Open-collar shirts for grown-ups to wear this summer. Which brands do our staff recommend for a cool, breezy look?

We love casual T-shirts, but as the years go by, we've also started caring about looking a bit more polished and grown-up. Searching around for a solution, we arrived at the open-collar shirt—something that adds just a touch of "adult" accent to everything we already love about a T-shirt.

This time, we'd like to introduce open-collar shirts and their brands that combine a summery feel with the kind of comfortable wear that keeps you at ease even in the heat.

◆ Two Open-Collar Shirts

The open-collar shirts we're featuring at ZUTTO are from Villond (left) and James Mortimer (right).

【 Villond 】

A pajama specialist brand that got its start as a shirt fabric maker. These open-collar shirts charm with their stylish fabric patterns, the quality of their shirt-making technique, and the comfortable feel that comes from their pajama expertise.

【 James Mortimer 】

A long-established shirt maker in Ireland dating back to 1894. They craft high-quality shirts with meticulous attention to details that are often simplified elsewhere these days, valuing not only authentic design but also careful stitching, producing shirts built with everyday durability in mind.

◆ How to Wear an Open-Collar Shirt

1. Layer It Over an Inner Top

Shirt: Open-Collar Shirt Small Floral/NAVY (Villond)

Skirt: MACHU PICCHU Denim Skirt, Sneakers: Sneaker Larch Snow

With a collar that gives it a put-together look, yet no collar stand to feel restrictive around the neck, this open-collar shirt lets the breeze touch your skin as it wraps your body lightly and softly, letting you stay cool. Of course, it's also handy for layering over sleeveless tops or tank tops with the front left open, helping you regulate your body temperature.

In summer, even if it's scorching outside, indoor air conditioning can be so strong that your body tires out without you even noticing. For those who find long sleeves too hot, the open-collar shirt is a convenient and welcome option.

Open-Collar Shirt Small Floral/NAVY (Villond)

For those worried about feeling restricted when layering, we recommend Villond's open-collar shirt—light and easygoing enough to wear even as loungewear at home.

We offer it in refreshing blue-toned colors and patterns: a small floral print with white blossoms scattered across a calm navy background, a paisley drawn in navy and yellow on a white ground, and a gingham check with eye-catching lines that look as if drawn randomly with paint. Each is a fine, summery pattern that's easy to coordinate with any bottoms.

From left: Small Floral/NAVY, Paisley/IVORY, Gingham Check/BLUE

Shirt: Open-Collar Shirt WILD SALMON (James Mortimer)

T-shirt: Choose-Your-Own White T-shirt Basic/Medium Weight, Pants: Cotton Sateen Army Pants IVORY, Sandals: Leather Sandals W0162 CUOIO

Shirt: Open-Collar Shirt WILD SALMON (James Mortimer)

It's said that you can tell a good shirt by looking at its inside, and that's exactly true of James Mortimer, where even the stitching on the reverse side is carefully considered. Made from a somewhat thick, sturdy linen fabric, and sewn with a chain-stitch machine dedicated solely to shirt-making, this is a first-rate shirt with a robustness in withstanding everyday wear and washing that other shirts simply don't have.

The crisp linen doesn't cling to the skin, allowing air to pass through for a cool, breezy feel. Thanks to its excellent construction, this open-collar shirt has a timeless quality, free of trends, that lets you keep wearing it through the years no matter your age.

The colors include a beautiful yellow drawn from the plumeria flower, and a nuanced pink named Wild Salmon. This is a piece where you can fully savor the rich color and sheen that linen is capable of.

2. Pairs Beautifully with Summer Accessories

Shirt: Open-Collar Shirt ELADINE (James Mortimer)

T-shirt: Choose-Your-Own White T-shirt Basic/Medium Weight, Pants: Camouflage Gurkha Pants CAMOUFLAGE, Shoes: T-Strap Shoes

In summer, you naturally want to wear items in fresh, cheerful colors and patterns. Even when combining them feels a little tricky at times, pairing them with a solid-color open-collar shirt brings the whole look into nice balance.

Shirt: Open-Collar Shirt ELADINE (James Mortimer)

Shirt: Open-Collar Shirt Paisley/IVORY (Villond)

Pants: Bardot UP127301 High-Waist Straight Denim OW, Sandals: Leather Sandals W0162 CUOIO, Bag: Akebi Basket (Tsumadoubari Hora Weave, Ring Handle)

A patterned open-collar shirt also brings a summery feel all on its own. It looks fresh even when simply paired with denim, and pairing it with summer accessories like sandals or a basket bag makes the whole look noticeably cooler.

Shirt: Open-Collar Shirt Paisley/IVORY (Villond)

3. Easy to wash and keeps clean

The linen used in James Mortimer's fabric is also well suited to summer. What's more, the garments are sewn with construction designed to withstand the strain of repeated washing, showcasing the durability that only a long-established shirt maker can offer.

Thin, light, and soft with a smooth touch against the skin, Villond's open-collar shirt is a piece we'd recommend to anyone seeking sheer lightness above all else.

An open-collar shirt with a refined, adult air that lets you spend summer in cool comfort is a garment whose charm draws you in the moment you try it on. Villond and James Mortimer are two brands with different fabrics and characteristics, but both offer items that combine comfort and style, making them ideal recommendations for summer.

▼Villond