$95 (1st time customer $88.75) available from Mercer & Sons - Shirt #1Collar: Unlined 3 7/16" collar with full roll and large tie space.
Body: Single needle stitching with one piece yoke. 24 1/2" wide x 29 1/2" long on 15-4.
Sleeves/Cuffs: Single needle except cuff with 9" wide sleeve and one cuff button.
Pocket: 5" with 'V' stitch.
G. Bruce Boyer (15 1/2 - 2)
"Very good cloth, nice rich color, but would be better with a slightly tighter weave."
The Goods-
Color: A
Weave: B
Hand: A
Weight: A
Quality: A
Robert Bryan (15-4)
"Crude button holes. Much too wide body. Very nice color - bit deeper blue. Neck small."
The Goods-
Color: A
Weave: B
Hand: B
Weight: B
Quality: B
Mercer makes the only ready-made unlined collar. Judges agreed on the perfect oxford blue which has amazing depth to it. While Bryan was put off by the wide body and crude button hole stitching...Boyer rated it Most Traditional, Best Overall and Best Value adding, "It's simply the best shirt, at any price."
Tintin - I really appreciate this sort of study, especially on something as important as a shirt which could be worn for the greater part of a man's workweek. It certainly helps to know where the value is. I trust the judgement of the panel and you comments.
ReplyDelete(Paul) SR
Thanks for doing this! And for trying the shirts on (after the rise issue with the pants). Excellent work here.
ReplyDeleteAnd the Mercer is the best of the lot, and it is all about that unlined collar! In my experience, I buy these .5 bigger in the neck. Yes, full in the body but Mercer will slim down slightly. I buy the longer version, slimmed down a tad, and there you go.
BTW, you can get this cut in all of the great fabrics they have! Especially the broad cloth. BC with a unlined collar is like wearing PJs.
ReplyDeleteSilk- Thank you.
ReplyDeletePeter- A Mercer fan. It's a great shirt no matter how you slice it. One of my favorites.
Perceptive comment about the Mercer neck. I've been suspicious that Mercer measures the neck slightly differently. If you then upsize, I can see how the shirt could really live up to it's reputation in terms of "bagginess". The neck is less of an issue for me these days, as (gasp!) I usually am wearing these open collar. The cuffs of the Mercer fit beautifully.
ReplyDeleteBoyer has made his admiration for the Mercer well known- he is quoted on their website.
Thank you very much, Tintin, for another job well done.
Anon- I would agree with you on the Mercer neck. They tend to run a little smaller than a Brooks the same size after as many washings. But it's still the best OCBD for the price. And I'm not saying that just 'cause I'm sucking up to Boyer. Although I am. And if they fit and you like 'em the Brooks 3/$199 is hard to beat. But many of the stores are only carrying the non-iron for the lost souls.
ReplyDeleteI wish Mercer would use the Brooks cloth, which I like a bit more than the looser Mercer weave. Otherwise, you absolutely cannot beat an unlined collar--once you experience it, it is very hard to go back.
ReplyDeleteThat's right, it is ALL about the collar. Try a NOS Troy Guild from O'Connells if you want to experience the softest collar and cuffs of all time. After the experience, impossible to go back to hard collars/cuffs.
ReplyDelete