeatable value for money, especially as some of the models I wore for countryside or leisure activities lasted at least four times longer than the T&A ones I only wore for my less ‘risky’ professional activities.
6. As for Ermenegildo Zegna, I was able to test this brand on a few models (about 6). The fit was nice with a very comfortable feel. Unfortunately the button threads come undone quite quickly after a few delicate washes.
7. On the other hand, I find that you have overrated the Brook Brothers brand (except for the extremely well executed formal shirts such as the range of 30’s reissues they made a long time ago) and even more so Ralph Lauren (Purple Label) a scandal (except for the very beginning when the quality was really superb, to install the Purple Label brand, once done, they turned their backs. The quality dropped dramatically).
8. I would also say that as far as Cesare Attolini is concerned, I find the shirts very fragile, even though they are very nice to wear and quite beautiful.
9. For Charvet, I agree with your remark. The price of ready-to-wear is too high. But the quality is still very good (except for some types of collars) and their ties are extraordinary. It’s better to go to bespoke for the cost.
10. For Kiton, the value for money is even lower than for Charvet, because the quality is not there. Same flaw as Cesare Attolini and Ermenegildo Zegna on the stitching of the buttons, but this time the imperfections were visible in the shop on some models. This is not normal with such pricing practices. It’s better to go and get custom-made shirts from Charvet or Daniel Lรฉvy (Paris) (sublime) for the price of a ready-to-wear shirt from Kiton.
11. What do you think of Marol 1959? I have seen some very nice products from them, quite expensive though. And now hard to find I think because they only have Facebook, their website being down.
12. What do you think of Luxire?
13. In France, in Paris, there are small brands that are very interesting in terms of quality (Howard’s for example) or value for money: Bruce Field (60โฌ unbeatable; more solid and better quality than T.M. Lewin and Charles Tyrwhitt).
No Harvie & Hudson shirts?
As for Turnbull & Asser Shirts being difficult to iron, most owners of such do not do their own laundry, so not an issue really :)
I used to buy TM Lewin, was satisfied about the shirts (price/quality ratio). They went bankrupt during the pandemic, closing their shops in London (not sure if they had shops outside of London). I also ordered them home (abroad, Switzerland), went well. Today they only have their website to order and shipping limited to the UK only. Pity.
Being in the UK and of the somewhat more rotund size due to illness, my preference is for Saville Row shirts which fit me better than any of the other brands that I have tried and I think offer me very good value for my money. Saville Row sell in the UK for about the same as Tyrwhitt and Lewin in the middle price range. I find Tyrwhitt to be tight in the body but large in the neck with Lewin not dissimilar. The first double cuffed shirts that I bought were from a brand called Joseph Turner which lasted well (I still have the shirts-though they no longer fit) but then the company ceased offering larger sizes and I had to go elsewhere and with a few mis-steps arrived at Saville Row. For completeness I have nothing whatsoever to do with this company save for being one of their customers.
Hi Shaun, just to clarify – are you talking about getting bespoke shirts made by one of the Savile Row tailors, or are you talking about the retailer “The Savile Row Company”?
I pay just over โฌ200 per shirt for custom fit, hand made shirts from Gino Venturini in Vienna – why on earth I’d want to buy a RTW is beyond me!
How about the missing retailers? Emma Willis and Hildich & Key.
There are certainly many more retailers that could be in the list, so perhaps we’ll look into a “round two” in the future!
Great review again, thank you!
I am an ETON fan, buying most shirts online in sale (in Europe, which is quite a different pricepoint than US).
Keen to try some of the shirts you ranked โtopโ. Also really good to understand the quality of some shirts that I was tempted to buy.
but โฆ turns out that a 100-Hands white shirt is โฌ295,- and there is only one cut. That is almost 2x (!) the price of an ETON white signature-twill shirt (โฌ159 RRP in Europe), which comes with a choice of cuts and collars.
Now the ranking does not make sense to me anymore โฆ Would it not be better to rank for quality only, as price clearly depends on geography and โon-saleโ opportunity?
Normally I appreciate the insight and perspective you provide to folks like me thst donโt have time to test lots of brands. Hat to say this was a hot mess and frankly worthless. You have not only avoided any real recommendations, you created this crazy alternative universe of Letterland that makes this indiscernible!
Do better. U are better. Be better. Not one shred of clear perspective here.
Hi. Is there a reason why you did not feature Van Laack shirts?
I personally enjoy their quality and wearability … just an observation
Overall a very interesting article!
I agree. I forgot to mention this brand in my comment. But that’s also because I haven’t had the opportunity to buy any recently. My old ones are now gone but I kept them for years.
Enjoy your emails and site! Wondered have you done evaluations like this where the manufactures name is obfuscated? Be curious to see the rankings and if there was variance to the list above?