How To Wear: Overshirts
The overshirt has become a symbol of contemporary style. An emblem of classic workwear, the overshirt retains its utilitarian roots, whilst now being adapted by various labels through patterns, textures, fabrics and silhouettes. This blog will explain the history of the overshirt and the different ways it could be worn, whilst picking out some of our favourite overshirts and matching outfits here at HIP.
What is an overshirt?
Heavier than a shirt, but lighter than a jacket, the overshirt is a hybrid garment that allows for effortless transitions between different seasons and personal outfits. The garment marries the sophistication of a shirt with the functionality and protection offered by a jacket.
What is the history of the overshirt?
Historically, the overshirt was a defining feature of 20th century workwear. Its origins lie in France, where railwaymen and labourers used the overshirt as a sturdy jacket, ideal for long days of work. The garment’s utilitarian pockets were useful for stashing tools and small pieces of equipment, whilst its construction from sturdy cotton made it durable and hard-wearing.
How should an overshirt fit?
The fit of an overshirt can be moulded to match your personal style or the setting you are in. They run slightly larger than a normal shirt to create room for layering, but typically arrive in a regular fit and are designed to be worn over a tee. Although you can size up for an oversized fit – in contemporary style – which can create room for a sweater underneath.
What are different materials and types of overshirts?
Overshirts were originally made from hardy cotton drill or reliable moleskin to be long-lasting and allow freedom of movement during long workdays. Whilst this tradition has remained, the overshirt has been transformed – arriving in iterations such as technical nylon materials and varied corduroy cotton offerings, as labels have adapted it to their own identities. The overshirt can now arrive with innovative pocket set ups, creative patterns, modern fabrics and unique embroideries.
How to wear an overshirt?
The overshirt is a champion of modern versatility. Although typically a casual style, it can even transition to more formal outfits – being suited to trousers and jeans. With the rise of utilitarian garments and outdoorswear as everyday lifestyle clothing, overshirts can even match technical trousers and cargo pants. The beauty of the overshirt is its ability to seamlessly move through different genres, dependent on personal taste.
The Kevlar Jacket from and Wander is a versatile hard wearing outdoors ready outerwear piece from and Wander – made in Japan using Kevlar fabric which is a water and abrasion resistant fabric ideal for the rigours of both outdoors and city life. This technical layer features a classic collar, front pockets, easy snap button closure and is finished with the brands iconic reflective logo branding.
Brain Dead’s universe of post punk, DIY culture, underground comics and skateboarding shape its progressive and adventurous silhouettes. The Waffle Shirt reinvents a typical overshirt with soft, waffle texture cotton, rounded off with two button closure front pockets and the label’s signature logo head.
Carhartt WIP Long Sleeve Master Shirt
Carhartt WIP takes influence from Carhartt’s classic workwear roots whilst aligning itself to contemporary styles and developing modern silhouettes. The Master Shirt is inspired by classic American service-station attire of the 1960s, crafted from durable cotton-poly blend twill and including two traditional chest pockets. Carhartt WIP’s signature square label decorates the front, rounding off this versatile overshirt.
Wacko Maria Type 4 Leopard Army Shirt
Inspired by an eclectic range of influences including classic American culture and all types of music, Wacko Maria present daring and glamorous designs captured by its bold “GUILTY PARTIES” slogan. This Type 4 Leopard Army Shirt is no different, with an extravagant leopard-print design. The label’s signature slogan is embroidered to the rear in an eye-catching contrasting red font, whilst the overshirt is accentuated with an oversized silhouette and two subtle chest pockets.
Engineered Garments Cotton Ripstop Explorer Shirt Jacket
Daiki Suzuki’s Engineered Garments label presents the Cotton Ripstop Explorer Shirt Jacket for SS22 which is a unique functional silhouette that acts as a jacket and an overshirt highlighted by a plethora of storage pockets on both the front and the back. The Explorer Shirt Jacket is a direct reflection of the deep affection for expeditionary garments seen in Engineered Garments designs, an amalgamation of pieces from heritage American brands that designer Daiki Suzuki has followed over the years. The shirt uses an open collar, complete with front placket, for a traditional feel – in typical Engineered Garments fashion, the shirt has been crafted in the USA from a seasonal cotton ripstop fabric which is suitable for all year round wear.
C.P. Company Gabardine Zipped Overshirt
Founded in Italy in 1971 by Massimo Osti, C. P. Company was named after the Chester Perry factory where one of Massimos favorite comic strip characters worked at in the Bristow comic series printed in daily newspapers. The Gabardine Zipped Overshirt is a timeless lightweight outer piece ideal for transitional months, arriving in a soft garment dyed emerized cotton gabardine with lens arm branding to finish. Gabardine is a classic fabric produced by C.P. Comapny – known for having a hard-wearing, breathable fit – typically finished in a garment dyed tone to produce an increased chromatic depth and intensity throughout the piece.
HIP Womens Launch Event
You may have noticed in the last 6 months we have become proud stockists of some of the best womenswear on offer. From Beams Boy, Girls of Dust, to Carhartt WIP and YMC. Our aim has been to create a considered curation of women’s brands – with a focus on offering garments that put construction and quality at the forefront.
