With the recent opening of the GANT Campus Store in New Haven, a re-release of the classic YALE CO-OP shirts was inevitable. Just this past weekend came word that the company started selling a small run of the button-down shirts ($115) at the new campus store in New Haven, as well as at their stores in New York. The wovens, which are based on the original designs that were sold at the university bookstore in the 1960s, are co-labeled with the YALE CO-OP mark and GANT branding. For me the oxford shirt is my daily driver, so I for one am excited to see these classic styles be released. If you are someone who isn’t into oxford cloth and button down collars, this is probably not the shirt run for you. For those of you that look for those attributes in your shirts, I’d say you are in luck.
hard to imagine someone “not into oxfords,” as they are clearly the best. but there are popped-collar types out there i guess who prefer something more… metro
Yep, that oxford cloth is really butch. I prefer a pinpoint, or a poplin, though, as they are more resistant to wear caused by my manly afternoon beard, as compared to the looser weave of the oxford.
@DSTRYA I agree, oxfords are such a staple, it’s hard to believe that there are people who aren’t into them. I’m really excited about this, can’t wait to get my hands on a couple.
now only to be able to purchase without going to the brick and motar store(s), i live in michigan… got my eye on that solid red one.
Gant said some of these will be available through their webstore when they launch their new website next month. So sit tight.
It’s hard to believe, but that shirt in the first photo used to be on sale at the Co-op – 3/$15.
Amazing. The shirt looks incredible though — why is it another maker can’t emulate this?
Thanks for all the great posts that you do – of the collegiate men’s wear and passing on the style and attitudes of mid-century men’s wear and sartorial values.
=Paul
i hope so. they´re great.
This is great, brings back memories from when the COOP was our department store. so much of what we had around the house had that label – I don’t know where it all went. Sad.
Thanks Michael.
@ Paul, (or anyone else who can answer) –
You stated, “… why is it another maker can’t emulate this?”. I’m probably overlooking something important or just a bit ignorant about oxford shirts (my husband doesn’t prefer button-downs) but I can’t see any difference between this shirt and the oxfords that can be picked up at Nordstrom. It looks identical to me. Can anyone point out how it’s different/better/special? Thanks!
Lux et Veritas
The Co-op was where we went to squeeze the skiis. It was on the circuit that included Gentree, Gamer and of course, Barries, where you could buy so-stylish “gonga boots.” Cutlers sold the tunes that WAVZ spinned and Hendrix and Cream played at Woolsley Hall. “The Doodle” was for a late lunch, the extra portion of the milk shake set in front of you in its aluminum container. Down the hatch with a pig-in-a-blanket before, thumbs out, heading up Witney Aveneu to “The Glen .” Thanks for the memories…
How much you wanna bet, they come out in the bracket sleeve lengths, like 32-33, 34-35 instead of accurate sleeve lengths. The double button cuffs are kind of a giveaway.
I just read on the linked site, that these are made in China???? Thats a deal killer for me I’m afraid.
A bit of a puzzlement. Brooks still sells theirs for $80 and they are made in the USA. Is there anything special about the Gant that makes it superior to the Brooks?
For the record, I own a few Gant Rugger oxfords that were priced at $100 (got them half off, a steal). They are quality shirts. However, at that price range, you can almost get a MTM shirt.
Basically, for me, anything under $100, esp BB, is a good deal off the rack. Over $100, it’s better to spring for MTM.
A search of “vintage gant hugger” on ebay reveals a bunch of the originals having just cropped up. That said, I’d take these as well.
it would be ironic if the Yale kids are all into wearing street clothes like The Hundreds or Billionaires Boys club.
Nice, but for that price, I’ll go with Mercer and keep the dollars on-shore.
I find it difficult to understand how anyone can get excited about an item as common and uninteresting as an oxford shirt. This style of shirt is available at basically any store that sells men’s clothing. In my view, these shirts are just a part of a very conservative, white collar uniform. Nothing interesting or original about them.
For that price? Why don’t they just re-open a shirt factory in New Haven and give some people their jobs back? Then i’ll pay that much, maybe.
As a packrat, I still have a number of the original ’60s GANT OCBDs. The only problem is that they are now too small, check that, I have become too big.
Will Hunting (above) said they’re the “butch” thing. The photos here look to me more like pinpoint oxfords. I don’t believe that the pinpoints became popular with the college crowd until much later.
We know that this isn’t the original GANT maker, and that they bought the name. Nothing wrong with capitalizing on nostalgia. I guess. But, China?!
I wish the photos showed whether there is a button on the back of the collar and wheher or not there is a locker loop.
I know that the price of cotton has gone up, but I suspect I can do a lot better for $115.00, especially for non-pinpoint.
Please tell me that for this price, the sizing is collar and sleeve specific, and not Small, Medium, Large.
Yeah.. I used to buy those shirts @ 3 for $15 when I was in high school & college.. I stopped in just to see if the stuff was as I remembered it. I could swear the shirts I bought back in the 60’s were sizes by neck and sleeve length, not S,M, L, as the ones I saw were labeled.
I would not buy these shirts.
Agree with lars. If at all possible, keep the dollars here at home. I have a few Mercer shirts, and although they are a touch full in the body for me, I still love the shirts. I also still purchase some of the BB all cottons, but only those that are made in the US. These days, many of their no iron cottons, are made overseas.
I’d recommend the full-cotton BB oxfords. You can get them in slim and extra-slim fit (although I’d recommend sizing up 1/2 inch on the neck for the extra-slim — which aren’t actually extra-slim in the body). They’re about $80 a piece if you order three or more. And the quality is good: they’re very durable, nice texture, comfortable, not too thin or too stiff.
If you “find it difficult to understand how anyone can get excited about an item as common and uninteresting as an oxford shirt,” or can’t tell the difference between a BB oxford and one from JC Penney, then how did you end up reading ACL?
I agree with the comment by Lars: Mercer makes the best shirts for the money and they make them here.
@Kevin, I’d suggest sizing up a half on all the supima shirts. Heat makes the neck size of those puppies shrink.
As for this Gant stuff, it seems like their trying to capitalize on a trend rather than produce quality goods. BB shirts might not be the perfection they once were, but I’d take them any day over $115 and having to take a trip to New Haven for these. (esp. if they’re not in actual sizes, sheesh.)