 | This articleneeds additional citations forverification. Please helpimprove this article byadding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. Find sources: "Grandfather shirt" – news ·newspapers ·books ·scholar ·JSTOR(June 2015) (Learn how and when to remove this message) |
Agrandfather shirt orgrandad shirt is a long-sleeved shirt. Historically, laundry was done less often and male grooming products, such as hair oil or pomades, were prone to marking or rendering one's shirt collar. This was dealt with by means of changeable collars, which were often stiffened via starch to create a better impression. Undergarments were usually worn under the shirt, lessening the need to change the shirt by preventing staining. Stiff collars were by nature uncomfortable and while typically worn with a form of necktie or not in many circumstances they were unnecessary or considered uncomfortable and not worn. The shirt was often worn for more than one day, and might even be worn for nightwear, though such matters were considered a private affair and records are thus anecdotal. Materials used in shirt making differ, and while coarser fabrics such as linen and flannels were used, finer fabrics including silks were favored when available.
The climate and relative wealth were usually factors, as were tradition, vernacular fabric and local tailoring styles.
The over the head or a fully buttoned garment has an equivalent in most societies and cultures and a well made shirt can last for many years if carefully made from good materials and properly laundered and worn lightly.
One British shirt maker offered two collars with each shirt bought, the double 2 brand, believed to be now defunct.
Traditional London shirt makers occasionally offer collarless shirts, although these are mainly worn by members of the legal profession.
Certain fabrics lend themselves to colour-ways cotton flannels are often white with coloured vertical stripes. Longer shirts may be used asnightshirts orpajamas. The nightshirt version can include a matchingnightcap.
The style of shirt (called aunion shirt) was also worn by working-class men in theUnited Kingdom during the industrial era. At this period, the lack of a turndown or collar "cape" was filled by the use of adetachable collar or scarf, as access to freshly laundered collars was difficult or deemed unnecessary.
The 2010s decade has also seen the garment feature as amainstream fashion item for men.[1] As it did in the 20th century where original collarless shirts were cheaply available and widely worn for aesthetic reasons, later making commercial returns from various fashion houses and widely worn by both sexes as simple and practical garments.
The grandfather shirt is also made ofIrish linen heavy cotton twill, or occasionally cotton or wool flannel. Wool flannel is somewhat costly and difficult to maintain and wear, yet still found.
The linen version is colloquially known as a 'Sunday shirt'. Sunday shirts are often paired with black trousers orIrish tweed pants and worn toMass,christenings,funerals, andweddings. In popular culture, a variety of traditional Irish clothing was featured on the BBC seriesBallykissangel, and the Irish folk bandThe Clancy Brothers were often photographed wearing traditional Irish clothes. A similar collarless shirt or tunic, known as akurta, is traditionally worn in theIslamic world andSouth Asia. This usually has three or four buttons, and is often decorated with intricateembroidery.[citation needed]