What is chambray fabric? What do blue collar workers wear in the USA? All about chambray fabric. Crinkled fabric, “reaper” - Seersucker

[:RU]If you have something to choose from in your wardrobe this spring, then this is of course just perfect. But today we wanted to advise beautiful women one of the things that should definitely be in every woman’s wardrobe - a chambray shirt.

The Chabret shirt isn't really a new trend, but it is often confused with denim, even though they are made from different fabrics. Chambray is a plain fabric that has a weave of colored yarn and white yarn at the base. Like chambray, denim is made from a colored warp yarn but is woven in a twill style. In the shabre, fabrics of different colors will alternate with each other. Typically, you will notice a lighter color on the back side of denim, while the back side of chambray fabric is much more similar to the front side.

Now that you know the difference between chambray and denim, let's get back to the chambray shirt. A chambray shirt feels so much softer compared to denim and is actually a great fabric for a spring shirt. That's why chambray is definitely a must-have in every woman's closet.

Wear open chambray shirts over any dress.

In spring you always want to look especially elegant and romantic, and only dresses can help girls with this. The Itaka online store offers women's dresses wholesale, which can also be ordered at retail.

Chabret shirts are so cute and so versatile. Besides the fact that they can be worn at any time of the year, there are also different ways in which you can wear them this spring.

To create an outfit like this, all you need to do is make sure your chambray shirt and your jeans are two very different colors. It's simple and great to have such a democratic outfit for every day.

A chambray shirt tucked into a pencil skirt and paired with heels or sandals creates an informal yet professional outfit that you can wear to the office without worrying that it's too casual for work.

Try wearing pants with a chambray shirt and see how the colors and prints on your pants can instantly make your look more interesting and a lot more cheerful.

Over the past few years, we've all seen the heritage trend take off in men's fashion. It is obvious wherever you turn: rough denim, faded T-shirts, and have become almost the style norm for most. One of the basic reincarnated materials of the new style was thick cotton chambray fabric.

Chambray is loved for its external similarity to denim, but with greater lightness and breathability, and literally everything is sewn from it: shirts, outerwear and trousers, as well as handkerchiefs, scarves and ties. And even shoes. Such a surge in the popularity of chambray can be traced back to the moment of its creation.

Chambray fabric appeared in the 16th century in the French town of Chambry (French: Chambry) near the border with Belgium and became a kind of “lightweight” alternative to the heavy denim of southern France. Although both fabrics are based on the principle of using a white weft (cross weave) and a colored - usually blue - warp, in denim the cross thread runs under two or more warp threads. In chambray, the weft and warp intersect evenly, thread on thread. As a result, denim is distinguished between a front and a back side: the outer side is mostly blue warp, while the “wrong side” is given the whiteness of the wefts. Thus, the fabric is softer and suitable for multi-purpose use.

While denim is typically reserved for jeans, work shirts and outerwear, chambray has been used more creatively since its invention. Initially, due to its lightness and breathability, it was loved by clergy of various calibers. Next, the French came to the logical conclusion that chambray could replace linen in the production of bed linen, tablecloths, handkerchiefs and even children's clothing and linen. Due to its structure, chambray is somewhere in the middle between denim and linen in terms of strength. For this reason, from the 16th to the 19th centuries, linen shirts were often enhanced with chambray collars, cuffs, and frills.

Gitman Vintage

Engineered Garments

MHL by Margaret Howell

It was thanks to its increased strength that chambray was “adopted” by the American military at the end of the 19th century. Changes in 1901 to the military regulations of the US Navy established chambray shirts and denim trousers, and in 1914 these changes extended to both officers and sailors. The new uniform - chosen solely for its practicality - lasted until the end of the Second World War.

Woolrich John Rich & Bros

Carhartt

Lyle & Scott

As for the present, chambray can be found in pride of place in almost every brand that is inspired by the heritage trend. The military “past”, the possibility of various applications, the lightness and at the same time durability of chambray provided this fabric with a place - mainly in the form of shirts - in the spring-summer and autumn-winter collections of such brands as WTAPS, A Bathing Ape, OriginalFake, Chimala, NEIGHBORHOOD, Supreme, J.Crew and others.

Converse, Vans and Nike have used chambray in their iconic Chuck Taylor All Star, Era, Half Cab and Air Force 1 shoes, while Wings + Horns, Woolrich, Opening Ceremony and Levi's have used chambray in outerwear. Apolis Activism showed chambray swim trunks, and Maiden Noir showed all kinds of accessories: bandanas, bags, baseball caps, scarves and pocket squares. Many brands are also experimenting with different chambray color options.

Judging by the trends for the spring-summer 2013 season, it is clear that chambray will linger in the men's wardrobe for a long time, since items from it have already appeared in the collections of Beams +, J.Crew, White Mountaineering, Ovadia & Sons, J. Press, Mark McNairy and FACTOTUM .

