Impressions - January/February 2024 - 22

No longer a stiff dress shirt for the offi ce, plackets
and wovens have embraced soſt ness while
permeating multiple markets
woven dress shirt is a timeless staple that most men,
especially, have in their wardrobes, though casual woven
shirts, featuring a more relaxed fi t, have become
wardrobe essentials as well. Plackets, whether conventional
or otherwise, can help elevate the dress shirt,
adding a business-like element of formality.
" In the foreseeable future, the hybrid nature of life and work will continue
to mandate a wardrobe full of comfort-driven clothing that also
performs well, " says Vicki Ostrom, trend analyst/futurist with SanMar,
Corp. " Knits defi nitely check that box. Particularly when it comes to
polos, the popularity of fi nds from the vintage and resale market has
introduced the unique beauty of polos designed in the '60s and '70s.
Woven shirting is not dead as a category, though. Th e world is not entirely
made of knit clothing, even though it may seem like it since the
pandemic made all of our clothing 'weekend wear' no matter the day.
One vestige is the comfort factor, though, and that extends to wovens
as well as knits. Th ere is a more relaxed vibe to wovens of late. "
Taking Comfort
Some manufacturers are noticing that the popularity of this category
of apparel is generationally dependent, with older generations sticking
to traditional plackets and fabrics. " Workwear has been changing,
more so in the last fi ve years, and during COVID it was accepted as
a new normal, " says Jose Botello, executive manager of YazbekUSA.
" Younger people tend to wear comfortable fabrics and appreciate a
less formal dress code versus older generations. "
Even before the pandemic, the country was leaning toward a
dressy-casual style fusion for the offi ce, and that includes seeing
more polos being worn in the workplace. " Polos continue to be very
popular as a comfortable workwear option, particularly when done
in comfortable performance fabrics. Performance polos also continue
to be a go-to sideline option for athletic coaches and staff , " says
Emily Quilter, product design director with Augusta Sportswear.
For example, the company has a Coolcore Performance Polo, which
off ers advanced wicking technology and four-way stretch fabric in a
modern design, with upgraded color construction that keeps its shape.
Although there is still a demand for a classic dress shirt for the
workplace, some are reporting that the untucked trend is also strong,
with people unapologetically wearing untucked polos and other wovens
to the offi ce. In fact, And Collar, for example, is a company that
started with comfort in mind, which resulted in a wrinkle-resistant,
stretchy dress shirt specifi cally designed to be worn untucked.
" Normal dress shirts have a long hem and can't be worn untucked,
so we make the hem shorter so that it looks good untucked, " says
Cody Nielsen, vice president of sales, And Collar. Nielsen adds he
views the shirts at And Collar as shirts for every occasion, which
can be dressed up or down, wearing it to work, then out to dinner
or directly to your child's soccer game. " Versatility is a big thing in
the industry, " he says, noting that the company's main demographic
is under the age of 35.
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ImpressionsMagazine.com Jan./Feb. 2024
Infl uences
Fashion drives changes in everything from fabric choice, fi t and silhouette,
design detail decisions regarding collar shape and size, and
placket length, says Quilter. " Polos tend to follow fashion trends, so
we can expect to see a few diff erent looks. Modern minimal looks with
visual fabric texture, smaller collars are strong, particularly in performance
fabrics. Th ere is also a return to more classic retro-preppy looks
inspired by the popularity of racquet sports. "
She adds that the infl uence of athleisure is strong in the polo segment
as well. " As consumers embrace the comfort, versatility and
functionality of athleisure, it's natural that they would seek the same
characteristics in their work apparel. We see textured fabrics with performance
attributes as key in this category, " Quilter says, highlighting
the company's Electrify Coolcore Polo, which off ers advanced wicking
technology and four-way stretch fabric.
For his part, Botello says he has not seen much movement in this
particular category of athleisure wear. However, he did say that tunic
style tops and oversized denim shirts are some of the looks that are
trending. " Regarding this style, people are looking for comfort at the
end of the day. Th ey want to look good and cool but feel very comfortable,
which for us manufacturers is making us think, design and
create new proposals in fabrics to satisfy the market, " he says.
Comfort can be dressy, as shown
in this poly-cotton fl eece pullover.
Photo courtesy of Yazbek USA
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Impressions - January/February 2024

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