For Japanese people, American style has long been something we admire.
We love it so much that we even created our own word for it: Amekaji, short for American casual.
I love American clothing too.
And one of my favorite pieces is the Brooks Brothers button-down shirt.
I’ve bought more than 10 of them over the years, and today, I want to share why I keep coming back to the same shirt.
How I Discovered Brooks Brothers
I first discovered the Brooks Brothers button-down shirt through a single photograph.
It was in A Time It Was, a photo book documenting Robert F. Kennedy’s presidential campaign.
There is a photograph in the book taken from the side as Kennedy drives a car.
His worn-in clothes have their sleeves rolled up. His four-year-old son is sitting beside him in the passenger seat, and his dog, Max, is on his lap.
He is driving with the windows wide open.
Even though he was a presidential candidate, there was nothing about him that seemed like he was trying to look important.
He just looked natural, like an ordinary father.
And I thought he looked incredibly cool.
The shirt Kennedy was wearing in that photograph was from Brooks Brothers.
That photograph inspired me to start wearing Brooks Brothers shirts myself, and since then, I’ve bought more than 10 of them.
Today, I like them so much that I sometimes feel this is the only shirt I need.
What Is Brooks Brothers?
Brooks Brothers is one of America’s most iconic heritage clothing brands, founded in New York in 1818.
With more than 200 years of history, it is known as one of the defining brands of traditional American style.
The company has created many classic pieces over the years, from suits to ties, but one of its most famous creations is the button-down shirt.
The Originator of the Button-Down Shirt
Today, button-down shirts are everywhere.
But their origins can be traced back to Brooks Brothers.
While watching a polo match in England, John E. Brooks of Brooks Brothers noticed that the players fastened the tips of their collars with buttons to stop them from moving during play.
Inspired by what he saw, Brooks Brothers introduced its button-down collar shirt in 1896.
Traditionally, Brooks Brothers has called it the Polo Collar Shirt.
Today, the button-down shirt can be found all over the world, but its story began at Brooks Brothers more than 100 years ago.
Why Do I Like Brooks Brothers Shirts?
I’ve bought more than 10 of them over the years.
And yet, whenever I need another shirt, I somehow end up choosing Brooks Brothers again.
There are a few reasons why.
The Beautiful Collar Roll
My favorite part is the collar.
Compared with button-down shirts from other brands, the biggest difference for me is the way the collar rolls.
It looks especially beautiful when the top button is undone.
Instead of lying flat, the collar curves softly, creating a natural roll.
That three-dimensional shape looks beautiful and makes the shirt look good without much effort.
When I wear a shirt, I often leave the top button undone and roll up the sleeves.
Rather than wearing it perfectly neat, I prefer to wear it a little more casually.
And Brooks Brothers shirts look especially good when worn this way.
Personally, I think this beautiful collar roll is something unique to Brooks Brothers.
Oxford Cloth You Can Wear Casually
Another thing I love is the Oxford cloth.
I often wear these shirts without ironing them after washing.
After washing one, I simply smooth out the wrinkles and hang it to dry.
That’s it.
Of course, it won’t look as perfect as a freshly ironed shirt.
A few wrinkles remain.
But I think that’s just right.
Combined with the texture of the Oxford cloth, those wrinkles give the shirt just the right amount of casualness.
Undo the top button and roll up the sleeves.
Personally, I think this slightly relaxed way of wearing a Brooks Brothers shirt looks the best.
Of course, if you iron it, you can also make it look crisp and polished.
Wear it neatly for work.
Wear it straight from the wash on your days off.
It works both on and off duty.
That versatility is another reason I’ve bought so many of them.
One Thing I Wish Were Different
There is one thing that bothers me a little.
The gauntlet button.
A gauntlet button is the small button located on the sleeve placket of a shirt.
It helps keep the opening around the wrist closed.
Depending on the model and era, some Brooks Brothers shirts don’t have this button.
When I bought my first Brooks Brothers shirt, I was surprised to find that it wasn’t there.
I even wondered:
“Is this defective?”
The cuff buttons are simple too.
For example, some UNIQLO shirts have two buttons on the cuff, while the Brooks Brothers shirts I’ve worn have just one.
But after wearing them for years, I’ve realized that not having a gauntlet button really isn’t a problem.
In fact, when you roll up your sleeves, having fewer buttons can actually make things easier.
Since I often wear my sleeves rolled up anyway, I barely notice it anymore.
Maybe this simplicity is another example of the practical thinking you might expect from an American brand.
A Shirt That Looks Good Without Trying Too Hard
I still think about the photograph of Robert F. Kennedy that first introduced me to Brooks Brothers.
He was a presidential candidate, yet there he was in worn-in clothes, driving with his son and his dog.
Sleeves rolled up.
Relaxed and completely natural.
I just thought he looked incredibly cool.
Since then, I’ve bought more than 10 Brooks Brothers shirts.
And even today, I usually wear them with the top button undone and the sleeves rolled up.
I don’t have to iron them every time I wash them.
They look good worn casually.
But when I need to dress properly, they can do that too.
And above all, I love the way the collar rolls when the top button is undone.
Everyone looks for something different in a shirt.
But for me, that alone is enough reason to keep choosing Brooks Brothers.
If you’re interested, you can buy one here.
