gray shirts

I never really thought about gray shirts, until recently. anybody have them? anybody have any impressions about them? what about gray with contrasting cuffs/collar?

I have some, all end-on-end, and I like them. They get worn infrequently, and are not the easiest to mate with suits and ties, but they make a nice change from time to time. I've never been drawn to plain gray broadcloth, but the end-on-end gives it a little surface interest. Mine have self collars, but a contrast white collar would look fine, I suppose. However, if I did that, I would do it in broadcloth and not end-on-end.

gray is an odd color.
unless you have an end on end that uses only black and white yarns.
the shirts usually have either brown, green or blue undertones.
I had a gray shirt with a white collar and cuff. no idea what happened to it. I used to wear it with a charcoal grey windowpane suit. Where did that suit get to?
I guess these things do wear out.
Carl

Originally Posted by Manton

Click to expand...

I have some, all end-on-end, and I like them. They get worn infrequently, and are not the easiest to mate with suits and ties, but they make a nice change from time to time. I've never been drawn to plain gray broadcloth, but the end-on-end gives it a little surface interest. Mine have self collars, but a contrast white collar would look fine, I suppose. However, if I did that, I would do it in broadcloth and not end-on-end.

I was thinking in herringbone, or something textured. pretty much all of the shirts in my normal rotation are blues, mostly textured - herringbone, doby, something like that. I was thinking that a light gray textured shirt would be interesting - and maybe with a white collar and cuffs would look interesting.

but honestly, I was thinking of a better reaction that "it would look fine, I suppose". so maybe I'll skip it.

Originally Posted by globetrotter

Click to expand...

but honestly, I was thinking of a better reaction that "it would look fine, I suppose". so maybe I'll skip it.

I'm not a huge fan of the contrast collar. I have two shirts that I got that way from the get go, and some others whose original collars wore out and were replaced with white. I don't wear them that often, but I like them for limited purposes.

I have a few. The mid gray ones make a nice contrast to cream pants. Have also worn them with tan cotton suit and those Ferragamo/Hermes type ties.

The very light grey sort looks like white shirt that got washed with the wrong load. Have had a much harder time wearing that.

-

I like gray end on end or a gray twill with white collar and cuffs with navy suits or a blazer.

I have a gray end on end that I'll wear once in a while with jeans or navy slacks. I'm not a fan of gray with contrasting cuffs and collar.

I have a few and find it to be a most versatile "color". Nice contrast with tan and goes really well with navy as it doesn't have the sharp contrast that white does. I used to have a contrast collar shirt with a gray body but it's long worn out and I haven't gotten around to replacing it. I'm more into grey checks/stripes now.

AA illustrations give a lot of examples of grey shirts in use. Must have been more popular in the 30's

I like gray shirts for the cloudy, damp, cold, godforsaken days we often experience here in the great lakes region of the US. I find that it works well with blue, brown, burgundy, and darker grays.

When I move to a sunny and warm climate, I will wash my car with my gray shirts.

I don't like grey shirts for day wear because unless you have a very dark complexion the grey washes one out or picks up on the grey elements in one's face and/or beard. I would only wear a grey shirt for day with a white collar and cuff. Day meaning "office", I might wear one of the pure ones described below and by shirtmaven with say a mini black and white hounds tooth sport coat.


Again, I agree with shirtmaven that greys are rarely pure but that pure black and white threads makes a rich grey end on end.

Grey, whether solid or striped looks better for night time, especially in city environments. Everything is dark anyway and it can fit in nicely with the black and white marble/chrome and glass of the more modern upscale bar/lounge/restaurant.

One variation I use for casual is to take a grey end on end body and do a spread collar and french cuff in the same material only say three or four shades lighter.

Originally Posted by FIHTies

Click to expand...

I'd buy that if you'd ever stock 17.5's...

Originally Posted by globetrotter

Click to expand...

I never really thought about gray shirts, until recently. anybody have them? anybody have any impressions about them? what about gray with contrasting cuffs/collar?

I've a couple of gray shirts - one of them has a mild bluish tinge and has a slight sheen, while the other is just plain gray cotton.

I enjoy both, and while I don't necessarily wear them frequently, they do get worn from time to time. I have a red + metallic gray tie that I usually pair them with.

Grey is a tough one. I have an end on end and feel it looks dingy when worn with a suit. Don't like it with navy and with grey it looks boring and overdone. The shirt hardly gets worn.

Then one day it was the last shirt in my closet and I wore it with a grey and off white glen plaid suit and it looked pretty good. Had a vintage feeling worn with a knit tie.

I still would not get another grey shirt but it is a very specific item. A very pale pearl grey would be better or perhaps the white collar would give a darker grey some life.

I would consider a mint green or some shade of lavender for an alternative.