Sunspel
Cg23
Posts: 242MI6 Agent
Hey guys,
I’ve bought from countless “Bond brands” over the years. For whatever reason I’ve never entered the Sunspel world but am wanting to now.
I’m particularly interested in getting some of their t-shirts. Obviously they have several different kinds;
Classic, Riviera, Sea Island cotton etc,. I’ve read that over the years Sunspel has had some changes, from manufacturing in different places these days, adjustments with neckline, fit, and fabric differences. With all these possible pros/cons and the shirts being a tad pricier I was hoping anyone decently versed could lend their thoughts.
My questions would be:
How’s the fit these days? Long vs short sleeve
Is their Sea Island cotton t-shirt worth the price of admission with this “newer” manufacturing
How do these hold up after several wears/washes
If it matters, I was looking into dark colors, Black, Navy, etc.
I know this seems a tad over the top. Its just T-shirts, I know, but would greatly appreciate any help.
Thank you all!
Comments
I have many black and navys but never tried the sea island cottons.
They hold up well in the wash and fit accurate to size.
my only gripe is the hems have come undone on maybe 2 or 3 of mine after a few years.
Better quality then OB in my opinion which are flimsy.
i usually pick them up in sales or brand new sealed on eBay
I have a few riviera polo shirts and regular r shirts. I like their fit. Slim but not too tight.
Do they still have that clear plastic 'tape' on the inside shoulder seams? Never understood the purpose of that, and don't think I've seen any other shirts with the same thing. Either way, I didn't care for that tape, would always be problematic if accidentally tossed in the dryer.
don't think they have "tape anymore"
I disagree with those saying they fit slim, I find they fit on the larger side of their sizing
Yes I'm a large size and with their Riviera polo it doesn't feel slim fit. It fits perfectly for me though.
I have a Riviera sea island too, which loses some shape after repeat washing, but definitely the comfiest material I own for a polo. It is so soft.
I also own a few Fleming items - a cardigan, the Harris Tweed jacket, a long sleeve polo (also very soft), and the sea island pyjama shirt (which can pass for an ordinary shirt, that I wear outdoors instead), and a drawstring wool cashmere navy trousers.
Great items overall, and feel more luxurious than OB.
Hey fellas.
I have a question about the standard Riviera polos, will they tend to shrink up as you wash them? I have a medium and have found that they run a tad bit too long for my liking. Any tips on how to get them to shrink up? Not looking to go visit the tailor. Thanks
I've shrank mine in the dryer. Or drying flat helps. I found that hang drying makes them stretch out. Ever since I stopped hang drying, and sometimes putting them in the dryer, I've stopped having issues with the length.
I'm always very cautious about shrinking things. In my experience, it really screws with the shape of the piece and it's almost impossible to predict what the final result will look like. Plus it can mess with the fabric, especially with something like that more open mesh that Sunspel uses.
I know you want to avoid a tailor, but shortening the length of a polo shirt is about the easiest thing to do (even with the split hem). It's basically like hemming a pair of pants so it shouldn't be too expensive. I've shortened dozens of shirts (button ups and tee shirts) myself on my home sewing machine when I want to wear something untucked. It takes about 45 mins (and I'm not a professional tailor by any stretch of the imagination).
My advice would be to get it shortened properly. For washing, I just machine wash my Rivieras on gentle with cold water and then lay flat to dry. Never had any shrinking.
Hope that helps and cheers!
John
I really appreciate the advice fellas. I'll see what I can do.