Introducing: The PS Guayabera

We love a guayabera shirt at Everlasting Model.

On my 2022 trip to Mexico I picked up two beautiful shirts which sadly, just like the Cadbury’s Freddo, seem to have suffered from some type of sartorial shrinkflation. It might probably’t presumably be me that’s grown can it?!

You should purchase guayaberas within the UK after all, however they’re more durable to seek out (I’m not conscious of many locations that inventory them as a perennial) and, as is the case with Simon’s old one, are sometimes fairly costly for a shirt that, earlier than the summer season is out, will probably find yourself with cherry ice cream on it (the most effective flavour, finish of, feedback part closed).

So final yr we set about making our personal model with our pals at OMTC, who we knew had made such a shirt earlier than, and will strike the fitting stability between high quality and worth.

The shirt we’re launching at this time is the PS Guayabera in a hand-loomed darkish navy cotton chambray. We predict it’s a very wearable model – hopefully changing a couple of who’ve been uncertain prior to now – and it’s very sensible for this time of yr: you may put on it with or and not using a layer and it has pockets for all the pieces.

Material

I gained’t linger on the hand-loomed aspect – we’ve written about this process earlier than – however I’ll simply say that we stay huge followers of the comfortable really feel of hand-loomed cotton and the pure variation in end it produces.

Our preliminary thought was to make a trustworthy duplicate of the guayabera in white linen. It’s a basic selection, and in the event you ever have the chance to purchase one you want on vacation I urge you to go for it. However, as soon as again residence, it can provide the air of that man who hasn’t exited ‘vacation mode’ but – the one itching to indicate you his vacation snaps and clarify that the most effective Panama hats usually are not truly from Panama.

We predict the dark-navy cotton chambray has a couple of advantages over white linen.

First, the chambray itself is sort of particular. Usually a chambray has the color (normally blue) within the warp and white within the weft, whereas the OMTC chambray has navy within the warp and a twin mixture of indigo and black within the weft. This makes the material very wealthy and provides numerous depth to the completed shirt.

Second, darkish navy is clearly rather less frequent for a guayabera (which is good, as we’ve at all times tried to make merchandise that fill a spot available in the market), nevertheless it’s not particularly uncommon for a summer season shirt – Tony and Simon’s two-part collection on Riviera model has loads of blue shirt inspiration in it.

Third, the darkness of the shirt signifies that, at the very least from a distance, the guayabera’s options – the quadruple patch pockets and the alforzas (pleats) – are much less outstanding than they’d be in white – which we predict makes it simpler to put on. To maintain issues delicate and refined, we additionally opted for a darkish mother-of-pearl button to cut back distinction.

Lastly, the cotton chambray is somewhat softer and fewer crispy than a linen in the identical weight, and can rumple rather less consequently.

For these causes, we reckon the PS Guayabera might be worn as an informal choice – buttons principally undone, sleeves rolled up, worn with shorts or swim trunks; like most chambrays it’ll additionally look good with a pair of light denims and a few canvas sneakers; however it’ll additionally work in smarter outfits, paired with tailor-made trousers and a few espadrilles or straightforward loafers, prepared for dinner at a pleasant restaurant on vacation or summer season drinks with pals when you’ve returned residence.

Chambray is an effective choice for heat climate – the explanation it turned a workwear staple was that it was strong, agency sufficient to forestall sunburn and lightweight sufficient to put on cool – and the PS Guaybera will cope effectively in that hall as much as late 20s levels celsius (mid 80s fahrenheit). As soon as the temperature begins tipping over that time, I do assume you would possibly really feel somewhat heat. In equity, there’s not many garments that may really feel cool in these situations.

Different options

Just a few different options value mentioning:

We eliminated the buttons that historically sit on the prime of the 5 pleats – two on the entrance and three on the again. We felt the shirt was cleaner and fewer fussy with out them.
Inside the underside left patch pocket is a smaller hidden pocket in which you’ll stow a small telephone or card holder. If you happen to’re doing cartwheels within the shirt (kudos to you) issues will probably fall out, however when upright it gives extra safety than the primary patch pockets.
The shirt has two-button aspect vents which enable you get out and in of your trouser pockets extra simply.

Sizing

I’ve a 40” chest and customarily flit between medium and huge. Nevertheless, if anyone put a water pistol to my head and compelled me to choose my typical dimension I’d say I used to be a medium, and that’s what I’m sporting in a lot of the pictures. Which is to say, I believe the PS Guayabera is true to dimension.

When in comparison with different PS shirts, the measurements of the Guayabera sit between a medium within the PS Overshirt and the Madras shirt – which is smart because the Guayabera doesn’t want as a lot house because the Overshirt to accommodate a layer, and isn’t supposed to be worn as near the physique because the tailor-made Madras shirt.

The one notable distinction is within the waist, which is bigger on the Guayabera than each the Overshirt and Madras shirt. It’s because the Guayabera (as is conventional) has been reduce virtually plumb straight by means of the physique, making it a really snug put on. So go forward, have the tiramisu at lunchtime. A second bottle of vin rouge? Bien sûr.

Styling

For example the purpose made earlier about versatility, we’ve proven the shirt worn three alternative ways.

The primary, worn with some classic Ralph Lauren ‘Tyler’ shorts, a PS tapered T-shirt and Doek Oxford shoes, reveals the shirt in an informal setting. The sun shades are the Geronimo mannequin from Tejesta.

The second, worn with bespoke trousers from Abbie Leach Atelier in a Maison Hellard linen/fresco cloth (overview coming shortly) and a few Ralph Lauren fisherman sandals, reveals how the shirt works in a better context.

The bonus third is a shot of Simon sporting his with a pair of classic Levi’s.

The shirt:

100% cotton, hand-woven in Chennai by Authentic Madras Buying and selling Firm
Navy warp and twin weft of black and indigo
Breathable, appropriate for many summers
Softening with washing and put on
Weight 175 gsm
Gained’t bleed and can fade barely over time, however solely after many washes
Darkish mother-of-pearl buttons
4 patch pockets and one small hidden pocket
Minimal shrinkage, 1-2%
Made in India
For extra data on the historical past of the shirt and the importance of particular parts, please see my original article