The Irish Grandfather Shirt
The Irish Grandfather Shirt
The Irish ‘Grandfather Shirt’ often referred to as a ‘Grandad Shirt’ remains a firm favourite for many men and women around the world. This classic shirt, is forever linked with Ireland’s past and is still as popular now as it was back then. It goes to show that true style improves with age.
What is a Grandfather Shirt?
A grandfather shirt or grandad collar shirt traditionally is a long-sleeved flannel or brushed cotton collarless shirt. These traditional shirts were white with coloured vertical blue, navy or brown stripes. Over the years there have been a few variations of this style but the ‘collarless’ shirt design has remained the same.
Today you can choose from a wide range of cotton fabric, crisp vintage cottons, tartan flannels, linen and striped flannel Grandfather Shirts, the list is endless.
Longer shirts were often used as night shirts or pajamas as the material is comfortable and warm. The nightshirt version often includes a matching nightcap also known as a stocking cap, designed to prevent heat loss at night.
Irish Traditional Grandfather Shirts
Historically grandfather shirts were very popular in Ireland, particularly for working men in the rural countryside. When working in the fields in the Lee Valley of West Cork, the traditional farmer favoured this collarless shirt as it was warm. He had little use for neck ties while he was working the land, and the collarless grandfather shirt proved a comfortable alternative.
Traditionally a collar could be buttoned onto the grandfather shirt to dress the shirt up. The collared grandfather shirt colloquially became known as the 'Sunday Shirt'. Sunday shirts were typically good shirts which were worn to mass, christenings, funerals, and weddings. Grandfather shirts were usually paired with an Irish Flat Cap and an Irish Tweed Vest, which are traditionally part of the national costume of Ireland.
Lee Valley Ireland & The Grandfather Shirt
The Irish grandfather shirt was the inspiration behind setting up our Irish clothing company in the heart of the Lee Valley in County Cork.
In the early eighties people who had left the emerald isle, and who had travelled far away wanted to have a piece of clothing that would remind them of their heritage. The Lee Valley Grandfather Shirt is reminscent of the collarless style of shirt our grandfather used to wear.
This staple garment became the first clothing item in the Lee Valley range which has grown year on year for 35 years now.
The ‘Lee Valley Grandfather shirt’ was designed with the aspiration to bring you back to a place you thought you’d left forever.
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