A reader question:
Dear Editor,
A question for the community:
I have worn rugby shirts since I was a boy and currently own two of the J. Press version, which are excellent quality. However, I have recently begun to think that such a garment is a little too youthful for a 61 year old gentleman. Do the followers of this blog have any thoughts? Thank you all!
I don't think a rugby shirt is too youthful for a 61 years old. If you don't wear it with ripped jeans, and I assume you don't, so you anyway look better than most of the young men nowadays. Btw, 61 years it's not advanced age yet.
ReplyDeleteA rugby with some ripped jeans, wellies, and a frayed waxed gilet is a must out in the country
DeleteI've worn the classic style of rugby shirts throughout my life, and I've learned a few things along the way that ensure I look age-appropriate. I agree with the previous poster's notion that pairing them with overly-worn jeans or other trendy pants can detract from a grown-up appearance. Instead, I've found that khakis in traditional colors are a perfect complement. To maintain a mature and refined look, I steer clear of rugby shirts with overly bold stripes or loud logos, as well as those with pop culture associations (such as Gilligan, "Where's Waldo", or Gryffindor themes). I prefer wearing rugby shirts to casual outings like picnics or sporting events, always opting to wear them untucked for a relaxed yet put-together look. A tried-and-true approach that works for me and other mature individuals I've seen about is to wear the rugby shirt over a collared shirt, such as an oxford. This not only elevates the impression it gives but also serves as practical protection for your clothing during activities that might get a bit messy, like manning a grill or visiting places where dirt is likely.
ReplyDeleteCotton rugby shirts are casual alternatives to OCBDs for when it's cool rather than cold. They look smart with twill trousers or chinos, a Harrington jacket and penny loafers. Just add a jumper for a bit more warmth is needed. I also dislike big logos but stripes are fine for men of any age who do not have a big paunch.
DeleteGood advice. I agree.
DeleteI wear a red rugby shirt from time to time and have never been compared to Gilligan. Gilligan's Island had fantastic clothes by the way. Of course the show had Mary Ann too. Woof.
DeleteIf you are older...I'm fifty seven...it helps if you look as though you may have played at some point in your life. Be and look healthy.
Will
Congratulations for continuing to play rugby at 61! I am not sure about J. Press and can't recommend wearing an oxford shirt underneath, as I am sure you know form fitting lightweight tech shirts are best for resisting mud and blood, and keeping your opponents from dragging you to the ground. As for colors, it really depends on the team you support. ;-) www.worldrugbyshop.com
ReplyDeleteI still wear them from time to time and I’m 56. They are comfortable and durable. They practically can jazz up any ensemble.
ReplyDeleteAs with most clothing, I think it depends on the situation and the person. They're not my style because the cotton fabric is heavy, built to survive the rough-and-tumble of the sport, and I tend to overheat - so I'm more apt to wear a short-sleeved polo shirt with a light sweater. However, worn with a pair of khakis, in an appropriately casual situation, seems to me they're nice.
ReplyDeleteI am also in my 60’s and still enjoy wearing my rugby shirts. I have found that solid colors or more conservative stripes work best. I know that it’s probably not on the approved “preppy” list of retailers, but American Rugby Outfitters offers authentic and indestructible shirts at a fraction of the price at JPress or Brooks Bros. Get on
ReplyDeletetheir email list to get informed of their great discount offers.
My friends in England would often remind me that soccer is a gentleman’s sport played by barbarians and rugby, a barbarian sport played by gentlemen. Be that gentleman, enjoy your rugby’s and laugh at the barbarians.
ReplyDeletePriceless!
DeleteGood heavens, man. Wear what you like and feels comfortable.
ReplyDeleteGetting dangerously near 60 myself, and still have/wear/enjoy five or six of them for evenings and weekends during the cooler seasons (they pair well with corduroy jeans) and the occasional chilly summer evening.
ReplyDeleteKind Regards,
Heinz-Ulrich.
C’mon. Wear what you like, why would you care? They are great shirts, why would you not wear one? I am growing so out of touch with this world.
ReplyDeleteIt is very nice that he cares. We all should.
DeleteAmen. This blog is not for those who wear whatever is comfortable but for those who care. JDV
DeleteYour comment could be taken many ways. Could you please elaborate?
ReplyDeleteSure, what does the original poster care what others think of how it looks on him, if he likes it, feels good in it, then who cares what the “influencers” or others think? Be your own person.
DeleteI am 66 and still play Rugby, so Rugby shirts are a staple in our home! Cheers!
ReplyDeleteA cheerful happy person who enjoys what he wears because he likes it and not because others approve.
DeleteCheers indeed !
Contrary to the crowd, I think your hesitation on form - if form is your concern - is warranted though you, laudably, come by it honestly. Hard to imagine too many situations where it should replace an oxford, polo, sweater, chamois/flannel/Viyella and combinations therein. Except of course on the pitch. And there certainly is a whiff of youthful exuberance that comes across with a casual rugby beyond school age years. I think one of the themes Muffy successfully curates here is the unalloyed joy of acting one’s age timelessly - timelessly across generations not within one’s lifespan. Too there is a bit of the faddish and “most recent thing marketing came up with” air about it all (“reintroducing the rugby shirt”). Finally I do take exception to the “if it feels good, wear it” sentiment above. Did my children write that? That’s no way to live. Inheriting the wisdom of the past and safeguarding it to posterity is something serious, and clothes are just one of many expressions of this civilized mindset. We are only vessels on the continuum. Therefore, form is important and the key talisman for the tribe that gives a knowing nod to the words “the thing before Preppy.”
