Shirts To The People
It is quite remarkable how many companies offer shirts now. And we are not talking just about RTW but also MTO. One I discovered quite recently is MatchU Tailor which sent me a very nice Bamboo Shirt to Review. This time around they were kind enough to provide me with a bunch of new goodies!
Specifically today we will look at a really nice Olive Green Flannel Shirt. While the first shirt was great in every way this was the perfect opportunity to see if I was lucky or they can be consistent.
Let’s find out!
Who Is MatchU Tailor?
Simply put, they are an online MTO business with strong presence in China that focuses mostly on Dress Shirts. However they do have a wider selection of products that extends to Blazers, Overcoats, Pants and even socks.
The idea is that you select your base item from a generous variety of fabrics and colors and you customize it to your taste. By creating an account you can also save your measurements and see your purchase history.
Of course for an MTO company MatchU Tailor has a “perfect fit guarantee” where they remake your shirt if it is not up to your standards.
Tell Me About The Process
Since I already tried a regular shirt I wanted to compare the quality and feel of both the flannel and non-iron versions. Eventually I will also review one blazer with a pair of pants and a pretty nice looking overcoat.
The process is rather simple and will be a short repeat of the previous article. Essentially what you do is pick the design and color you want and it will open up the customization. These are the options:
- Collar Style: 6 different options
- Collar Cuff Color: Contrasting options for a few shirts
- Cuff Style: 6 options including short sleeves
- Placket: Classic, Plain or Hidden
- Pockets: 3 options or no pocket
- Monogram: 4 locations
- Fit: Slim, Appropriate, Casual
It is pretty decent for a shirt in this price range but maybe they could add pleated shoulders as an option. Then again at the time of writing the shirts cost 39$ for the Green Flannel (Down from 79$). If it fits well and the fabric is good this is a pretty good value!
Anyways, if you have an account and a shirt that already fits well you can go ahead and use those measurements very easily. However for those that are new there are two options available:
- Standard Size: You punch in simple, regular measurements such as neck and sleeve length
- SmartMeasure: You input some more info such as body shape, ethnicity and your general physique
Of course you can skip any of the questions if you do not wish to answer or add some extra information as a note. For example if you have muscular arms or an arching back. Not bad to minimize the ordering process. I chose SmartMeasure since I was happy with the original I received.
MatchU Tailor Shirt Review – The Olive Green Flannel
Let’s talk a bit about some actual products! Since I live in Sweden it gets quite cold during the winter so flannel clothes are a must. Flannel is essentially brushed wool that creates little pockets of air that help contain body heat and prevent cold air from entering.
Looking at my wardrobe I knew that I was looking for a darker color compared to normal. Olive Green is one of the most flexible colors around and should be one of the building blocks of your casual wardrobe. It is quite discreet without any patterns and will pair well with blue, grey, khaki and especially brown.
- Brand: MatchU Tailor
- Model: Olive Green Flannel Cotton
- Pattern: Plain Twill
- Material: 100% Brushed Cotton
- Threads: 30S
- Weight: 135 GSM
- Collar Style: Middle Spread
- Fit: Slim
- Cuff Style: Round Cuff (Two Button)
- Placket Style: Classic Placket
- Pocket Style: No Pocket
- Monogram: Right Cuff
- Regular Price: 79$ (71€/760 SEK/61£)
It looks pretty good on paper so let’s see how it ended up! Once more the neck size was 15.5 inches and the sleeve length 32 inches.
Placing & Receiving The Order
I placed my order on the 16th of October and received it on the 13th of November. That is about 1 month and a little longer than the usual 2-3 weeks that they advertise. However, I did order 2 shirts, a blazer and a pair of pants that all came together so that is perfectly fine.
Everything came in a large box and the shirts were nicely packed inside just like last time.
First Impressions Always Matter
There is nothing more disappointing than opening a new package and finding that your item does not look like the website version. Well, maybe if they ship you the wrong product I guess. Luckily, MatchU Tailor’s photography is pretty spot on and you get what you see when it comes to the shirts.
A very nice and deep olive green color that I could picture with a dozen combinations. It felt really nice to touch. And if you don’t believe me, then you can always trust the lady!