Based on materials from: hypebeast.com

When the temperature outside rises above 30 degrees, we begin to frantically search our closet for clothes that won't make us feel like ice cream melting in a waffle cone. And it is for such an occasion that clothes made from chambray fabric are ideal. Outwardly, it resembles faded denim, but in fact it is less dense and more pleasant to the touch. However, along with its lightness, cotton chambray fabric has excellent wear resistance, which is why it was previously used to sew uniforms for American workers. If, after the advantages I described, you still realized that clothes made from this material simply must be in your wardrobe, then you will also be interested in learning about popular ways to wear them. So, let's begin.

Shirt

A classic blue shirt is the epitome of chambray clothing! It looks moderately strict, so it can be used both in casual and office style. What can this product be worn with? I bring to your attention several winning options:

A. With shorts. A delicate blue shirt will look stylish with bright shorts made of thin fabric. Due to the contrast of colors and textures, the outfit will become even more interesting and original.

If you have trendy denim shorts, you can try pairing a shirt with them. Be sure to use a contrasting belt, which will prevent your outfit from turning into one big blue spot. Otherwise, the shade of the shirt and shorts should be different.

b. With a skirt. The combination of a bright midi skirt with a light blue shirt looks very feminine and romantic. The look can be completed with an elegant clutch, large sunglasses and stilettos.

Modern fashionistas love to combine a chambray shirt with leather skirts. Despite the different textures (smooth leather and matte fabric) and colors, the outfit looks quite organic and does not “hurt” the eyes. In addition, the leather theme can be easily played up in accessories (leather bag, sandals, bracelets).

V. With a top. Wear the shirt over a plain top or T-shirt and your fashionable casual look is complete!

d. With pants or leggings. Don't know what to wear for an evening walk? Feel free to wear your favorite jeans and chambray shirt. You can tuck it in and highlight your waist with a wide belt, or wear it untucked.

Jeans can be safely replaced with black leggings, as fashion bloggers do. It turns out quite bold and unusual.

Overalls

Chambray makes great jumpsuits. Despite their similarity to denim, they are lighter and therefore protect well from the heat. In addition, they can be combined with various interesting accessories. So, a light blue jumpsuit with shorts can be worn with stylish shoes and a clutch, and a playful pin-up jumpsuit will go perfectly with bright sunglasses and comfortable ballet shoes.

If you need to choose something sophisticated and sexy, then you can wear a trouser jumpsuit with a deep cut at the back.

You will get a romantic look if you combine a jumpsuit with a crop top that is trendy this year.

Dress

A short oversized dress...what could be better in the summer heat? Wear it with comfortable slip-ons and a tote bag.

You can also choose a romantic flared model with a belt or sewn-in elastic band. It is best worn with sandals or sandals.

The French are great entertainers when it comes to looking elegant and exemplary without breaking the sweat of effort. The embodiment of this approach was chambray fabric - a lightweight analogue of denim. It was invented back in the 16th century and was first spun from flax, and then switched to cotton.

The fabric's worldwide popularity stems from its use as uniforms and casual wear for blue-collar workers. Therefore, the appearance of chambray does not strike the imagination - it is a strong working material of casual style, with slightly faded colors.

This is due to the fact that the fabric does not grip paint well, so it is rational to focus on natural and discreet tones: shades of blue, purple, gray, brown, pastel.

A certain external resemblance to denim is given to the material by the weaving method:

• base - dense, colored thread;
• ducks are looser and whiter.

An additional kinship with jeans is created by quilting the seams and edges with a contrasting thread. The result is a fabric that is uniform on all sides: without dividing into the front and back parts.

What is chambray made from?

This material is a real paradise for the textile industry, the variety in its use is pleasantly surprising:

• men's and women's shirts are probably the most common use for chambray;
• skirts, dresses, sundresses, shorts, pants and overalls;
• baby clothes;
• bed sheets;
• used in accessories (bags, jewelry, etc.), as well as appliqués;
• sew covers, drapery and other decorative elements.

Chambray clothing is light and democratic: casual or business, as well as smart casual. It goes well with different elements of the wardrobe, but it should be combined with denim with caution.

Fabric properties as reasons for popularity

Let's return to the fact that chambray is a fabric for workers, which means it has great functionality:

• high wear resistance;
• hygroscopicity and breathability;
• dense, but not “hot” structure;
• does not irritate the skin, does not electrify;
• almost does not wrinkle;
• does not get dirty;
• washes easily at 40° and is not afraid of a centrifuge.

In general, this is a wonderful fabric for everyday wear, but it also has certain disadvantages:

• does not stretch;
• shrinks after washing;
• dries slowly;
• wears out and fades.

Chambray reviews

Buyers characterize the material positively, noting its simplicity and appropriateness in any environment as a plus.

In addition, the fabric’s low maintenance requirements and a wide range of clothes made from it are highly appreciated.

Photo gallery

Such a piece of clothing as a “denim shirt” is strongly associated with cowboys, American workers, construction workers, drillers, and also prisoners (where would we be without them).

In the 80s of the last century, such shirts were quite fashionable and popular in the USSR, like many other fetishes in the Western world. However, a certain number of years passed and such things began to be perceived first as commonplace, and then as a mossy anachronism.

However, nothing can remain in frozen and petrified constancy. The fashion for heritage, which raged three years ago, brought to light a lot of long-forgotten things. The usefulness of some in our time may be quite dubious, but some things reminded us of themselves as timeless classics and truly comfortable wardrobe items.

