From Past to Present: The Camp Collar Shirt

Explore the history of the camp collar shirt and discover why it remains one of the classiest choices for summer dressing

The Camp Collar Shirt

The camp collar shirt, also known as a Cuban collar, is synonymous with summer, offering the perfect blend of dressed-up style and casual comfort. Typically made from lightweight materials like linen and cotton, these shirts are ideal for warm days with their airy construction and short sleeves. They are a common sight during sunny getaways or relaxed evenings in the city. Nowadays, the camp collar shirt stands as a summer essential, embodying a hint of relaxed sophistication with an easy, laid-back flair.

The Camp Collar Shirt (Credit)

The Rise of the Camp Collar

Emerging as traditional workwear known as the Guayabera in 16th-century Mexico, this shirt’s lightweight, breathable design and short sleeves proved invaluable during long and tough days under the scorching sun.

Many years later, when the design migrated to Cuba, the Guayabera underwent a transformation. It exchanged its original collar for the wider, more open collar that remains its signature feature to this day.

The Guayabera rapidly became known as the Cuban collar (Camp collar) as we know it today.

As Fidel Castro took control of the country in 1959, many Cubans migrated to the USA, especially to Miami and New York, where the design of these shirts slowly gained interest as a powerful contrast to the American men who spent most of their days in warm offices and classic buttoned-up shirts.

Colours

The Camp Collar shirt is the perfect summer shirt for those who wish to give their wardrobe a twist with a casual touch. Our new collection offers the option to style your summer suit or spice up your casual garments.

We have selected a couple of colors that we believe will be a hit this summer – White linen, Offwhite Seersucker, White/Brown Butcher stripe, White/Yellow Butcher stripe, White/Blue Butcher stripe –

Styling Options

The camp collar shirt is here to stay, as it offers a casual twist for the formal setting and a formal twist for the casual settings.

Use different colours to stand out in casual situations and opt for the white linen when you want to add a bit of spice to your suits. For the most part, you would use a shirt like this with your favorite pair of summer trousers or shorts to create a stylish casual retreat kind of look.

Carlos, a good friend of the house, shows you how cool it can be with a suit. He personally decided to go for a double-breasted suit with stripes. Keeping the shirt in a solid color is a brilliant option when your suit is loud like the one Carlos is wearing. This is a great example of suits being something fun and unique that can be styled in many different directions without compromising your personal style.