Style Pick of the Week: Buck Mason Short-Sleeve Chambray Shirt

Editor’s note: Expect these posts weekly detailing one standout item coveted by yours truly. Sometimes, these fit within budgetary restrictions and other times, they’re expensive splurges worth saving for. For more Wish List items from Beau, head here, and to see other Style Picks, head here.

Savor the last weeks of summer with a chambray shirt that can tackle anything. Flowing locks and well-kept beard not included.

Savor the last weeks of summer with a chambray shirt that can tackle anything. Flowing locks and well-kept beard not included. Photo courtesy of Buck Mason

So you’ve got your slim chinos and your classic white sneakers, but you don’t quite have a shirt to wear with ’em — or do you? The Buck Mason Short-Sleeve Chambray Shirt, my friends, is that shirt — and if that’s not the one, I’d suggest the Buck Mason Oxford. But as to the Short-Sleeve Chambray Shirt: It fits in quite well with the brand’s line of durable, essential basics, which run the course from crisp blue denim to perfectly washed slub tees. And it fits in very well with the sort of menswear you should be looking to rock to finish out summer. We’re talking pieces that can handle a beach walk or a day by the pool, and then drinks out on the town. And we’re talking just as much about pieces that can be fun to wear. If you’re on the hunt for a unique alternative to a classic summer polo or a slim pocket T-shirt, the short-sleeve chambray shirt is the way to go — as  a matter of fact, you can rock the style at least five different ways (wink, wink). The light wash is casual, the workwear-inspired front pockets are a nice visual touch, and the styling potential is certainly tough to beat. Yes indeed, the Buck Mason Short-Sleeve Chambray Shirt can be worn with everything from a pair of stylish swim trunks and slip-on sneakers on Saturday to linen trousers on a casual Friday — no jacket required. And with Buck Mason, you’re getting every bit you pay for — and then some.

Subtle details like front-button chest pockets switch things up from the standard navy polo.

Subtle details like front-button chest pockets and fish eye buttons switch things up from the standard navy polo.

The brand’s story began with a conscious decision to return to American manufacturing, and that commitment to quality and effortless style shines through here. While “heritage style” can sometimes have negative connotations (as seemed to be the case after the trend blew up in the mid-2000s), there’s nothing overly costume-y or dated about a very well-fitting, very well-made short-sleeve chambray shirt. Critically, this shirt is made with a lightweight indigo-dyed chambray — that means it’s breathable and moves easier than heavier shirts cut for fall or winter. Another big benefit? It’s made in America, so it’s right in your wheelhouse if you like to know where your #menswear comes from. And although this particular Buck Mason chambray shirt has short sleeves, know that you can still team it up with, say, a lightweight cotton sweater after a day on the water — it’s even better for layering in that regard. But the benefits don’t stop there — it’s got a bit of an edge to it, to the point where it wouldn’t look out of place worn with an iconic jean like the Levi’s 505C at a rock concert. The tricky part is going to be keeping this shirt in your closet once fall and winter really hit — so if you’re blessed enough to live near Buck Mason’s Los Angeles home base, do us all a favor and continue to rock it year-round.

Click here to get the Buck Mason Short-Sleeve Chambray Shirt.

Do you own any Buck Mason gear? How would you style this chambray shirt? Weigh in at The Style Guide!

Style Pick of the Week: Gustin Classic Boot

Editor’s note: Expect these posts weekly detailing one standout item coveted by yours truly. Sometimes, these fit within budgetary restrictions and other times, they’re expensive splurges worth saving for. For more Wish List items from Beau, head here, and to see other Style Picks, head here.

The latest release from Gustin — a shockingly affordable and stunning boot made right in America.

The folks over at San Franciso-based Gustin have been on something of a tear in recent months — the brand released its first pocket T-shirt earlier  this spring, and if it wasn’t enough to deliver well-crafted basics on top of excellent everyday wear, the brand then put out some stunning sneakers this summer. Those releases were the cherry on top of its already standout line of durable and well-crafted denim and complementary pieces like chore coats. And each item funded quickly as per the brand’s crowdsourced production model. Consider Gustin one step further into completely dominating your wardrobe now, thanks to the release this week of a lineup of made-in-America boots that look positively outstanding. If the speed at which they’re funding is astonishing, the price point is nothing short of jaw-dropping, too — just $199. That’s a good chunk less compared to similar-looking boots from Wolverine or Red Wing, for starters, yet they’re made by the very same craftsmen.

The Inferno Tan shade brings heavy vintage vibes, an eyecatching color and a heck of a price point.

The Inferno Tan shade brings heavy vintage vibes, an eyecatching color and a heck of a price point.

Gustin’s boots are available in three different looks, ranging from the chocolate brown shade seen at the top to a bright shade of tan and a grey-and-gold tinged Natural color. The specs of the boots are equally impressive, particularly for a pair that retails at what’s normally a final sale price for other brands. Built to last with Chromexcel leather from the world-renowned Horween Leather Company, they feature a tough Goodyear welt. The brand even used a custom last to create a pleasing, slim-yet-rugged profile that should pair well with its dark denim — and particularly rough-and-tumble fabrics like herringbone and tweed come fall. The waxed brown laces and brown metal eyelets on the CXL Brown Classic Boot are the kind of details that make these both a boot that can take a beating and a boot that’ll look all kinds of right when worn with dressier cold-weather essentials — is it fall already?

Will you be funding Gustin’s latest release? How would you style the boots seen here?
Ben Sherman US

Ernest Alexander