Ralph Lauren
With no disrespect to apple pie, few things are as all-American as blue jeans – or Ralph Lauren. So whenever the two converge, a star-spangled home run is all but assured. But even more so than dungarees, it’s the designer’s take on the quintessential Western pearl-snap shirt that stands apart. Released with Lauren’s spring Purple Label collection, it has rugged good looks that belie its sophistication – namely, a cotton-linen blend woven in Japan, washed to be as soft as something that has put in years on the ranch, with trim Italian tailoring to give any guy the illusion of the Marlboro Man’s physique. No longer a novelty reserved for the weekends, Western shirts – and this one in particular – deserve a top spot in every man’s shirting arsenal.