The overshirt exists in that useful gap between a shirt and a jacket, and when it’s made well in cotton, it becomes one of those pieces you reach for without thinking. The problem is most men either treat them as an afterthought or buy something so stiff it never softens up. The ones worth owning are the ones that feel broken in almost immediately, drape properly over a t-shirt or a lightweight knit, and work as a genuine outer layer on milder days without looking like you’ve given up on having a proper wardrobe.

We’ve been looking specifically at weights and weaves that hold their structure without being rigid, and cuts that sit well whether you leave them open or actually do the buttons up. Chambray, brushed cotton, oxford weave. The details matter more than most people realise. A chest pocket placed right, a collar that doesn’t collapse. These are the overshirts we’d keep on from morning through to the evening without a second thought.