It’s no secret that Proper Cloth is my favorite shirtmaker. There are many places to get a custom shirt these days, but I have yet to find anybody that has the same level of user-friendly-ness, curated-but-thorough design options, and top-tier fabrics. They just released their newest batch of washed denim shirts this week, so I wanted to take some time and give a detailed review for those that are interested in learning more.
(Note: If you’re not familiar with Proper Cloth, you can read more about them in my reviews here, here, and here, as well as my general posts here. Also, my affiliate code will get you $20 off your first purchase.)
About the Washed Denim Program
As far as I am aware, Proper Cloth is the only company that offers made-to-measure garment-washed shirts. While most fabrics are washed before they get to the customer, the difference here is that these shirts are garment washed (in other words, they are washed after the pattern pieces are sewn together). This gives you the combination of a broken-in looking garment AND the ability to design the style and fit to your liking, which is a unique combination.
First, a few general notes about the washed denim program:
- It’s only available a couple of times per year, roughly every 4-6 months or so. This is because the shirts have to be sewn and then washed in large batches, meaning that they can’t offer it as a one-off item.
- Expect fit measurements to be a bit less precise than on a normal custom shirt order. This is because the fabric will shrink when the completed garment is washed, so shrinkage has to be accounted for beforehand in the pattern. And because each fabric will shrink differently (and will shrink different amounts in length and width), predicting the final shape is a bit of an imperfect science. They will still fit well and look good, but don’t lose sleep over an eighth of an inch here and there.
- Not all of their fabrics are eligible for the washed shirt program – only a certain collection will be available. The collection tends to focus on denim and chambray fabrics, but has been slowly expanding to new textiles as well (they now have a washed corduroy!).
Beyond these notes, you can pretty much turn these shirts into whatever you’d like. Making a denim dress shirt has been popular in recent years, and this was the core offering when the program started. While I was definitely tempted by this (and still am), what finally got me to pull the trigger was the release of Western-style details. I had been interested in Western shirts for a while and the opportunity to have one made to my exact specifications was too good to pass up.
With that style in mind, I went for the full-on cowboy on my order – double pockets, Western detailing on the front and back, soft point collar, and snap buttons. The result is a great casual shirt that has all the details that I was hoping for and is easy to wear with chinos and denim. And on top of that, it’s sized exactly how I like it.
Fabric
Mine is made from the Albiate light indigo slub denim, although there are many good choices. Upon arrival it seemed more like a medium-blue, but after a few trips through the wash it began to lighten up and the slubby texture has become more prominent. It’s a substantial but not overly heavy weight, good for an everyday and all-season casual shirt. I definitely recommend it, although I do have my eye on the new light wash extra-heavy option. There are lots of options for dark wash as well, though I personally find the light wash options to be a bit easier to wear.
Construction and Fit
As I have grown to expect, the quality of the construction is excellent. While there is no pattern-matching on this plain fabric, all the seams, buttonholes, and other small details are executed very well. This shirt definitely doesn’t have the level of design that you’d see on a similar piece from RRL, but the price is much lower AND it’s made custom to my specifications. I still kinda want the RRL one, but I can’t deny that this is a much better value.
There’s not too much to say about the fit – since I’ve been a customer for years and have ordered dozens of shirts, I’ve been able to hone in on my preferred fit over time. If you’re new to Proper Cloth, they have many good guides on how to get your measurements and also offer free alterations on your first order.
Not only is Proper Cloth the only company that offers washed custom shirts, but it’s an offering that they do well. I have been continually impressed with Proper Cloth’s ability to bring the custom experience to casual shirts and their washed program is the culmination of all of that hard work. If you just want a denim shirt, you have many options. But if you like to obsess over every last detail while still getting the right look, Proper Cloth’s washed shirt program is the way to go.
As always, if you’re trying Proper Cloth for the first time you’re welcome to use my referral code for $20 off of your first purchase.
