Wrangler Western Shirt (New Air Vintage)
This is a Western-style denim shirt from Wrangler, a brand that began as a Western wear label. Wrangler’s Western shirts are iconic pieces of men’s fashion, frequently featured in Western films and favoured by Steve McQueen.
The Wrangler Western shirt featured here was sourced from the United States by New Air Vintage, a renowned vintage clothing shop in Osaka (though the shop itself is no longer operating, its owner is reportedly still active as a buyer). It has been tastefully repaired.
Introduction.
I’ve always adored vintage clothing and the style commonly referred to as Americana. In my mid-twenties, I favoured a slightly roughened take on American Traditional (often called Americana). I’d pair blue button-down shirts, Oxford shirts, denim shirts, and the faded Western shirts featured here with crisp chinos and sneakers like Adidas Stan Smiths. It wasn’t strictly orthodox. I drifted away from this style for a while, but recently the urge to wear it again has struck, and I’m hunting for various items.
Back then, my favourite was TUBE, designed by Hisao Saito. It took American traditional as its starting point, building clothes through sophisticated combinations. They had a shop in Shibuya’s PARCO, and the staff were exceptionally kind—spending ample time helping me choose even a single shirt was a major reason I grew fond of the brand.
The Wrangler Western shirt featured here is one repaired by New Air Vintage, experts in American vintage, using their unique sensibility. It perfectly matched my taste, so I bought it and wear it frequently.
The Dickies painter’s trousers worn with it this time, and the painter’s trousers paired with the Dior denim shirt last time, are also New Air Vintage repair pieces. I similarly own Carhartt work trousers and an M65 jacket that have undergone their repair work.
Western-style shirt
My image of a Western shirt is that of an American dad. For my generation, it evokes the archetypal father figure from 20th-century American home dramas and films – someone in his late thirties to forties, grilling at barbecues or playing catch with his kids. They typically have a more robust build than the average Japanese man, wearing Western shirts casually. The fading isn’t fashion-conscious, but rather a lived-in patina from regular washing in a tumble dryer – a sense of wear and tear born of daily life. It’s an item that embodies a paternal quality, worn as an everyday staple.
Steve McQueen embodied the American hero and tough guy, yet remained somehow universal and real. While not quite the same, there exists a certain archetype of masculinity that every American man possesses, and the Western shirt is the image of the shirt such a McQueen-like man would naturally wear.
Made from denim fabric, the new colour is navy blue, but as it is worn and washed, the colour naturally fades, turning into what is commonly called a light blue.
I suppose I’m something of a blue jeans enthusiast myself, having largely stopped wearing casual trousers other than jeans. Western shirts pair well with jeans (being a cowboy uniform, that’s only natural), and when I wear them casually, I often create contrast by varying the degree of fading between top and bottom, avoiding a full matching set. It’s an interesting anecdote that Wrangler is the originator of the term “jeans”.
This year, I’ve developed something of a personal craze for wearing Western shirts. What’s different from before is that I’m now wearing them more often with khaki bottoms like work trousers or chinos, rather than blue jeans.
The appeal of denim Western shirts lies in their effortless wearability, requiring little thought about fashion. In my case, many are vintage pieces or originals that have faded over time, so I simply wash them without much fuss.
I don’t bother with ironing; much like a freshly washed button-down shirt, I just give the collar, cuffs, and front placket a good stretch before hanging them to dry, then wear them straight away.
The sizing of Western shirts
The Western shirt I wear isn’t one of those currently fashionable oversized styles with dropped shoulders, nor is it a slim-fit, just-right size with an Italian flavour like those exhibited at Pitti. Instead, I wear a classic style with shoulders that are almost true to size (though perhaps 1-2 centimetres larger by modern standards) and a slightly wider body.
Originally a masculine garment originating from American sartorial history, it offers a comfortable fit even with a shoulder width that’s just right, thanks to its relatively generous body width. This makes it an extremely versatile piece, suitable for wearing either as an inner layer or as an outer garment.
New Air Vintage
Originally, having run a vintage clothing shop, possess an almost obsessive knowledge of vintage garments. For repairs, I use fabric from unwearable vintage pieces as a base, creating a patchwork effect that transcends mere mending to become a distinct style.
Over the last decade or so, vintage items have been re-evaluated, and it’s certainly positive that quality pieces are now circulating in the market. However, the downside is that prices have become excessively inflated, meaning some items are no longer suitable for everyday wear.
The vintage garments repaired by New Air Vintage are reasonably priced and require no special care, such as delicate washing, making them ideal for everyday wear – a definite plus.
However, as it’s a small operation, the selection is limited and sizes aren’t particularly varied, so finding something you can actually wear might prove challenging.
I discovered New Air Vintage’s vintage clothing through Post78, a shop frequently featured on my blog. The owner possesses excellent taste; occasionally popping into the shop reveals many pieces that appear ordinary at first glance yet are cleverly crafted items that make fashion connoisseurs sigh with admiration. With a core price range that isn’t excessively high and many items suitable for everyday wear, it’s an indispensable shop for my passion for dressing.
Wearing example.
Details.
- 100% cotton
- Denim – approximately 7 ounces
- Shoulder yoke
- Snap fasteners
- Flap pockets on both chest
Combinations.
- Western shirt: Wrangler (New Air Vintage)
- T-shirt, green: Dolce & Gabbana
- Painter’s trousers: Dickies (New Air Vintage)
- Hat: LEUCHTFEUE
- Watch: IWC Mark11 RAF
- Sunglasses: Oakley
- Belt: The Real McCoy’s
- Shoes: Visvim
Conclusion.
This time we introduced Wrangler’s Western shirt. Characterised by its shoulder yoke, double chest flap pockets, and snap buttons, it’s instantly recognisable as a Western shirt when worn. Yet it’s such a universal piece that you can wear it much like a button-down shirt. The denim fabric, around 7oz, is neither too thick nor too thin – thicker than a twill shirt, yet softens beautifully with wear, making it exceptionally comfortable.
Pairing a Western shirt with khaki trousers might not strictly fall under the American Trad category. As it’s a garment with deep roots in America, and considering colour schemes, the combination of a blue top with khaki bottoms represents my personal image of American Trad – hence my deliberate use of that term.
Fashion categorisation is rather arbitrary, and genres often seem to be more about the terminology than anything else. I reckon the key to enjoying it most is simply wearing what you like without worrying too much about labels.
Shop
The M47 Field Jacket introduced this time was purchased at Post78.
Post78 is a shop that handles a lot of high quality, long-lasting items that the owner, who loves clothes, is particular about. I also enjoy talking about fashion with the owner, who loves clothes, when I shop.
“Post78” Global shipping is not supported. Come to the shop when you come to Japan.
