15 Cuban Collar Shirts To Keep You Cool All Summer Long (In More Ways Than One) (2024)

FAQs

What is another name for a Cuban collar shirt? ›

Known sometimes as a Cuban shirt or pyjama collar (or bowling shirt or cabana shirt or aloha shirt or safari shirt or…), the camp collar shirt has a long history that places it right in the middle of essential summer style today.

Typically worn in the warmer months, Cuban collar shirts are traditionally constructed from a lightweight, breathable fabric such as cotton, linen, Tencel or terrycloth.

Basically, a Cuban collar shirt has a more relaxed, open collar, short sleeves and a straight hem. It provides a casual-smart look that has proven to be flattering on all body-shapes by broadening your upper body and running straight down your sides.

The Cuban collar, also known as a 'camp' collar, is a more relaxed style, that sits flat against the body. Think Hawaiian shirts, or bowling shirts. It's wider, its buttons sit lower down your chest and it's also more comfortable than a high-collared offering — making it the ideal style for summer.

What is a Guayabera? Men wearing guayaberas are a familiar sight in Latin America and the Caribbean. A traditional piece of menswear, the shirt is distinguished by its four front pockets and two vertical stripes of pleating and/or embroidery.

Due to the looser fit and dropped collar, Cuban collar shirts are traditionally styled in a more casual fashion. However, that doesn't mean they can't be worn for relaxed destination weddings – paired with a linen suit and suede loafers, you'll exude carefree Cuban style.

Historical evidence, however, suggests that the garment emerged in Cuba. The most frequently told origin story involves an 18th century couple in the Cuban countryside. In this tale, the husband asks his wife to create a shirt with multiple pockets to store his belongings while working.

Tucked into a pair of tailored trousers with a slim fit, or a nice pair of tailored shorts, a tucked-in Cuban can do big things but, please, approach with caution. Generally speaking, a Cuban Collar Shirt will look great untucked and aloof. That's what it was designed for.

Try tucking your tee into some slim fitting trousers or jeans to bring a variety of shape to the 'fit, slim and fitted underneath against the open, wide and billowing Cuban collar above.

The striking shark collar with its widely spread collar tips is currently in terms of fashion the most popular shirt collar form and is especially appreciated in Italy. It owes its name to the fact that the wide-cut collar looks as if a shark had bitten off a piece of fabric from the collar.

What is a Johnny collar? ›

: a small round or pointed dress collar that has a front split and that fits close to the neck.

Many years later, when the design migrated to Cuba, the Guayabera underwent a transformation. It exchanged its original collar for the wider, more open collar that remains its signature feature to this day. The Guayabera rapidly became known as the Cuban collar (Camp collar) as we know it today.

Typically made of linen, silk, or cotton, and appropriate for hot and/or humid weather, guayaberas are popular in Mexico, Central America, the Caribbean (especially Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Haiti, Jamaica, and Puerto Rico), South America, Southeast Asia, the south of Spain, and Portugal.

Another account suggests that the name was derived from the large pockets of the shirt which were used by the workers to carry the fruit 'guayabas' (guavas as we know them). Either way, the shirt was born, with the earliest versions featuring four front pockets, vertical pleats and in many cases decorative embroidery.

A camp shirt, variously known as a cabin shirt, Cuban collar shirt, cabana shirt, and lounge shirt, is a loose, straight-cut, woven, short-sleeved button-front shirt or blouse with a simple placket front opening and a "camp collar" - a one-piece collar (no band collar) that can be worn open and spread or closed at the ...