We would now like to officially invite you to the HIP WOMENS LAUNCH EVENT, which will be held at our Leeds store in line with a considered selection of women’s product becoming available in store – with the rest of our women’s offering available on our website. Upon launch Thursday 14th April, the first floor of our Leeds store will now be dedicated to stocking product from our women’s range – sitting alongside the already existing curated selection of living and homeware products.
The launch event kicks off in store at 6pm – EXCLUSIVE GIVEAWAYS AND PROMOS ON PURCHASES will be held in store so make sure you get down early!
We would also like to announce the beginning of our DEDICATED WOMENS Instagram account – @hipwomens. We’re extremely excited to show you the upcoming content we have been building in the last few months for all things womenswear related – please give this account a follow to keep up to date with all things women’s at HIP! Keep an eye out on @hipwomens in the coming days as we begin to rollout what we have been building for the last few months!
Explore HIP Womens online and in Leeds now.
Getting To Know: Michael Lennheden – Parel Studios
Born out of Copenhagen in 2020, Parel Studios began with the simple mission of amplifying the essence of functional design in products – striking the balance between functionality and aesthetics in the space of traditional workwear, lifestyle and activewear. The name Parel comes from the word apparel, and signifies the brands ethos of clothing that works for all ranges of activity. Parel aims to easily offer comfort and confidence in people’s daily routines by creating practical, functional apparel with an all-day usability.
In conjunction with our first collection from Parel Studios at HIP, we caught up with Copenhagen based Michael Lennheder – founder and creative director of the upcoming functional led label.
Please introduce yourself, what you do and where you are based?
My name is Michael Lennheden, founder and creative director of Parel Studios. Based out here in Copenhagen, Denmark.
I have a background in Industrial design and for the past 5 years been working as head of footwear for Amsterdam based fashion label Filling Pieces.
What does an average day in the life look like currently working on the brand?
It’s really a little bit of everything honestly, we are just 2 people at Parel so we wear a lot of different hats. It can be anything from client support with customers, FaceTime calls with factories, or warehouse organising (we recently just moved to a bigger office/warehouse again). There are weeks we are working on prepping the webshop and we’ll shoot flatshots and on-model pictures in our office, or we are on an outdoor shoot, or we are packing orders and dropping them off at the post office. Sometimes we also just drink coffee and talk shit. We try to do everything ourselves still, both to stay on top of all corners of the brand but also to cut cost which is super crucial in the beginning stage of starting a company.
Obviously the most fun part is the prepping of a new season, building a collection, the sketches, the techpacks and the moment when the samples arrive and you see the ideas you had for the first time in real.
Tell us about Parel – how did the brand originally start and what’s your mission plan?
The name Parel is borrowed from the word ‘apparel’. It’s a short brand name, and that was important for me. I like short and clear brand names, and it had to be something that was sharp, short, and somewhat recognisable and easy to remember. The mission with the brand is to make timeless useful clothing for everyone, that helps you feel confident and comfortable while you do your thing you know? It’s for us the no-nonsense approach to clothing that we like. We want to create good gear for your everyday wardrobe. We are trying to look away from quick trends or useless fashion. We are on a constant journey on trying to understand what makes a good item, and then make it just a little bit better every time. We call that ‘Apparel Research Program’.
Parel has a futuristic yet clean feel to it, where do you see the future of how we approach clothing in general going?
Yeah we definitely have a “clean feel to it”. But I think that also has to do with the core mission of the brand which is to make no-nonsense products, then you naturally take away anything that don’t serve a function or is aesthetically pleasing, you know?
I don’t know if you can say we have a futuristic feel to it, but maybe it does? I mean I like to think we are wearing clothes different today than we did in previous generations. We want to be able to go to the office, go shopping, hang out with friends and be a little active all in a day, and I think we want to be able to do that wearing something that is fitting for all scenarios right? Or have the ability to feel natural in all the elements. At least that’s how I like to dress.
Have you been surprised in different ways the brand has been interpreted?
I don’t know if I have been surprised so to say, but definitely super interesting to see the difference in the kind of people who wears it. I think what is so great is that it really fits everyone, it’s the fresh streetwear kids, the trendy city girls, the casual outdoor guy and the minimal classic type guys. And my retired father who sails on his sailing boat, it looks very natural on him too. I think that is what have been an interesting thing to see, how wide the appreciation for the brand has been.
What’s your current favourite piece from the SS22 collection and why?
My favourite piece? I like them all! I think it is the Legan pants, I literally wear them everywhere! They are so easy to wear with everything and really comfortable. The shorts and Prespa set in brown and blue is great too!
What’s next for you and Parel?
Well, hopefully a lot of great stuff! We only just started the journey.
Keep up to date with Parel Studios here.
Parel Studios – new to HIP. Online now.
New Balance 550 ‘White/Burgundy/Cyan’
New Balance return this season with another iteration of its coveted 550 silhouette. The shoe was first introduced in 1989, created by the famous sneaker designer Steven Smith as part of the label’s basketball collection. This updated version is reimagined in a white, burgundy and cyan colourway. The sneaker’s uppers are crafted from supple leather detailed with breathable perforations at the mudguard, whilst it features a rubber outsole and is decorated with classic branding in the form of a ‘N’ at the side wall and basketball logo at the tongue.
The New Balance 550 ‘White/Burgundy/Cyan’ launches online at HIP on 01/04/2022 via raffle.