Perhaps it’s time to thoroughly shake off the dust of times from such shirts.

It’s worth mentioning right away that often such blue or indigo shirts cannot always be called “denim” in the full sense of the word. The fact is that denim is a type of diagonal weaving of fabric made from dyed and undyed threads.

More often, such items are made from chambray fabric. This is a different type of weaving of cotton fabric, characteristic specifically for shirts.

This kind of fabric began to be made back in the 19th century in the north of France in the commune of Cambrai, hence the similar-sounding name of the fabric.

Most often, such fabric was woven from blue and undyed threads, but there were also options in indigo colors. As a rule, when they talk about chambray, they mean a light, slightly “loose” fabric. It is well ventilated in the summer, and due to the peculiarities of the weaving, it can be worn for quite a long time.

At various times, shirts made from such fabric were worn by sailors, workers and other people who were in one way or another engaged in physical labor in the open air. It is no coincidence that the working class in the West is called “blue collar”.

Later, such shirts, like many other wardrobe items, became part of the everyday men's style and are now worn by anyone - workers, students, and businessmen. Even Jacques Cousteau had great respect for chambray shirts.

Now most manufacturers make shirts from this fabric. Some do this according to a long tradition, and some do it within the framework of current fashion and modern trends.

Unbranded Brand Shirts

In this review we will talk about the Canadian brand Unbranded Brand, which I hope is already known to attentive readers. For those who do not yet know anything about the manufacturer itself or its products, I recommend that you familiarize yourself with both. This way the very concept of this manufacturer and its features will be easily understood.

Following relatively inexpensive, but very high-quality jeans, Unbranded began to include work-style shirts made of chambray fabric in its collections.

The company currently produces one model of these shirts in indigo color UBS690 and in red color UBS680. In my opinion, both of these options look very good.

Material

These shirts use a very heavy duty chambray fabric that measures 10 ounces per square yard of fabric. This is a very dense material, considering that it is fabric for a shirt (as a rule, not very dense lightweight jeans have this density). Initially, out of the box, the shirt is quite hard to the touch. The fabric is "crisp" like freshly purchased raw denim jeans. However, paradoxically, after putting on this shirt, there is no discomfort. The stiffness goes away completely after about a week or two of wear. That is, in my opinion, this cannot be considered a disadvantage of this thing, most likely it is just a feature, especially since shirts made of such dense fabric are far from common.

If this moment bothers anyone, you can spin the shirt once in the washing machine. After it is dried and smoothed, its fabric will become somewhat softer. If the owner does not want to subject the item to “water procedures” from the moment of purchase, then the shirt can be worn over a light T-shirt for some time.

I purchased an indigo shirt. Most often, chambray shirts are somewhat lighter, but in any case, this is a matter of personal preference.

The fabric is very durable, the item is clearly designed for long-term wear (certainly not for one year).

Construction, fit, quality

The shirt itself sits quite tightly at the shoulders. The fit is declared as slim, however, if it is slim, it is quite moderate; in my opinion, it is something between slim and regular. However, I would like to draw your attention to the fact that the armhole itself is quite high, which is why wearing such a shirt will not be comfortable for everyone (this primarily applies to people with a wide chest).

In general, the thing gives the impression of being very durable, comfortable and reliable. The thing does not hang like a bag and at the same time does not restrict movement. There are no difficulties during active movement; if you raise your arms high, the shirt does not pull anywhere.

The length of the shirt is up to the groin, so this shirt will be comfortable to wear both untucked and tucked in, it will not jump out of your jeans at the most inopportune moment.

In my subjective opinion, I would rate the quality of this item as significantly above average. There are no protruding threads, crooked seams, clumsiness or roughness of execution here. In terms of quality, it completely exceeds its price.

The size corresponds well to that stated on the manufacturer's website.

Some components

This shirt's seams are triple stitched, which increases the reliability of the design, although I doubt that the shirt would tear even with a double stitch.

The pocket has a classic “work” shirt shape and is fastened with a plastic button. There is a slot on the left pocket that can be used to carry a fountain pen.

The inside of the placket with button closure is trimmed with a rather soft light-colored braid.

As is customary with Unbranded, there are no logos on the label. Only the size and country of manufacture is indicated: Macau.

In the middle of the hem, the shirt is trimmed with selvedge line; in addition, the threads that sew the seams are woven and left as some kind of decoration (if you don’t like it, you can cut it off, it won’t affect anything). In general, this, like selvedge, is simply a tribute to old traditions.

On the reverse side are “brief characteristics” of the item.

Where can I buy

First of all, you should look at the official website of the brand, you can also look at the store of the popular style portal Hypebeast (Fedex delivery), there is also a rather interesting project by people from the British store ironheart.co.uk to popularize high-quality classic denim in the Russian-speaking space Selvedge+ (delivery is free via CIS+small discounts possible). In general, it’s worth monitoring the manufacturer’s stock list and choosing the most suitable option for yourself. Prices for such shirts are about $80 (slightly more in European stores). So these are quite reasonable prices for an item of very decent quality.