Mercer & Sons Oxford Review

I wrote a little while ago about Mercer & Sons, who are making authentic, high-quality American shirts in Maine.  Their signature is the rolled button-down collar that David Mercer has pretty much saved from extinction.  David was kind enough to send me a blue oxford cloth button down (OCBD) to try out and review.  And here are the results.

A few things up front: Mercer & Sons cut their shirts generously.  It’s all part  of the classic American feel they’re going for.  Nothing too tight or skimpy – full cuts for ease of movement and longevity.  You might not think about it, but when you buy that double extra super slim shirt, it’s going to take a much harder beating than a shirt that gives you some breathing room.  Seams and cloth can only take so much before they start to wear.

Add to that the fact that the two-ply oxford cloth is tough as nails, and you have one long-wearing shirt.  The stuff is so sturdy that the first few times I wore the shirt it felt a little stiff and scratchy.  But, half a dozen wears and two launderings later, it has softened up nicely, but lost none of its heft.

David assures me this process will continue over the next decade or so until the shirt hits the strong/soft sweet spot right before needing to be replaced.  Worth the wait.

Everybody talks about Mercer’s cascading button-down collar, and it is the best I have ever seen, hands down.  By not using a fused interlining, or any interlining at all for that matter, the cloth is allowed to roll naturally, giving you that enviable angel-wing shape when buttoned.  Not only are the collars more expensive to make this way, but the proportions and button placement must be perfect or the whole effect is ruined.

The other details are equally exciting.  My favorite thing might actually be the placement of the cuff buttons.  I typically don’t button my cuffs – I hate having things tight around my wrists – but by placing the button at the base of the cuff, it keeps the cuff from sliding down without constricting my wrist at all.  You also get reinforced and elegantly pleated seams and plackets to keep things clean.

Finally, if I have any criticism to offer, it is in the realm of personal styling preference and not objective critique.

While I have really enjoyed wearing my Mercer & Sons oxford under a jacket in the chilly weather, I don’t know if I would feel as comfortable in it without a jacket on.  I did size down one body size to go with my usual collar size, but there is still a little more cloth in the chest and waist than I typically prefer.  It is totally unnoticeable and very comfortable under something, but without a layer to conceal the extra folds at the waist I think it looks a little sloppy on my small frame.  Oh the plights of being 5′ 7″ and slight…

Solution: next time I order (and I fully expect to) I will ask for the 2″ slimming option in addition to the smaller body size, which should take care of most, if not all, of this.  I’m already picking out tattersalls for next fall.

 

Thanks again to David Mercer at Mercer & Sons for providing the review shirt.