If you’re going to don a short-sleeved shirt this summer, you want to fix your eyes on the latin nations. They know the score on such matters far better than we do on our peculiar island. Some short-sleeved wearers on the British Isles run the risk of looking like an off-duty darts professional, so it’s vital we look to those who do it well. Take the Italians for example.
We mention Fresh a lot on here but it’s only through a genuine appreciation of what they do, and how they combine an open-minded, global outlook to brands with something uniquely Italian. There is no store like them.
Just a little rudimentary research shows that the location I sit in while writing this only receives around 1416 hours of sunshine a year, on average. The North West of England simply cannot compete with the North West of Italy, with Fresh’s hometown of Turin receiving 1989 hours. Given Manchester’s cultural history, 1989 somehow resonates, albeit as an actual year rather than a number of sunny hours.
Anyway, I digress. With some of our sunshine no doubt on the way, it’s a good time to point out the smart selection of short-sleeved shirts Fresh have for us. You can leave your arrows at home.
Edwin
Let’s start with this statement maker. I’m yet to find out why, but it appears there are drawings of Japanese people having a wash all over it. The fact I don’t know why intrigues me all the more.
See more here.
Beams Plus
Speaking of Japan, Beams Plus have always been strong in the shirt game. This tribal pattern only reinforces this rep.
Procure here.
Battenwear
Taking the concept of camo then totally ignoring the point of it, this acid-infused effort from stateside smart-arses Battenwear is exactly the kind of thing I’d wear if I lived in California, like they do.
It’s in plain sight, here.
Universal Works
Imagine that island famous for its popularisation of this time of shirt was actually just off the coast of England, rather than in the Pacific Ocean. Basically move Hawaii to the English channel, call it the Hawaiisle of Wight if you want. But whatever, this is what they wear on this fictional island.
They wear it in Turin, too, here.
Portuguese Flannel
I don’t know about you, but this looks like something Sergio Busquets would wear to a gender reveal party, and I’m here for it more than I should be. Aside from Catalunyan references, it’s a nice shirt isn’t it? Really nice.
Get yours here.
Patagonia
This is a brand so good at almost everything it does, it should be no surprise it does patterned short sleeved shirts well too. This one features what looks like an array of marine life. There’s definitely something fishy about it.
It’s reduced too, here.
Universal Works
It’s impossible to simply select one shirt from each brand on Fresh’s website. As a result, this is UW’s second appearance in this list, and you only need to look at the above shirt to realise why.
Get it here.
President’s
Founded in Tuscany in 1957, it should be no surprise to find this floral number in amongst the shirt selection at Fresh. This looks like something Tom Selleck would wear to nail 3 pints of Peroni, just to show he’s not past it yet.
Get it here.
Portuguese Flannel
The sheer volume of weird and wonderful shirts available from this Iberian stalwart means it’s impossible to feature them all, but what it does mean is it gets a second selection with this magic eye picture. If you stare hard enough at it, there’s a pony playing tennis.
Get it on your back here.
Edwin
Another strong contender from the brand which began this list, this Edwin shirt is absolutely ideal for a multitude of seasonal settings, but the one which springs to mind is that of a gap year student who inexplicably decides to marry a hotel maid called Gail, on a beach in Bali. If such a tale appeals to you, so should this shirt.
Nuptual niceness here.
