How To Wear An Overshirt | Style Guide
There’s a fine line between not trying and effortlessly put together. The overshirt walks that line like a cat on a garden wall. Too cold for a tee, too warm for a jacket? Overshirt. Need to look sharp without looking like you’ve tried? Overshirt. It’s the midfield playmaker of your wardrobe, the one that links defence and attack with quiet confidence. Worn by everyone from Beckham to your mate who’s always first at the pub quiz.
What is an overshirt?
An overshirt is a shirt that you wear over another shirt. Makes sense. They’re typically thicker than a regular shirt and can be worn as an outer layer or a midlayer. Think of overshirts as the missing link between a jacket and a shirt — the Australopithecus sediba of the menswear world. Just don’t call it a shacket.
Types of overshirts
Overshirts come in myriad styles and materials. We’re big proponents of the overshirt, and in our stores you’ll find zipped, buttoned, waffle, corduroy, twill, blanket, cotton twill, and Casentino wool. Some — like the Casentino — make superb outer layers due to their robustness and warmth. Others are team players, elevating any outfit as that all-important middle layer that must be durable enough to serve as an outer layer, with a strong silhouette, but also slip right in under a coat. You’re about to learn a whole lot more about this.
Are overshirts in fashion?
Erm, yeah. Ryan Gosling and David Beckham are big overshirt fans, and if you don’t think those men look great then, frankly, you’ve come to the wrong place. They’re not just fashionable, though. They’ll stick around because they’re versatile and useful. Clothes are like songs — if they’re well written and they resonate with people on a deep level, they’re gonna stick around because people are always going to fall in love and people are always going to rebel and they’re always going to dance. If clothes are functional and made well and built to last — they’re not going anywhere. The overshirt falls into that category.
How to style an overshirt?
If you’re employing an overshirt as the outermost layer of your fit, you’ve got option. A bolder colourway or pattern lends itself well to an overshirt at the more jacketine end of the scale, buttoned of unbuttoned, and feel free to pop that colour if you’re in a roguish mood. Keeping your base layer clean, uncomplicated, and relatively neutral will help to complement your overshirt and assure attention is guided toward the desired element of the fit. If you’re going for a more layered look with the overshirt acting as a midlayer, go for a thinner material and a less striking pattern, perhaps one block colour. It’s all about the overall fit — you can’t have eleven mavericks in a football team; you need a James Milner, a Sean Longstaff, a Ji-Sung Park.
Can I wear a tie with an overshirt?
Can you? Technically yes. Should you? Depends how brave you’re feeling. Wearing a tie with an overshirt isn’t for the faint of heart. It’s for the bloke who’s happy mixing boardroom and backstreet bar energy in one outfit. The trick is balance. Go for a softer fabric tie, maybe knitted or wool, and pair it with a clean, structured overshshirt. Keep the colours complementary, and avoid anything too shiny or stiff. You’re not auditioning for The Apprentice, you’re rewriting the dress code.
What to wear with an overshirt?
Men’s overshirts are about as versatile as clothes get. Don’t wear them as part of a suit or a tux, obviously. Other than that, you’re absolutely fine. Button them under a longer coat like a trench or a pea coat to create textured layers and eye-pleasing length. Overshirts work with corduroy trousers, jeans, shorts, slacks — that boxy fit is going to give you a satisfying silhouette and complement whatever’s on your bottom half. Have fun with it.
What to wear under an overshirt?
We recommend going relatively neutral under your overshirt/overjacket. Keep this in mind and you can’t go wrong with a good quality tee shirt, or a hoodie (please keep your hood on the outside — you’re not seven), or even a jumper in colder weather. Just remember to go for thinner fabrics if you’re layering up to avoid unnecessary bulk and overheating. What did your parents always say? You can always take a layer off.
How should a men’s overshirt fit?
Boxy. Spacious. A good overshirt should be accommodating. They’re really designed for getting out and about, getting your hands dirty, and should allow for plenty of movement. An overshirt should be functional as well as stylish.
Are overshirts oversized?
Usually yes. Overshirts are cut with room to move, boxy and relaxed, built for layering. They should sit comfortably over a tee or jumper without looking bulky. Think easy, not baggy.
Is an overshirt considered a jacket?
Pretty much. An overshirt sits right between a shirt and a jacket, light enough for indoors but sturdy enough for a breeze. Call it what you like, it earns its place as the go to layer all year round.
What to wear with a black overshirt?
See, black is great. Black goes with just about everything so you can have a bit of fun with what you wear underneath it. You’re safe with neutral tones but, equally, a black overshirt allows you to choose a statement tee, polo, jumper, roll-neck, hoodie, or shirt as a base layer, as that black overshirt is going to take care of your silhouette, with a more boldly coloured or patterned base layer acting as the flourish and point of interest to the eye.
Can you wear an overshirt over a shirt?
You sure can. A clear difference in texture and colour will help you here. A shirt made from a lighter fabric will afford space for the tougher, thicker fabric of your overshirt. At least one of the two should be neutral or patternless, unless you’re feeling bold and brave enough to pull off the double-patter. Beware, though, few are the men who’ve ventured to the City of Double Patterns and returned with their dignity.
Why do people call an overshirt a shacket?
Because people love to complicate things. A shacket is just another name for an overshirt, born from the great marketing minds who thought “shirt jacket” needed a nickname. Same idea, same purpose, just a different label. We prefer overshirt — it sounds cooler and doesn’t try so hard.
Matching your overshirts with other clothes
Your overshirt is likely to be the rougher texture in your fit, so pair with smoother textures. Stick to the guidelines above — understated for midlayering, free reign for outer layer (with a neutral base layer). Remember to think about silhouette and, above all, have fun with it. A good overshirt is your wardrobe’s get-out-of-jail card.
