Popover PSA

The popover shirt is one of my favorite types of shirts to wear in the summer. A popover is a woven shirt with a placket that stops somewhere around the chest pocket. It looks a little nicer than a polo and because it can be found in very lightweight fabrics it is probably cooler to wear than most polo shirts. The last few years have seen a resurgence of popovers with everyone from J.Press to J.Crew including one in their summer roster.
                                                                 Blue Linen Popover (see here)

This year is no different except that there are some cheap options. Hence the PSA. I was looking for a popover to pick-up, but had not settled on one. I was actually shopping the Target site for porch accessories when I got sidetracked in the clothing section. This is where I found the $20 popover.

Navy Popover with red stripes (see here)White Linen Popover (see here)Camel Popover (see here)

Target currently offers 4 popovers in a linen/cotton blend for $19.99. The colors are blue, white, navy with red horizontal stripes, and a tan version that features camels (this one is only available in stores). My local Target closed recently so I had to order via the web. I purchased the blue version and the white version. I will know more when they arrive.

I thought that this popover deserved a PSA strictly from a pricing perspective. It is hard to pass on a $20 popover when most of the other popovers that I see go for 3 to 5 times the price. Now there are certainly going to be questions about quality and fit, but for $20 it may be worth rolling the dice. I thought that it did.

oxford cloth button down
Jerrod Swanton is a simple man interested in simple, classic, and traditional style.

8 Comments on "Popover PSA"

  1. Old Trad says:

    Is the placket as narrow as it looks?
    Shouldn’t it be the same width as a regular button down shirt
    placket?
    How long do you think the placket should be, ideally?
    I think it should stop at the middle of the
    pocket, not at the bottom.

  2. Roger Russell says:

    These are very narrow plackets, collars, and shoulders. I tried to make them work for me and it did not work out.

  3. oxford cloth button down says:

    Old Trad – Great questions. Not sure about the placket as I ordered online and have not received, but Roger has indicated that they are indeed narrow. My ideal placket length is close to the one that you described. However, it seems that many purist like a longer placket. Some like it to look like a regular button-front shirt when tucked.

    Roger – Thanks for the feedback. Mine are still in transit.

  4. JDD says:

    Please do report on the collar roll when you receive them, Ox.

  5. Gary says:

    I would like to own more popovers. I have one right now from J. Crew a couple of years ago, a light denim long-sleeved version. With its narrower collar and slimmer fit, it’s not quite the thing I normally go for, but I will say that it helps me switch things up a bit in the summer months. It goes great untucked with some white jeans, or even with some swim trunks poolside if I get chilly. It is what it is, a very casual sport shirt, and as these shirts are such, I suspect that your Target versions will fit the bill nicely, Ox. I look forward to hearing how they work out for you.

  6. ArgyBargy says:

    I just bought one of these yesterday in size Medium. I took measurements which may be helpful to some…

    Pit-to-pit max is 23″ across. I say max because I measured at the widest point under the arms, and held the shirt taut. This measurement might include a very slight stretch of the fabric, but not forceful stretching. Shirt was completely buttoned up while measuring.

    The back yoke is 18.25″ across.

    I am a 42 Long and the medium fits me pretty good…its slim but not restrictive. I could use another .5″ or so in the back yoke, but it’s a good fit for a cheap garment.

  7. Mike Y. says:

    Thanks for the tip on these. Yes, the placket is a bit on the narrow side, but just a bit. I bought two — the solid blue and the white, both linen. The fit is contemporary but not snug, at least on me. I usually wear an XL in casual shirts. I tried an XXL just in case, and it was huge. So I’d say these are roughly true to size.

    Bottom line, I like them quite a bit.

  8. Tom says:

    These are now 30% at Target. Much to my disappointment, sizing is way off, the medium is too tight and the large is HUGE.

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