Freenote Cloth Hickory Selvedge Railstripe Shirt

It’s no secret that we’re what you might call indigo-obsessed. Our beloved blue has had a resurgence, a golden age in which it’s appearing everywhere from shirts to sweats to boots.

Freenote Cloth not only utilizes indigo for its denim, they’re gearing up to release a number of pieces utilizing the versatile dye. One such piece is the Railstripe Shirt, a classic western-style shirt with an attention to detail we’ve come to expect from the Brodrick brothers and company.

We were lucky enough to get our hands on one and give it a good going over with a magnifying glass.

Details

  • Name: Freenote Cloth Railstripe Shirt
  • Fabric: Japanese selvedge 100% cotton
  • Other details:
    • Double- and triple-stitch needle detailing
    • Indigo-dyed hickory stripes
    • Utility pocket
    • Burned horn buttons
    • Made in the USA
  • MSRP: $260 at Freenote Cloth and select retailers

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The shirt offers 1/8” double needle detail on front pocket and placket, with triple-needle detail on the back yoke, the side seam, and the arm seam. Not only is such stitching visually appealing; it also offers a sturdy reinforced construction. The back yoke also offers contrast fabric to give it a visual pop.

Beyond the details of construction, the shirt offers up a number of signature visual details. The placket on the arm connects all the way to the elbow, something you don’t often see in a shirt (and one of pattern-maker Leo Tran’s favorite aspects of their shirts).

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The front left pocket is also unique in that it houses a separate lined utility pocket for odds and ends or even a phone–and it does fit the iPhone 6: I checked. 

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The side gusset features chain-stitch run-off, a Freenote staple, along with selvedge detailing.

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The horn buttons are burned with the brand’s name, a detail one wouldn’t catch without looking closely.

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The fabric is a Japanese selvedge cotton whose hickory stripes are indigo-dyed; the shirt is given a rinse which causes the blue of the indigo to pop, going from a greyish cast to a deep blue. It also causes the previously white parts of the fabric to take on a light blue. As with any indigo product, the stripes will fade with wear and washes.