I recently swung by the Gustin HQ again to say hello and take a look at their new shirt offerings. The samples look quite nice – Japanese oxford and chambray with an unfused and lightly lined 3″ button-down collar. I tried one on and I’d say that they fit true-to-size but are reasonably slim. I wear a small in the GANT “hugger” fit and same Gustin size was comparable through the torso, but without the tiny yoke that often appears on GANT shirts. The length of the Gustin shirt is shorter as well, so it will probably work better as an untucked shirt for most.
As for the details, they feature mother-of-pearl buttons, two-piece placket, third collar button on the back, and a locker loop above the rear box pleat. The collar is about 3″ long, has a super-light lining, and is unfused (the cuffs are unfused as well).
the pricepoint for the shirts is $69 for oxford and $99 for selvage chambray. I will admit that these prices seem less impressive than the wild price we’ve seen on the denim, but I still think it is a decent value. After all, these shirts shouldn’t be compared directly to Brooks Brothers, J. Crew, GANT, and the like – these Gustin shirts are top-of-the line shirts made with name-brand fabric and high-end hardware right here in San Francisco. Most shirts in that realm retail for $200-300. Also, I was surprised to learn that the cost to manufacture these shirts is actually more than the denim due to the complexity of the pattern. I imagine that this is often the case but we generally don’t see that reflected in prices due to high retail markups.
Of course, the XS/S/M/L/XL sizing won’t work for everyone but I think a good number of people may have luck with these shirts. Be sure to reference their size guide before getting too far along. All in all, though, a good price for a high-quality casual staple.
