John Simons vintage ivy Oxford shirts

If you want some old-school authenticity in your wardrobe, then you might want to have a look at the John Simons vintage ivy Oxford shirts.

After all, this is the work of a man who has been selling clothes longer than any of us have been alive. He’s the living embodiment of the ivy league movement in the UK, and if anyone knows how to make a shirt from that period of time, it is John Simons.

Not that he has made one shirt. There’s a complete range of colours to choose from (as you can see from the imagery here), although they do all use the same considered template.

Officially going by the name Ivy Shirt, it incorporates some of John Simons’ favourite details from shirts of there 1950s into the 1960s.

This means the generous collar roll, finished with ‘The Ivy League Spearpoint collar’. The latter being a feature often used on shirts from the ‘Jivy Ivy’ period in the latter half of the 1960s. When worn open, the collar rolls beautifully due to omitting any lining from the collar and placket.

There’s also a seven-button front (inspired by the likes of Gant, Sero and Troy Guild shirt-makers in the ’60s) and ‘gradually tapering tails’, inspired by Truval and its Career Club line.

The 100% Oxford cotton has been woven in Lancashire, with the shirts made in London, finished with Gauntlet buttons, a single cuff button, a box pleat and a locker loop.

According to John Simons, each one has a traditional 1960s cut with tapered tails and fits true to size. Those sizes go up to 4XL.

Want one? Plenty of colours and sizes are currently assailable, with each selling for £120. You might also want to consider the Kamakura shirts if this is the look you are going for.

Find out more at the John Simons website