Meet the truly authentic heritage OCBD. A genuine authentic, indispensable piece, a favourite that transcends fads in fashion and has pride of place in the Viyella collection. It could be said to be the most essential garments in a man’s wardrobe with an understated elegance that has been elevating the way men dress for over a century.
Our Viyella Oxford shirt is steeped in history. Crafted true to our original archive styling details from the 1950’s & 1960’s. The perfectly rolled collar, back box pleat, locker loop, button at the back of the collar. Even the Viyella signature three hole buttons from the 1960’s have been reissued. The perfect fit, not slim or too boxy. Can be worn tucked-in on a night out and untucked for a relaxed Sunday. Authentic attention to all the must have key styling details for the authentic OCBD.
The Oxford Shirt
The term “Oxford” in Oxford cloth was named after the prestigious university.
The Oxford cloth weave is typically softer, more textured, and more durable than plain broadcloth. It achieved particular renown in Britain as a practical shirting cloth, especially for sports or more relaxed dress. Our current range of OCBD shirts is crafted from a genuine archive shirt from the 1950’s in fine pinpoint Oxford two fold 80’s Pima Cotton, which has a perfect weight. It is light enough for summer, but broad enough for winter, a true all seasons fabric. Perfect for wearing alone or as a layering piece. The two fold yarns adds a soft subtle iridescence that softens and ages beautifully with repeated laundering and wear. The “button-down collar” origin is often credited to polo players in England. Their collars, being soft and unstarched, would flap while riding; so small buttons were sewn onto collar points to anchor them. Viyella majoring in sports shirts during the early 1900’s exporting vast quantities to America during the 1920’s.
By the mid-20th century, the OCBD had become an Ivy League uniform of undergraduates, Hollywood, and presidents alike. “The Anglo American look” worn by the greatest influencers of the day.
The 1950s and 1960s were arguably the heyday of OCBD shirts: when Viyella was “king of sports shirts,” a must-have in men’s wardrobes for casual elegance. That era’s aesthetic remains the hero for heritage stylists and menswear revivalists.
Today, Viyella references those archival pieces in its modern collections.
Viyella’s OCBD: Why It Stands Apart
Many brands today offer “Oxford shirts,” but few can lay claim to the layered authenticity that Viyella can. Here are the features that distinguish a true Viyella OCBD (one faithful to its heritage):
1. The Perfect Soft Roll Collar
The ultimate hallmarks of a true OCBD is the perfect rolled collar, one that gently “rolls”—a soft, curves naturally, giving elegant looseness and shaping. Viyella, in its heritage OCBD, emphasises precisely that: a collar that is buttoned down yet softly curved.
Our Pinpoint Oxford Button Down Shirts, incorporate super soft generous roll button-down collars for that essential soft enviable roll in wear as a signature detail.
2. Authentic Construction and Details
Beyond the collar roll, Viyella true heritage OCBD carries certain construction details:
- A box pleat at the back, for ease of movement.
- A locker loop under the collar.
- Collar button at the back to preserve symmetry.
- Signature three hole buttons: Viyella, in some of its heritage models, reissues its classic three-hole buttons from the 1960s.
- Six button front placket
These touches mark the difference between a shirt that looks like an OCBD and one that is historically faithful.
If you seek an OCBD that is not just stylish but historically rooted—one with lineage, integrity, and subtle elegance—you need not look farther than Viyella’s Heritage Oxford. In the soft curve of the collar, and the quiet dignity of its details, you’ll find the true spirit of the Oxford shirt—just as it was meant to be.
