My Hunt for a Just-Slouchy-Enough Denim Shirt

This shirt looked how walking into Buck Mason feels: like a pat on the back from your friend’s dad in finance. It felt sophisticated and friendly but unfortunately too uptight for the casual loungy look I was hunting for. I loved the color, and despite my initial trepidation about the speckles in the neppy denim, I thought the white accents actually added some pizzazz. The buttons’ snaps dressed it down slightly, but with its stiff 100-percent-cotton fabric, pearl-finish on the buttons, and starched collar, the top undeniably resisted the “chill” label.

Like any true 20-something Chicagoan, my closet is stocked full of goodies from this adorable local boutique. With that said, at Alice & Wonder, I learned “chill” reaches a limit. This 85-percent-cotton shirt checked off my slouch requirement, but unfortunately that’s all it did. I can’t hate the player, though; I’m the one trying on knit denim, which in this case is woven with 15 percent polyester that makes it softer than an all-cotton denim shirt. While I could see this one pairing well with fuzzy socks and sweatpants by the fire, it didn’t fit into my impending chicken-Caesar-wrap-and-Aperol-spritz plans. Soon, I started sweating in that specifically miserable overheating-in-a-dressing-room way, and I knew this material was too heavy for my summer itinerary.

Next, I headed to Madewell. I loved this top’s summery white buttons, and I appreciated the cotton-linen blend’s loose, lightweight feel. That said, the boxy shoulders and white triple-needle stitching gave it more of a polished vibe when I was searching for nonchalance. And maybe it was the light-wash-jeans pairing, but something about this color felt less like Beyoncé and more like Justin Timberlake at the VMAs. It wasn’t for me.

I’m not typically drawn to ruffles and cinching, so I assumed I’d pass on this one. But you know what happens when you assume … I sized up to an XL to create the oversize look, and surprisingly it hung perfectly. The 100-percent-cotton material felt sturdy yet light enough for a summer picnic. The dark indigo color and three-quarter sleeves elevated the style, and the shirt’s detailing looked intricate but still subtle. I loved the large widespread buttons and the three-pronged stitching on the arms. My only critique: Why the itchy, ruffled tulle on the inside shoulder? For what I was going for, this didn’t perfectly fit the bill, but I’m keeping it in mind for the future.

The second Madewell shirt was abigimprovement on the first. The 100-percent-cotton material felt heavier, but in a sturdy, good-quality way rather than making it feel too warm. I entered this hunt expecting to walk out with a dark-wash shirt, but this reminded me that I’ve been underestimating the power of light-wash denim and a white tank. I didn’t size up in this one, and with its loose shoulders and slouchy collar, it fit like it was designed to be oversize. I appreciated that the back wasn’t significantly longer than the front and the pocket’s stitching color blended into the rest of the shirt. Overall, this option was inching closer to what I was going for.

Hands down this medium-blue denim won for best color. Aritzia’s shirt met my lightweight, loungy standard with its floppy collar and relaxed body. I can see myself making great use of those flap patch pockets (Polaroids, lip gloss, sunglasses — the works). I hesitated only on the small monochrome buttons. I liked that they’re something different from the others I’ve tried, but I realized that the larger contrasting buttons on other tops felt more unambiguously “classic” to me. The all-cotton denim felt slightly stiff in the arms, but that’s something a size-up may solve.

Abercrombie’s 78-percent-cotton, 22-percent-Lyocell top felt structured yet malleable — the secret sauce I’d been searching for, it turns out. The brown lining and silver buttons added an understated originality to this one, too. This shirt scored major points for a back length proportionate to its front, a feature I’d resigned to fantasy. The single pocket also helped this option feel slightly different without reinventing the wheel. I think the next size up would have been a perfect fit, but the casual collar and loungy look of this one tell me it understood my vision.

This top felt as if I’d just spent the day in the sun, finished my post-lake shower, applied my cream blush, and pulled out my favorite outfit in preparation for girls’ night. The white buttons resembled shells, the monochrome lining kept it classic, and the large pockets added some “Chessy fromThe Parent Trap” personality. The sleeves bunched easily, the collar was relaxed on my neck, and the shirt effortlessly draped off my shoulders. This 100-percent-cotton-chambray top was notablysustainableand the most affordable of the bunch. It satisfied my oversize requirement so well that I even sized down. I couldn’t have predicted concluding my search with a light-wash shirt, but I’m pretty sure Beyoncé would approve.