Off My Back: Souleiado

Pronounced Silly-ah - doe - - Lets try to be adults.

Men's are sized 1 (smallest) to 4 (largest)

Who knew the French have lockers?

The Souleiado Logo

A year ago the Friday Belt seemed like a good idea. 15 extra pounds later I'm not so sure. I've decided to climb on the wagon. The Friday Belt returns in six weeks. In its place - "Off My Back" A weekly look at shirting old and new. Strange and common. Cheap and expensive. US and UK. We kick it off with something unique, traditional and about 105% French.

I was first introduced to Souleiado patterns by Pierre Deux. Then I found a small shop in Bermuda that carried their men's button down shirts. Called Provincial shirts, they're made of 100% cotton in hand block printed designs over 200 years old and they're as traditional and unconventional as you can get.

They're hard to pin down. Certainly it's rustic. Simple like a young red wine from Provence...Whoops. Can't go there (This is gonna be a long six weeks). But they're so ancient looking and that comes from the patterns that are actually printed onto the shirts using old wooden blocks.

I actually wore this shirt on casual Friday a few jobs back. Show up in a shirt like this - people talk. My boss is standing in front of me in a pair Kenneth Cole squared toe shoes, Dockers and a ten dollar haircut. He asks, "Where in the hell did you dig up a shirt like that?" And I replied, "The south of France. You wouldn't understand." Yes, he eventually fired me but he'll never understand the chemise aller a L'enfer.

It's the kinda shirt you wear without a tie. There's a lot going on here and I'm always afraid someone will mistake me for a professional card player. Best worn in French owned restaurants. At least they understand the origins. Of the shirt - not me.