Ratio Clothing - Custom Shirts - Official Affiliate Thread

[tilesomoole]

Does anyone have experience wearing the Campus Oxfords in a warmer climate?

I have one of the monochrome campus oxfords. It seems fairly thin for an oxford, but listed at 172gsm. Thus, it wouldn't be my first choice on the hottest of days. I'd go linen or short sleeve polo or something. As I say, though, it's not as heavy as a lot of OCBDs out there.

 

[edinatlanta]

Does anyone have experience wearing the Campus Oxfords in a warmer climate? I am in Australia and I worry that I might spontaneously combust in heavier fabrics. But I also wouldn't want to have my choices limited to the small range of lighter weight Oxfords.

I lived in Sydney and now am back in my hometown of Atlanta (shocking) which is very hot and humid, we just get a little colder and have like a week or two less heat than Sydney. You'll be fine in the campus oxford.

 

[RatioClothing]

While I'm not sure your specific locale, I've personally visited Sydney and recall wearing the campus oxford in the evenings during the summer months. I suspect I'd have been a bit hot during the day though, but as @edinatlanta says, he's just fine in Atlanta (while I probably wouldn't be!), so ymmv.

I think your best bet will be our Washed All-Season Oxfords, but as you note there is a limited color range there. Perhaps stick with those for white and blue oxfords, and use the campus when you need some other colors?

Does anyone have experience wearing the Campus Oxfords in a warmer climate? I am in Australia and I worry that I might spontaneously combust in heavier fabrics. But I also wouldn't want to have my choices limited to the small range of lighter weight Oxfords.

I lived in Sydney and now am back in my hometown of Atlanta (shocking) which is very hot and humid, we just get a little colder and have like a week or two less heat than Sydney. You'll be fine in the campus oxford.

 

[db123456]

Sorry if this has been addressed before, but what’s the difference between the Campus Oxfords and the American Oxfords? The fabric specs seem to be the same for both.

 

[CaptainApathy]

Sorry if this has been addressed before, but what’s the difference between the Campus Oxfords and the American Oxfords? The fabric specs seem to be the same for both.

Ratio used to have all their shirts made in Garland, North Carolina, in a factory that was owned and operated by Brooks Brothers. That factory did some contract work for other companies, though my understanding was that the bulk of their production was for Brook's own OCBD's. The Garland factory was shuttered at the beginning of the pandemic.

It was closed for a couple of years, though it has recently reopened under new ownership. But that's not really relevant to your question.

After the Garland factory was closed Ratio found a couple of new factories, including some overseas. The campus oxfords are made overseas. The American oxfords are made in a factory in New Jersey.

Labor costs are likely responsible for the significant difference in price between the two.

 

[db123456]

Labor costs are likely responsible for the significant difference in price between the two.

Thanks for the explanation. Is it your understanding that the two fabrics are more or less the same?

 

[CaptainApathy]

Thanks for the explanation. Is it your understanding that the two fabrics are more or less the same?

Sorry, not sure, I haven't ordered from them since pre-pandemic, when they were using the Garland factory. If you're looking for a higher quality fabric, they have some Thomas Mason oxfords under their "Legacy" collection. Based on prior experience the TM fabric is nice, but it definitely doesn't have the feel of a classic OCBD.

 

[calm-opportunity428]

I wasn’t aware of the fact that Ratio makes their OCBDs now overseas instead of in the USA… would this make the OCBDs less recommendable or is it still of the same quality as they were made in the USA? Just wondering!

 

[Kansai22]

For those that have ordered from Ratio what are your thoughts on the fabrics?

Has anyone tried Ratio's non iron shirts?

I am looking for truly quality wrinkle resistant shirts. What I am finding with a lot of other brands I try is that the shirts look amazing when you put them on but if they look like a wrinkled mess a few hours into wearing them it defeats the purpose. I am curious how Ratio's wrinkle resistant and non iron shirts look, feel, and hold up?

