The henley

Once an undergarment, the henley has gone through many stages before becoming an essential element of the male wardrobe. Focus on this piece is still little known by the general public in France and yet essential to the wardrobe of these gentlemen.

Henley, what is it?

The henley is a hybrid piece between the tee shirt, the polo shirt and the sweatshirt.

It has the appearance of a tee-shirt with a low cut collar and long or short sleeves. It is characterized like the polo by its placket with two or three buttons. These buttons are made of wood, mother of pearl, resin or plastic depending on the model. And it is like the sweatshirt by its thickness, lighter but still thicker than the tee shirt. Its knitting makes it a very pleasant piece to wear with a great freedom of movement, which appealed to many classes of men and explains its success with men today.

Its history

The henley was born in the 19th century in England. At the time, it was an "all-in-one" piece: it served as a suit that protected its owner from the cold from calves to wrists.

Over time, this unique piece of clothing was split into two: a pair of tights called long john for the bottom and a henley for the top.

Little by little, the henley became the prerogative and even the uniform of the aviators. It takes its name from the town of Henley-on-Thames, located in Oxfordshire, which organizes from 1839 the Royal Regatta, the largest rowing race in England. 

The rowers appreciate the henley for its buttons and the possibility to refresh themselves by opening them.

The fashion is launched and the henley is produced on a large scale with the Industrial Revolution in progress.

In the 1940s, the henley seduced the American military during the Korean and Vietnam wars. It is made of wool and cotton, and is available in khaki, beige or brown. Insulating, it is appreciated for its warmth in winter, and the possibility to cool down in summer by unbuttoning a few buttons on its central flap.

It then became the prerogative of the agricultural and working classes who appreciated its thermoregulatory properties, adaptable to the seasons.

After the army and the general public, the henley made its entrance in the cinema. It dresses and emphasizes the muscular bodies of the heroes of adventures and wars. We find it in westerns, but also in Superman, and worn by Ryan Gosling and Tom Cruise in Drive and Jack Reacher respectively.

Charles Bronson

Tom Cruise in Jack Reacher

Ryan Gosling

Henry Cavill dans Man of Steel

How to choose a good henley?

• The size : The henley should be worn close to the body, to benefit from its thermoregulatory qualities. Choose a henley that fits you, no oversized ones!

• The fabric : Choose a natural material such as cotton, a cotton/wool blend or linen. The ideal weight is between 200 and 240g/m2. The fabric must be thick and textured enough to ensure that your henley is comfortable and durable. Its fabric should be knitted and not woven for a more textured and authentic look.

• The placket : Choose a wide, differently woven placket for better fit and authenticity, with two to three contrasting wooden or horn buttons. We also recommend long sleeves, which are more elegant.

Here a wide placket in a different weave from the main body

Linen, which is a perfect fit for the henley with an elegant, casual feel.

How to wear your henley?

We wear it as a main piece, during the warm seasons, or as an undershirt in autumn and winter.

As a main piece

Worn alone, it will perfectly match with jeans and a pair of sneakers for a relaxed style, or with a chino and suede shoes for a more sophisticated outfit.

Double henley

Keep one or two buttons open for a casual look.

As an undershirt

If you're wearing it as an undershirt, i.e. under a shirt, jacket or sweater, choose a neutral tone that will work well with your ensemble. For example, an ecru, a light grey, a blue or a khaki. No white that would contrast too much with the rest of your outfit and risk giving you a blah look.

The objective is to wear the henley in a discreet way, however it is essential to give structure to your outfit. 

Under a shirt: it must remain open or half closed, it can be in denim, plaid, linen. The objective is that it has a thicker material than the henley.

With a sweater

Choose a chunky sweater that highlights the button placket of the henley. The contrast of the materials highlights each of them and gives a worked style.

Under a jacket

This one must be casual, a little loose. It is associated with jeans or a chino for a style worked but not formal, and loafers.

The henley is an easy piece to wear and to associate, it replaces the tee-shirt and the shirt in summer, and serves as a comfortable under shirt in winter. It lends itself perfectly to layering for a worked and modern side. But above all it is very pleasant to wear, provided that you choose a quality fabric and thick enough. With its sporting, military and working class history, it has stood the test of time and the popularity it enjoys confirms its "endless" popularity.

Finally, the henley is a full-fledged male piece that has no equivalent in the female wardrobe.