Style Pick of the Week: Huckberry Explorer’s Shirt

Available in a plethora of colors and made with durability, style and toughness in mind -- the Explorer's Shirt from Huckberry and Taylor Stitch.

Available in a plethora of colors and made with durability, style and toughness in mind — the Explorer’s Shirt from Huckberry and Taylor Stitch.

Although we’re eagerly looking toward spring here at The Style Guide, we aren’t quite there yet — and that’s why you’ll need the Huckberry Explorer’s Shirt these next few weeks. While it’s tempting to stow away your tough winter accessories in favor of lighter fare, transitional spring style still calls for gear that’s a little heartier than normal. There’s certainly a chance of rain, and heck …. a few snow flurries? Sorry, folks … had to go there. With that being said, the Huckberry Explorer’s Shirt has a lot of great things going for it — namely, it’s made in tandem by Huckberry and a near-weekly Style Guide favorite, Taylor Stitch. That the two companies share office space is fitting, because they both do an admirable job carrying the flag for high-quality, rugged and timeless #menswear. And as you’ve seen from this site’s Style Pick of the Week series, there’s a lot that Taylor Stitch does well — including stellar shirting options like the Crater Shirt. In this instance, the Explorer’s Shirt kicks things up a notch, starting with the durable and tough stone-washed duck canvas exterior — that makes it one of the best men’s overshirts you can buy, and simultaneously, one of the best men’s workshirts to buy, too. Ya dig? Of course, with all great gear from Taylor Stitch and Huckberry, there are plenty of extra touches that make it worth buying (especially in the versatile and unique Natural colorway seen here). Keep in mind that the Explorer’s Shirt is also available in a plethora of colors, from a handsome Rust Gold to a faded Dusty Blue. Regardless of shirt color, you get tremendous quality any way you slice it.

Beckett Simonon

Tough brass buttons, a clean fit and sturdy fabric make this shirt a winner.

Tough brass buttons, a clean fit and sturdy fabric make this shirt a winner.

Heck, even the buttons on the Explorer’s Shirt are sturdy — made with brass, they’re a vintage-inspired touch that lends this piece more of a shirt-jacket feel than something like a classic chambray shirt. In that case, you could absolutely layer the Huckberry Explorer’s Shirt  with just about any combo you can dream up, be it over a timeless Oxford shirt or your favorite long-sleeve henley (particularly a henley — talk about a one-two combo ideal for weekend style). And because both brands build their gear with paramount functionality  in mind, the Huckberry Explorer’s Shirt features an inner chest pocket with a neat, screen-printed map design and enough space for your everyday carry. Heck,  Huckberry  even notes that you can treat the shirt with Otterwax to make it weatherproof — learn more here.  When you can get a shirt that doubles as a jacket, fights off the rain, layers up easily and stands out stylishly with everything from slim dark denim to classic chinos, you should absolutely buy it. From there, wear the Explorer’s Shirt plenty — ideally with other Taylor Stitch gear, yes?

Would you buy the Huckberry Explorer’s Shirt? How would you style it?

Frank & Oak

Style Pick of the Week: Reef x H.D. Lee Workshirt

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.

A herringbone workshirt can become a go-to cold weather layer. Workshirt via Reef x H.D. Lee. Slim brown jeans by Bonobos. Navy henley by United By Blue. Merino watch cap by American Trench. Black sneakers by Reef. Glasses by Warby Parker.

A herringbone workshirt can become a go-to cold weather layer. Workshirt via Reef x H.D. Lee. Slim brown jeans by Bonobos. Navy henley by United By Blue. Merino watch cap by American Trench. Black sneakers by Reef. Glasses by Warby Parker. Silver dive watch by Invicta.

For those in-between times when it’s chilly — but not too cold — and you feel like incorporating a dash of casual yet rugged style into your fall ensemble, there’s one piece of gear you should reach for. While a crisp fall jacket can provide great styling potential, we all need to switch it up sometimes. And that’s where a great workshirt can fill a hole in your wardrobe. Sure, you might not be in the mood to wear it out to cut wood, but what’s the harm in looking a bit rugged? There are various takes that could fall into this larger category  — you could argue that it’s simply a lined shirt crafted out of a thicker fabric, like this piece from J. Crew’s Wallace & Barnes line. Crucially, it’s a style that’s made for layering, whether over a great fall henley or atop a tough chambray shirt. And while you might not have heard of the brand before now, you’d do well to check out the workshirt being offered up by surfwear brand Reef in collaboration with heritage denim maker H.D. Lee this fall (also known as Lee Jeans). The collaboration itself is a well-edited collection of some staple menswear items mixed in with some more unique pieces (think an essential shawl sweater alongside the surfboard bags for which Reef is known). I was admittedly a bit skeptical at first (a surf brand selling fall apparel?), but after being sent a workshirt to check out on a trip to Michigan, I came around.

One weather-ready way to accessorize the rugged Reef x H.D. Lee workshirt. Merino watch cap by American Trench. Gloves by Iron & Resin. Black sneakers by Reef.

One weather-ready way to accessorize the rugged Reef x H.D. Lee workshirt. Merino watch cap by American Trench. Gloves by Iron & Resin. Black sneakers by Reef.

For those who support American manufacturing (as we all should!), it’s a style that strikes a good balance between quality and price. It’s somewhat cost-prohibitive at $140, but that pales in comparison to similar workshirt/shirt-jacket styles offered by the likes of Saturdays Surf NYC. And this Reef x H.D. Lee piece backs up its price, too. The charcoal color is neutral and versatile, able to be casually paired with some slim brown jeans  and black sneakers, as seen at the top, or worn with black denim and a sturdy pair of roughout leather boots. It would even work more casually with some navy sweatpants and sneakers on the weekend. You could feasibly wear this out for a hike and back, too. The herringbone yarn dye definitely gives it a great fall and winter vibe, too, and the chambray lining provides a bit of extra insulation. That it still manages to fit trim atop a navy henley makes  it a tremendous layering option. It could also be worn unbuttoned over a heather pocket tee with khaki chinos  and a merino watch cap (as I did here) for a quick jaunt around town. Side pockets at the hips are pretty handy, too. It’s available up to every size but XXL at the moment, so the time is ripe to pick it up, throw it on and get out there this fall & winter.

How would you style this workshirt for fall & winter? Would you consider checking out this style? Let me know and thanks for reading!
Shop the latest in Men's styles Under $50 + get FREE Shipping on orders over $100 at Frank & Oak!