Oxford Shirt Review: Lands’ End Circa 1990s
When I think of Lands’ End, I think of a barn jacket my uncle gave me for Christmas when I was a teenager. That jacket lasted me over a decade before it was time to retire it.
Sadly, that jacket also doesn’t exist anymore as Lands’ End, like many retailers, has downgraded its materials, and quality has dipped. But the Lands’ End of yesteryear was a reliable destination for high-quality staples. While Lands’ End never quite reached the sizzle that J.Crew did, it was still a solid shop for Ivy styles with a bit of outdoorsy flair.
So when I saw a vintage Lands’ End shirt at the local Savers, I knew I had to snap it up for further inspection. Read on for my complete review.
Lands’ End Background
Lands’ End got its start as a mail-order catalogue, albeit for yachting supplies. One of the founders, Gary Comer, was a successful copywriter in Chicago with a passion for sailing, and so they produced sailcloths and foul-weather gear.
The initial catalogue was enough of a hit that they scaled the business and offered Ivy-inspired clothing in the 1970s, like OCBDs, deck shoes, and even luggage!
In 1986, the company went public, and its stock was available for purchase until Sears acquired the brand in 2002 for $2B. Today, Lands’ End is relegated to the bottom of the barrel in discount retailers; Sears went bankrupt, so Lands’ End now sells on Amazon and through a partnership with Kohl's. Fans of the brand will always remember what once was, though sadly, we’re decades past the point of Lands’ End being considered good quality.
Still, in its heyday, Lands’ End could not be beaten. That’s why I was so psyched to find this shirt from the 90s, so read on for my full review.
Initial Impressions of the Shirt
Pleasantly surprised is probably the best way to put it.
When it comes to mall brands, I’m more of a J.Crew man. But Lands’ End circa the 1990s was, and continues to be, very solid. Of my thrifted shirts, this one probably best nails the classic “Ivy” look: it’s made from sturdy cotton, has immaculate stitching, and a lot of the details you’d look for in a good OCBD.
As you’ll see in my in-depth review, it’s clear that Lands’ End took some care when creating shirts back in the day, which is why it’s such a shame there appears to be such a drop-off now. Unfortunately, the sizing on the arms renders this one less-than-perfect unless I get it tailored.
Lands’ End Oxford Shirt Review
Enough with surface-level impressions! You’re here for the nitty-gritty. I’m going to review this shirt from top to bottom, leaving no button or stitch unturned.
I’ll break down my review into the following sections:
- Labels
- Fabric
- Buttons
- Details and extras
- Construction
- Stitching
- Weight
- Fit
Labels
I see a lot of Lands’ End at thrift stores here in New England, but this label in particular caught my eye. Note the “Direct Merchants” underneath the word mark; this specific logo was trademarked in 1984 and expired in 2020. Lands’ End began trademarking and using new logos in the 2000s, so I’d date this shirt sometime in the 1990s.
Fabric
What can I say? A nice, dense Oxford basket-weave. The fabric is a bit smoother and lighter-feeling than some other shirts, which makes this shirt feel a bit dressier than some of my more burly OCBDs.
Buttons
The buttons are made of plastic (to be expected) and securely sewn onto the shirt. The button holes are also reinforced and show no loose threads or signs of tearing. Remember, this shirt is 20+ years old, so that’s no small feat!
Details and Extras
This shirt is light on design details and extras beyond the bare minimum, but of my shirts, it is the most generous with extra buttons. There are four sewn into the bottom front of the shirt, two large buttons for the front of the shirt, and two small buttons for the collar.
Construction
The construction of this shirt is, frankly, top-notch for the price. I’ll run you through it piece by piece.
The collar rolls nicely and features a 3” point. I think this is a good middle-ground between the barely-existent collar roll of the J.Crew Oxford shirts and the (in my opinion) overly long collars you’ll see in retailers like Spier and Mackay.
I know the long collar points are traditional, but I find the 3”+ collar points look fussy.
From seam to seam in the shoulders, this shirt is an ample 19” across. The seams on this sit on the outside of my shoulders, not so big as to look slouchy but it definitely fits big.
Pit to pit, this shirt is a cavernous 22” across. It definitely skews towards that 90s oversized style.
The pocket is a simple U-shaped patch pocket. The stitching is nice and neat and the inside contains no loose threads.
The shirt is wide straight down. You’ll see the fit later, but I do wish it had a more tapered fit at the waist.
This shirt is very long compared to modern Oxfords, a full 30” down the front. As you’ll see in the fit pictures, it absolutely must be tucked in.
At 10.5” across (21”), the arm holes in this shirt are quite large compared to some of my other shirts. Again, this, with the generous shoulder width and wide chest, provides a ton of mobility… but also means sizing down is the way to go.
What’s most surprising about this shirt, though, is that despite being drastically oversized, the cuffs are tiny! At just 4” across, my hand cannot fit through unless I unbutton the cuff. They also barely allow me to wear a watch on my wrist, making them uncomfortably snug.
Stitching
The stitching is superb on this shirt, a testament to the quality you could expect even from mall brands in the 1990s. Frankly, the seams are barely visible; they’re that neat and exact. One extra this shirt has that no others in my closet feature is a true split yoke (as opposed to a false split yoke):
100% cotton fabric doesn’t stretch the way that cotton with a mix of elastane will. But cotton will stretch diagonally (on the bias), which is what this split yoke facilitates. Not that I need the extra mobility, given how big the shirt fits on me.
Weight
This shirt clocks in at a hearty 299.5 grams. A few heavier than the Brooks Brothers, which I'll admit surprised me given that the shirt has more material and thicker fabric. I think that the heft of the buttons on the Brooks Brothers shirt help its weight, given they're authentic Mother of Pearl to Lands' End's lightweight plastic.t
Fit
Fit is going to be subjective, so bear the following in mind: I am 5’10” and about 175lbs on a good day. I like to lift weights, and would say I have fairly broad shoulders with a comparatively narrow waist. Typically, my jacket size is a 40, and my collar size is 15.5.
The caveat with this shirt is that the sleeve size is 34, and I usually wear a 31 or 32. Even so, the sleeves on this shirt are massive and give me a “Mr. Incredible” silhouette. Still, take the bunching on the arms with a massive grain of salt.
Lands’ End Oxford Pros and Cons
We've covered a lot! I'll wrap things up here with a quick pros/cons list.
Pros
- High-quality stitching and construction
- High-quality fabric
- Classic fit in the shoulders and body
- Split yoke in the back for mobility
- A generous amount of extra buttons
Cons
- Straight fit is very boxy in the waist and leads to lots of bunching when tucked in
- Arm length aside, there’s a ton of excess material in the arms, giving this a dated fit.
Are Vintage Lands’ End Oxford Shirts Good?
Yep!
If you see the “Direct Merchants” logo, then snap it up. This shirt is well-made, decently tailored, and would be a good addition to your closet. Given that this was around $8.50 at Savers, I’m very glad I snapped it up when I did.
My only complaint with this shirt is the dated fit. A tad more snug in the arms and a more tapered fit at the waist, and this would be damn near perfect for me as an everyday Oxford shirt.
I could tailor it, of course, but the search continues for my ideal Oxford shirt and next review!
