THE JOURNAL
From left: photography by Skwad Photography/Blaublut-Edition.com, Mr Daniel Bruno Grandl/Blaublut-Edition.com, Mr Daniel Bruno Grandl/Blaublut-Edition.com
As the name suggests, the overshirt has you covered. In these trying times, when you don’t know which way the wind is blowing next (both literally and figuratively), it really is a wardrobe essential that offers something more. A bit of heft, but not too much, it sits somewhere between a jacket and a regular shirt. Which, as it happens, would be a good combination to wear once it gets really cold. But we’re getting ahead of ourselves. This is one for the present moment.
Why now? Well, the overshirt is an easy win that combines style and practicality as we segue away from summer. It will elevate a T-shirt, casual shirt or tank, while fending off an autumnal chill. And it is about the simplest piece to stick on or strip off and stash. It could be the statement item of an outfit or the neutral canvas for braver sartorial decisions, such as stacked jewellery or a colourful neckerchief.
But you don’t have to take it from us. See the likes of the perennially stylish Mr Jeremy Allen White, who recently graced our monthly best-dressed list wearing one.
Right now, take the time to enjoy the brief window when the overshirt comes into its own. Worn on its own, or at least over something else. Possibly by an open window. Look, we’re not telling you how to live your life. (Just not to call it a “shacket”.) And to inform you that another layer might make everything better. Here’s how.
Shop overshirts here
01. The Mr P. cashmere-blend overshirt
Checked flannel shirts you’re probably accustomed to. But herringbone? Next level. What will really bake your brain on the exploding-head-meme scale is the addition of cashmere to the weave. A classic patch-pocket style in a luxury grey with a plush handle – from our in-house brand, Mr P.
02. The ZEGNA grandad-collar cashmere overshirt
Stand, band, mandarin and Nehru – the grandad collar has been called many things and seen numerous variations in its time. But has it ever been quite as magnificent as this cashmere melange overshirt by ZEGNA. Plucked from the brand’s Oasi collection, which is now certified as entirely traceable.
03. The stealth Stone Island wool-blend overshirt
A MR PORTER exclusive, this felt overshirt from Stone Island’s Ghost collection comes in a muted grey that you’ll only find here (although you can see the monotone capsule in action, as worn by the actor Mr Russell Tovey). As such, it’s designed to blend in with its sibling pieces, but you can team it with virtually anything.
04. The Elder Statesman’s elevated plaid shirt
Come as you are, a generation was told. As The Elder Statesman wants you to be, is the modern-day upgrade. The checked overshirt, a stable of the early 1990s grunge scene, gets a lavish reboot in a cheeky rhubarb-and-custard colourway thanks to the luxuriously laid-back LA label.
05. The leather-trimmed LOEWE overshirt
With this item, Mr Jonathan Anderson has clearly used workwear as a jumping-off point. But this piece by LOEWE is probably best worn away from moving machinery. Constructed in Italy from a blend of wool and cashmere, it offers a pleasingly simple design, with an engraved D-ring and signature-embossed leather patch pocket on the chest.