“You are nice to touch!”
Lady, Saint Petersburg
In the meantime let us discuss the most important aspect of a shirt which is fit.
Just The Right Length
Working at Suitsupply, there is nothing more frustrating than the wrong shirt length. Even if the jacket is perfect on you, if your shirts do not fit properly it will look bad.
What you want is nice clean shoulders, a good silhouette without overly excess fabric. That is if you are looking for a slimmer fit and of course proper arm length. It is widely debatable how much cuff someone should show but do not stress too much over it go with your preference. I find 1 cm of cuff pretty good for my taste.
The jacket should end at the break of the wrist, where there is a little bone on the side. That should give just enough space for the shirt to pop under and have an appropriate length. Here you can see me having a little extra but it is perfectly fine for me and my shoulders are slanted.
Looking at the backside we see two things. How amazing my Suitsupply MTM Pants fit and that the shirt looks pretty good tucked in. Not too much fabric anywhere but enough to move around freely without constriction.
And lastly we have a side view which confirms all the things we said above. Pretty good, I am very happy.
How’s The Quality?
Honestly, it feels really good. It is warm and fuzzy without being itchy. I wore this shirt during my trip to and Saint Petersburg last week and it was super comfortable.
Unfortunately I cannot find proper information regarding the mill origins of the fabric as it simply states “MatchU Collection“. It is also a bit of a problem when I try to see the tag which is only in Chinese apart from my name.
When you closely inspect the fabric you will see the recognizable twill weave. Pretty much this is a weave that uses parallel diagonal lines to create this popular effect. I like it very much and it is very often what you will see in suiting.
The buttons are pretty nice looking, feel sturdy and strong enough to endure casual use. Their appearance is quite different than what I usually see and have a black matte color. I like it very much on this shirt. Of course they are not horn buttons, but would you expect that for 39$?
Lastly the last part I completely forgot until I started penning this review was the monogram. On my first shirt I skipped it as it was a more formal shirt. This time around though I had the chance to play a bit more and customize it with my initials. Turned out pretty nice and discreet don’t you think?
A picture I could not take with accurate colors is a close up of the back. There you have a small loop right below the yoke that darts down towards the middle of the shirt. It is quite discreet and the only purpose it serves is so you can hang your shirt.
It is a nice touch and you won’t notice it unless you are really picky. An option to skip this would be great to have but it does not bother me. If anything it can turn out handy.
Come On, Show Me Your Shoes!
Since you ask so nicely, ok! I really liked wearing this shirt with my brown flannel pants. Winter is here so it is boot season everyone and I love boot season. In fact, here is the Carlos Santos 8866 Jumper Boot I reviewed almost a year ago. It looks absolutely terrific, I am amazed.
Did you know you can order this magnificent pair for yourself? Just head out to the Jumper Boot Page in The Noble Shoe or customize it with your own color with the Patina Service! It’s that easy!
Is There Actually Anything Wrong With The Shirt?
Ehm…not really. This is genuinely a good shirt especially considering the price point. Of course I can find some things here and there to nitpick. I have a feeling the collar is a little small for example. Not the size of the actual collar, but the spread looks to me smaller than usual.
The loop on the back might not be for everyone either. There should be some information in English on the tag. But that’s about it.
Good quality, warm feel without itchiness, proper length and fit. And a darn good color that is perfect for winter and capable of matching nearly anything. What more do you need?
Summing Things Up
Color me impressed once more. A nice shirt in a wonderful color, good feeling and perfect fit. Soon I will be reviewing the third shirt which is a Light Pink Non-Iron version and we will really check the consistency.
The price is also very good with frequent discounts happening like at the time of writing. If you are not in a rush and can wait 2-3 weeks it is worth trying if you enjoy value. Worst case of course, is that the fit won’t be perfect for you and they will remake it. For 39$ what I got was superb value at least.
This brings us to the end of the MatchU Tailor Shirt Review in Green Flannel. Next week, we will be looking at some amazing ties by Granqvist Sweden. I am very excited about writing those! Thank you so much for supporting the channel and if you are new, please Subscribe to not miss anything!
Thank you for reading,
Kostas Mandilaris,
Misiu Academy
