I think these guys might be making strides. I have never had a TM Lewin shirt but it is interesting that an English company is making such collars for the sportier set for after hours. Although I am not sure what a "formal button down" is.
http://www.tmlewin.co.uk/ProductList.aspx/MensShirts/MenShirtsGoodwood
In fairness that's not a bad roll is it?
I think we've all seen worse.
http://www.tmlewin.co.uk/productimage.aspx/MensShirts/MenShirtsGoodwood!FE861
Last edited by Russell_Street (2008-03-08 09:42:14)
Last edited by Russell_Street (2008-03-09 01:53:37)
I had 6 shirts made by Paris Custom Shirts and when I asked for buttondown collars they asked me if I wanted an American or English roll. I think the idea was there was no roll on the English version. Sometimes it pays to buy American.
^ Really interesting. In the past the English BD was indeed flat as a pancake. I always thought that was just because we couldn't make them properly. It never occured to me that an English BD might be roll-less on purpose.
When I started wearing BDs I was wearing Ben Shermans at the time. Some of my friends ironed their collars flat, which looked quite bad to me. I wanted a roll. The Bennies I had didn't quite have the roll that I saw in 60's and early 70's Ben Sherman and Brutus shirts, so I thought that the big collar roll was a 60's British thing! Only some years later I learnt about the American roll and Brooks. It seemed logical that the good, desirable roll was American since Ben Sherman BD was copying American shirts.
The buttons on the TM Lewin collars seem to be to far apart IMO. One VERY important thing is that the collar buttons should be high enough, in order for the collar to roll (probably mentioned in this thread already). Italian button downs are interesting, too. The Paul Newman 'roar' photo is truly great. Looks like a broadcloth shirt to me, or maybe a pintoint.