ReplyDeleteIf you're trim, they look fine regardless of age. If you're fat, you're going to look bad in any garment at any age.
ReplyDeleteI'll be 68 in June and still wear rugby shirts.
ReplyDeleteWith respect, A dissenting opinion: I was loose-head prop on a fairly competitive traveling club team based in a Northeastern city in the mid-seventies, before the formation of leagues and pro teams in the U.S. My jersey, which still fits, is well-worn and still carries the shadows of mud and blood stains that predate Shout and Oxy-Clean. I have not worn it above three times since I walked off the pitch forty-some years ago. I think of it as a piece of athletic equipment, not a traditional style statement.
ReplyDeleteOccasionally, when I see a guy who looks confident, affable, and vaguely athletic wearing a rugby shirt, I will ask him where and when he played. Virtually to a man, the reaction is a blank stare. While I do not conflate playing rugby with military service (which I also did), I think wearing a uniform jersey is a faint echo of stolen valor, padding or fabricating military service to impress.
I say this in the same spirit that impels me not to wears clothes with visible labels, or New England sports team gear, or the neckties of regiments in which I did not serve or Highland clans other than my own.
I acknowledge, at 77, creeping curmudgeon-hood, but may I gently suggest that a cotton crew-neck and a polo or a Shetland sweater and a button-down accomplish the same youthful and jaunty insouciance as your rugby jersey?
P.S. To the one sixty-six year old on here who’s still playing, well-done and press on.
I wear a "polo" and have never played polo and I have a British wool sweater but never been to Britain. I should not wear my Harris Tweed and not wear any clothing that is associated with any clan of Scotland.
DeleteI have a couple pairs of blue jeans but was never a coal miner, and several pairs of khakis but was never in the Navy. I own athletic shoes but have never run a marathon. And as long as you are not in the UK you will never run into a veteran of any military regiment. Oh no! I just ate poke but have never been to Hawaii. But on the plus side, I just realized it's ok for me to wear a ballcap because I played Little League baseball as a child.
DeleteYour point is well taken, but I think you neglect to take into account the adoption of the rugby shirt into the outdoor apparel pantheon - particularly rock climbers. Famously, Yvon Chouinard, the founder of Patagonia, made the rugby the first piece of apparel sold by his fledgling climbing equipment company. He found that the durability of the garment and the bright, highly visible colors made it well suited for rock climbing.
DeleteI own a couple of rugbies made by a company called Withernot and have been very happy with their quality. I've heard it said that they are the closest you can get nowadays to the quality of the old school Patagonia rugbies. Although they run on the slim side.
Anonymous February 28, 2024 at 4:44 AM - Thank you for that comment. I was revisiting to mention that aspect. That wasn't how I became aware of rugby shirts but climbing was the reason for wearing them. Another was through sailing. (Withernot makes an awesome rugby inspired by the Colorado state flag.)
DeleteColorado colors are perfect for sailing.
DeleteToo youthful? My apologies, do you have grandchildren climbing about on you yet? That sort of torque can tear the buttons off an OXBD. When one goes into battle, choose armor, etc.
ReplyDeleteI’m 70 l first wore a rugby shirt at aged 7 I stopped wearing them for playing the game 29 years ago but l still wear them as everyday wear
ReplyDeleteMy husband is a first generation American with a Scottish father. He buys rugby shirts, when they are on sale, because they are a great weight for transitional weather. He's 77.
ReplyDeleteI actually think rugby shirts are MORE suited to older folks. They are easier to put on than button-up shirts (dexterity goes over time for some) and sweaters (more confining). They are warm and comfortable and rugged. They are better for a more casual enviromnent like hanging around the house, shopping, watching the game, and informal family events. I don't currently own any but will probably buy a few when I retire.
ReplyDeleteI'm 62 and have one that I wear in very casual settings, as I would wear a sweatshirt, sneakers, or old khakis. A few of my fraternity brothers were on the university team, but lots of us wore rugby shirts in those days.
ReplyDeleteBoy, this is a tough one. Though they used to be such a practical garment they started to become cheesy unless well worn. Too many clothing manufacturers' offshoots was its demise.
ReplyDeleteI'm 70 and I have several, though I don't wear them much because I have so many clothes. In the winter I sometimes wear one under an OCBD.
ReplyDeleteAm 62 and never was a huge Rugby wearer, but love to see the guys my age on here who are still wearing them. When I turned 40 I was living in Washington, D.C., and had a female friend (not girlfriend) about 25, and we went Christmas shopping one day. I looked at a rugby in my college colors of blue and gold and she told me it was too bright for my age. Huh? But reading these post comments I see that sentiment. Don’t wear them any more, living in OCBDs but still think they look cool. This post has inspired me to perhaps buy another one, in more muted colors, of course. Perhaps my frat colors of scarlet and gray.
ReplyDeleteOne more thing: please stop posting “wear whatever you want.” Blogs like this are not for those who want to wear whatever they want. These posts are to help readers set a standard. “Wear whatever you want” is the other blog called SweatPants NewJersey. My apologies to those from New Jersey. JDV
Your thinking is correct. Ferd told me.
ReplyDelete