I like to wear my best when formally going before the Sovereign of the Universe for sacred service. When it comes to the shirts I wear, that’s always meant button-up shirts that retailed for at least $20, and more. That’s not comparatively much money, even when including my priciest button-up shirts, when it comes to how much more money button-up shirts can cost. It’s the style itself, at least in western society, that says it’s the best, more than its cost, know more.
However, recently at a little independently owned shop, where I’m sure the owner ekes out a living for his family, I found and purchased a Pace Wear long sleeve button-down shirt. I only bought one packaged shirt so that I could give it a try, and if I didn’t like it I could return it. Besides, I thought, “this Pace Wear shirt only costs $4.99…it’s worth a try.”
You Don’t Always Get What You Pay For
Paying only $4.99 for a long sleeve, button-up shirt, of course, made me skeptical about its quality. As a general rule of thumb, the better something is the more you pay for it. You’ve heard the saying, “You don’t always get what you paid for.” Such is said when you pay good money for something but whatever it is you bought turns out to be less valuable than what you paid for it. In this instance, the reverse turned out to be true; how much more I got for what I paid! Am I glad I gave Pace Wear long sleeve button-down shirts a try! Even more so, I’m glad it worked out that I was able to give the little guy the business.
Pace Wear Long Sleeve Button-up Shirt Feel, Fit & Fabric
This Pace Wear ( established 1983 ) long sleeve button-down shirt is very lightweight. Perfect for wearing in the summertime, when you want to wear a long sleeve button-down shirt despite summer heat. None of my other long sleeve button-down shirts are half as light as this Pace Wear shirt, not only by weight but how it wears too.
The fabric of the shirt is a high count cotton blend, 65% polyester, 35% cotton, broadcloth. Of course, it didn’t feel and fit over my body like a silk shirt does, nor was it an athletic cut, my preferred cut, but a regular cut. Still, the fabric, feel and fit are more than plenty good for this Pace Wear long sleeve shirt.
And thus far, it really is wrinkle resistant, like it says it is, unlike other shirts that claim to be permanent press or wrinkle resistant, only to start wrinkling after its first wear and wash. I even had to ask my wife if she actually washed the shirt, since it still looked so new and unworn, because I was so impressed with how well the shirt kept its original shape.
Pace Wear Long Sleeve Button-up Shirt Tailoring
The tailoring of these Pace Wear long sleeve button-up shirts are well done too. Certainly far above what I was expecting from a $4.99 shirt. I say, “…these Pace Wear…shirts,” because I’ve since bought more of them.
Pace Wear uses a top fused collar with permanent collar stay, which works well. No metal or plastic points are necessary, which is a real plus. The tailoring throughout is single needle tailoring and the overlaps are minimal, making for a lightweight, comfortable and smooth fit.
Pace Wear uses a deep sleeve button through placket on its long sleeves. Using such makes it easier to move your arms around without hindrance from the long sleeves. I found Pace Wear sleeve plackets are shorter than the sleeve plackets on my other long sleeve shirts. Still, they do what they’re supposed to do and the shirt’s light weight more than makes up for any near imperceptible less freedom of movement incurred by the shorter lengths employed. I like when shirt makers use two button-throughs on the sleeve placket, although its rare to find. Pace Wear unfortunately doesn’t use two buttons either.
Two buttons are used to adjust the cuffs though, and that’s a plus. I like shirts that give me the option between a looser or tighter cuff fit. The cuffs surprisingly are stiffer than the lightness of the shirt, yet not too stiff by any means.
Pace Wear employs a back yoke that isn’t too deep, certainly not as deep as many of my other shirts, nor as deep as Pace Wear would have you believe, when on the packaging it says, “Deep Back Yoke.” Though, it does have a box pleat on the back, which allows for more expansion of your back and freedom of movement throughout the back of the shirt than if there wasn’t a box pleat. The bottom also is long tail, making it easier to tuck the shirt into pants.
Pace Wear Long Sleeve Button-up Shirt Conclusion
You’ve gathered by now I’m quite happy with Pace Wear long sleeve button-up shirts. What I’ve paid for them is comparatively far less than what they’re worth. Shirts that cost at least four times as much lack some of what a Pace Wear shirt has. Although I had to cut away a couple of pieces of extra threading here and there, overall the pattern for construction for the shirt and the follow through of it is aright, or well done. I certainly recommend Pace Wear long sleeve button-down shirts, especially if you want to wear a long sleeve dress shirt in the summertime.