 

[tilesomoole]

would this make the OCBDs less recommendable or is it still of the same quality as they were made in the USA?

They still make some shirts in the US - the product page will tell you, and I believe you can sort by country of origin. If it helps, they are not made in China nor by a Chinese company.

I much prefer cutting China out of the supply chain I'm supporting if at all possible. I practice Falun Gong, and those who choose to do so inside China are arrested, tortured, and often killed for it, and their entire economy is propped up by slavery (here's but one BBC article - https://www.bbc.com/news/business-55319797).

So I thought you might be interested in knowing that their supply chain is not invested in China at all.

As for the quality, I have 2 of their shirts, a 'monochorme oxford' and a 'brushed cotton oxford'. I'm very happy with the brushed cotton, it's like a white flannel shirt and I wear it a lot. It's killer with jeans and can go under a blazer - 5/5.

The monochrome oxford I'd give 4/5 stars on the fabric. The color is great and I put brown buttons and the 'fitzgerald' collar on it, which are just right.

I hope that helps!

 

[calm-opportunity428]

As for the quality, I have 2 of their shirts, a 'monochorme oxford' and a 'brushed cotton oxford'. I'm very happy with the brushed cotton, it's like a white flannel shirt and I wear it a lot. It's killer with jeans and can go under a blazer - 5/5.

The monochrome oxford I'd give 4/5 stars on the fabric. The color is great and I put brown buttons and the 'fitzgerald' collar on it, which are just right.

I hope that helps!

Got it, thanks for letting me know
I personally ordered the campus Oxfords; do you have any experience with that (the ones that are made recently, not from the NC factory but overseas)?


thanks

 

[tilesomoole]

I personally ordered the campus Oxfords; do you have any experience with that (the ones that are made recently, not from the NC factory but overseas)?

No, I only have the two shirts I mentioned. I'd imagine any of their fabrics would be good to great quality.

 

[CaptainApathy]

I wasn’t aware of the fact that Ratio makes their OCBDs now overseas instead of in the USA… would this make the OCBDs less recommendable or is it still of the same quality as they were made in the USA? Just wondering!

I never purchased their made in USA shirts because of the quality. I paid the premium because I wanted to support an American firm, with American workers, made in a factory that I was fairly confident was treating its workers fairly. It's not like sewing is a precision-manufacturing industry with tolerances at the micron level. There's nothing special about American garment workers. You can get great quality shirts manufactured overseas and junk made in America. Ratio's quality was average, but if you ignore the country of manufacture, it's not hard to find equivalent quality elsewhere for less.

 

[calm-opportunity428]

Ratio's quality was average, but if you ignore the country of manufacture, it's not hard to find equivalent quality elsewhere for less.

Hm I see! What would you say is high quality OCBD for you then? And also any suggestions for those equivalent quality ones?

But yeah perhaps you’re right, some people overemphasize and praise over the MiUSA ones…

 

[ceegman]

Got it, thanks for letting me know
I personally ordered the campus Oxfords; do you have any experience with that (the ones that are made recently, not from the NC factory but overseas)?


thanks

I started ordering from Ratio last year and have a few of their Campus Oxfords. They are great, middle-of-the-road, everyday oxfords. The fabric isn’t too heavy or too thin. They are not dressy, and I iron them if I am wearing them in a business casual setting/at the office. That’s about the dressiest I will wear them.

I also have a couple of the Thomas Mason oxfords from Ratio as well. Those are dressier and thinner; if you order them with the Fitzgerald collar, I do not recommend ordering an unlined collar. I think the unfused collar would be the better bet.

I ordered shirts from Luxire and Spier Mackay too. The Spier Mackay shirt was really impressive actually. But one thing I noticed is that Ratio’s customer service/fit guidance process was really helpful in learning how to order MTM shirts and clothing in general. I don’t think that’s available with the other online MTM companies. And even though the Spier Mackey shirts seems a little “nicer,” I think Ratio’s Campus oxfords are still a good value for a MTM, everyday casual shirt.