The Summer Rugby

Kelly Green Rugby

During the summer I am usually only thinking of ways to stay cool, but the occasional cool summer night or chilly morning may call for long sleeves. Most of the time a simple OCBD or long sleeve Madras shirt will work just fine. If it is even cooler perhaps a cotton sweater or the classic grey sweatshirt will do. I have all of the above and use them regularly during the summer months. However, my rugby hoodie from Barbarian gets more wear than all of the the rest when the weather turns gross.
Barbarian RugbyI can’t say enough good things about this rugby. It is built to last. The construction is solid and the fabric is a nice hefty cotton that will soften up over time. Mine is currently entering the state where it is a dream to put it on similar to a well-worn OCBD or those chinos that you’ve owned so long that they now feel like sweatpants. The hood has come in handy plenty of times whether that be protecting my head from rain or myself from the world when I am not ready to deal with the morning.

I liked this rugby so much that I purchased another one just for warmer weather. What makes this one a little more summery than your average rugby are the colors. Green and blue are a classic color combination for trads in the summer. They can be found on everything from ties to ribbon belts. The green on this rugby takes it up a notch on the trad scale by using kelly green along with navy very similar to the Ralph Lauren ad below. The result is a nice brightly colored rugby that is ready for a morning coffee run or an evening walk.
Kelly Green Rugby
Green & Blue Striped RugbyThis weeks post also ties back to the, ‘Always & Forever (see here)’ post. I knew that I liked my Barbarian rugby and that I should order another while they are still around. In fact, when I purchased the rugby there was a note on the Barbarian website that said, ‘Some items in the store listing are not available.’  Lucky for me what I wanted was still in stock. For all I know the hefty all-cotton rugby shirt may be the next item on the endangered species list. Get them while the getting is good.

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

7 Comments on "The Summer Rugby"

  1. farrago says:

    Columbiaknit in Portland, Oregon. US made. Decent Prices. Rugby shirts (in different styles) and more. What”s not to like?

    http://www.usa-wear.com/ostore/

  2. oxford cloth button down says:

    Farrago – Thanks for mentioning them! I have heard good things. They have one that I want, but I have been waiting on them to restock a size for about 8 months.

    I did consider them for the blue/green color, but went with Barbarian because of the kelly green.

  3. Roger C. Russell II says:

    I still have my L.L.Bean Rugby shirt from the 80’s in the blue and green stripes like your Barbarian. I love the look of the shirt, but years ago after I saw myself photographed I decided to stay away from bold horizontal shirts. However, I would probably enjoy one of the solid options. My oldest boy now has my L.L.Bean.

  4. Gary says:

    Very nice shirt, Ox! I own only one rugby so far, one from Polo Ralph Lauren, and it is a great option for cooler weather. Your post reminds me I need more, especially lighter ones for this time of year.

  5. Ryan says:

    What size Barbarian do you wear? Curious about their sizing.

  6. oxford cloth button down says:

    Ryan – I wear a small. In general, I find that I am true small.

  7. CAY says:

    These look like really nice shirts. Years ago, I had a couple of rugby shirts made by Patagonia that I wore a lot, but they eventually died. Although I’ve looked from time-to-time, I have never seen anything that compared to the old rugbies. These look to be great replacements. Thanks for the idea!

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