The Buttons ‘n’ Threads Custom Shirt Review

Previously, I shared how Buttons ‘n’ Threads exceeded my expectations with the velvet jacket they made for me.  Subsequent to that review Yashas asked me to review one of their dress shirts.  Obviously, I obliged.  But to be honest, I did not expect much.

Historically, I have found that online suit brands who may make good suits typically do not also make good shirts.  I will not bore you with my suspicions as to why this is the case; it is just my observation and experience.  An observation (and consequently a set of expectations) that Buttons ‘n’ Threads proves to be an exception to.  The shirt they made for me is exceptional.

Before start waxing poetic about the shirt I should note that the shirts are not available for sale yet.  In fact, today marks the launch of their Indiegogo campaign to raise funds for shirt production.  So yes, the fact that this piece is being published today is not completely random…  But anyway, the campaign ends in a few weeks so you can either pre-order a shirt from the Indiegogo or wait until they are available for regular sale.

It’s worth noting that the first 100 shirts will be available at a discount at $99 and $129, as opposed to $129 (2 ply 120s) and $149 (2 ply 140s).  The difference in price lies with different fabrics, all of which are Egyptian cotton.  Which the marketing folks would have you believe is a sure sign of quality, which is not always the case.  Fortunately, the fabric my shirt is made of is the good stuff.

Although I was not able to use the Buttons ‘n’ Threads website to order my shirt (the shirt design site was not ready yet so I had to use the style books to chose the details of my shirt) I was impressed with the variety of details and options that one can choose for their shirt.  A variety that rivals Cottonwork and MyTailor, which is a good thing.  I also believe that they can accommodate a certain level of special requests, which is also good.  For my shirt I chose a hidden button down collar, single button barrel cuffs (more on that below), standard placket and rib cage monogram placement.  I opted for a solid white fabric which I have been happy with.  But the initial fabric selection is somewhat limited to the basics, so I look forward to them adding more fabrics to the collection going forward.  But anyway, let’s take a closer look at the shirt.

If you cannot tell, I am very happy with the shirt Buttons ‘n’ Threads sent me.  Upon receiving the shirt I inquired with Yashas about the quality of the shirt, namely the construction.  I was curious how they were able to source such a well made shirt yet keep the costs so low.  His answer, in short was that the factory that Buttons ‘n’ Threads works with in India modeled itself after the Fray factory in Italy, which makes some of the better ready to wear shirts to come out of that country; at least that’s my understanding.  They also used Charvet and Turnbull & Asser shirts as a benchmark for quality.  But at the end of the day, quality of construction and materials is not the most important part of custom menswear.  The fit is.  And as I noted before, I am very happy with the fit of my shirt.

Is the shirt worth $129 or $149?  Unequivocally, yes.  The quality and fit are certainly both at levels that justify such a price.  However, I do understand that some men do not want to spend that much on a shirt, which would mean they would have to look elsewhere (like Luxire and Cottonwork) for shirts.  But if your budget permits you to spend this much on your shirts, (and I advise you think about it) I think you will have a very hard time finding nicer shirts for your money.  If you have any questions, comments or thoughts please feel free to sound off in the comments.

–JLJ

Note: FYGblog did receive the shirt being reviewed for purposes of review.  As always, the utmost care was taken to maintain an unbiased stance on the brand and product at hand.