Buttons in a row – Style

A henley shirt is an alternative to a T-shirt or tank top. Typically made of cotton, this shirt has long sleeves, no collar, and a row of two to five buttons on the front. Let’s figure out where the shirt with the unusual name comes from.

The shirt is named after the small town in England of Henley-on-Thames, best known as the site of the Henley Royal Regatta. Rowing competitions have been held there since 1839 – the history of the shirt of the same name begins from this date. In the 19th century, rowers preferred to wear a light cotton shirt without a collar, fastened with several buttons, under their vests: it did not hinder movement and allowed the body to breathe during heavy exertion. The popularity of this model was low: it was known and worn only by rowers and people associated with this sport. After the competition, the teams exchanged shirts (which still happens, for example, in football) – thus the shirt became a symbol of rowing.

For a long time, henley was exclusively part of the uniform and did not appear in men’s wardrobes. It is believed that the first “publication” of this wardrobe element happened in the 1970s thanks to Ralph Lauren. Journalist Michael Gross, author of a biography of Lauren, recalls how the designer accidentally came across a henley shirt. It caught his eye when a salesman in New York suggested that Ralph try on a vintage shirt, part of a sports uniform from England. To which Ralph Lauren said: “This is a new kind of shirt” – and launched the production of henley under his own brand.

Today, a henley shirt can be found in the collection of almost any brand. They are comfortable and versatile, and their royal past and associations with preppy style do not harm their image. This shirt can be used as an element of underwear, for example, worn under a sweater or a chunky knit cardigan with a shawl collar. At the same time, it will look appropriate as a full-fledged element of the image if you wear it as a top with jeans or informal trousers.

Ilya Petruk