6th January 2023

Incorporating Cotton Shirts for Winter

(demonstrated by French style icons)

For many of us, winter has well and truly arrived. With temperatures in the U.K. dropping to single figures over the winter break, now is the time to approach your sense of dress in a practical manner – but that doesn’t mean you need to sacrifice a strong style game in the process. The key to keeping your points high? Layering. And the best starting point for such? Easy: an Oxford shirt.

As part of our latest Autumn/Winter ready-to-wear collection, we’re pleased to offer a wide range of durable Oxford shirting to suit any avenue of winter style. But in true Timothy Everest fashion, no ensemble can be created without a touch of inspiration. Today, that inspiration comes from one nationality in particular: the French. Ever the masters of head-to-toe elegance, here’s four of our favourite Frenchmen who used the Oxford shirt as the perfect primary layer for a timeless winter ensemble. Allons-y!

Alain Delon

Despite the trench coat most commonly being associated with British brands, its military roots also came from France – and French stars like Alain Delon generated its enduring appeal in menswear. His way of layering it in cult film, Le Samouraï? Via a sharp oxford shirt, of course. Discreetly peeking out under his tightly-belted coat, his neutral style stance is one that will accommodate those biting temperatures, and more importantly, through a very flattering silhouette.

Jean-Louis Trintignant

Since his leading role in Claude Lelouch’s flawless romantic film: Un Homme et Une Femme, Jean-Louis Trintignant quickly proved himself to be an underrated master of menswear: especially for outfits in the winter seasons. His oxford shirt of choice? A deep navy, much like our latest Hoxton design. Layered under a simple grey cardigan and shearling jacket (nice mix up of textures happening here), this is a well-considered dose of layering to call upon for a casual outing in the coming weeks.

Pierre Clémenti

If there’s one reason to watch Luis Buñuel’s famed 1967 film: Belle de Jour, it’s for the style lessons of leading man Marcel. Played by Pierre Clémenti (whose personal wardrobe is a brilliant study in itself), the Frenchman’s character is donned in what can only be described as the ultimate silhouette for sex appeal. The levels of it? First of all, an oxford shirt, sealed by a skinny tie. After this, a flared, single-breasted black suit (which we can happily supply through a bespoke booking). As for the finishing touches? A leather trench coat and patent heeled boots. All in all, pure style power.

Serge Gainsbourg

Few menswear icons understand the power of a staple piece more than Serge Gainsbourg, so it’s no surprise that an oxford shirt sat at the forefront of his wardrobe. Frequently opting for a light-coloured style like our Redchurch shirt, his way of warming up for the winter season was via one key texture: corduroy. Specifically, a double breasted corduroy pea coat, collar slightly upturned to add a touch of French insouciance to his completed look. If that finishing texture takes your fancy, we suggest re-imagining the musician’s look with our needlecord design: soft, refined and most suitable for our current season.